How We Met

Charles and I celebrate our 5 year anniversary on Friday. In honor of this I will [hopefully] be posting 5 extra blogs dedicated to our story...for the romantic at heart. Here is the first of five.

How We Met

Charles & I first met on a Sunday morning in the summer of 2004 at Mount Paran Church of God [Central] in Atlanta, GA. I was standing in the lobby and I saw my college pastor talking to a very attractive blonde guy. My first thought was "Is that Dr. Cooper's son?" I wasn't interested per say, I was dating someone else at the time. On my way out to my car, I ran into him, he was lost and I helped him find his way [still true, just kidding]. Being heavily apart of the college ministry I quickly offered my information to help him get involved. 

A few months passed. I never really notice him. Occasionally, April [my best friend] and I would give him a hard time for being so "spiritual" and always "saving people". I'm pretty sure on her birthday I tried to set him up with one of my friends and even find him a roommate to which he replied, "I'm not looking for a roommate I'm waiting for my wife." I shrugged my shoulders and moved on. 

One morning in service I had a word of knowledge, a vision, of a train going off track. I felt the Lord say it was for Charles. After I told him, apparently, he became intrigued by me. He started instant messaging, emailing and [randomly] calling me. At the time, he also was not interested in me that way. I went on a trip, had 7 dreams in a row about him. One including having twin hippos: a boy and a girl [hoping the twin part comes true some day]. Nevertheless, my mind was weirded out. I was falling for someone I didn't really even...like...or know.

I went on another trip. I didn't eat all weekend [I've never done that before] and talked all my sisters ears off about "what if he is THE ONE". I remember I stayed up all night waiting by the computer to see if he'd log onto yahoo messenger...he did...around 4am, I'd fallen asleep. I bought several shirts the day before I flew home because I couldn't decide what to wear the next day to church. I drove straight from the airport to church that morning. Butterflies and beyond excited to see someone who had no idea how I felt for them.

We went out to lunch at Chilli's as a group. I purposively didn't sit by him. The meal ended and [he tells me now] he really wanted to see a movie with me, but didn't want to make it obvious so he asked the whole group. Everyone at the table declined for one [good] reason or another and when it got to me, realizing it would just be him and I...I froze. panicked. Said the first [and true] thing that came to mind, "I can't I have to clean out under my bathroom sink." Did I really just say that? Then I kicked myself for letting those words be put into a sentence together and come out my mouth. Ugh. I called him, awkwardly, trying to explain myself. Weirder. 

More time. More group events. More butterflies. More CanApril room talks about him. Another after-church-meal-awkard-moment where he wanted to buy me a Cinnabon and ended up buying the whole table one to not be obvious. Me---to nervous---never ate it. However, I did take it home to my parents and said "what is going on with me?" to which my mom replied...he's the one. He's what you need. Only making this all the more scary---mom never said that about any other guy I brought home.

One night after college group was over, we both turned to each other, not having spoken all night to one another [as usual], and both blurted out "wanna go to coffee?" Woah. He [being a gentleman] offered to drive out to the Starbucks near my house. 

That conversation changed everything for him and I. Over two chai lattes I said something that opened his eyes to me. My intent that night was to say, "hey, I enjoy your calls, but the truth is---I really like you too much and it's just too hard for me to be *just* your friend if you're interested in other people." I also said something regarding his life and choices to the effect of "Where's the fruit?" He looked across that black wire wobbly Starbucks table that September night and told me he really liked me too. We smiled. Things had forever changed. Instantly. I'll never forget that night.

A few days later we went on our first "official" date to an evening Braves game on September 11th. We sat at the top, barely watched the game, laughted-talked-took some of my favorite pictures. 

Favorite picture #5 of us

A few days later I reminded him he never asked me to be his girlfriend "officially." I was not feeling well that night and next thing I knew he was at my doorstep with a can of soup and a question. That night I took a picture of my excitement after he left and the next morning April made me Charles & Candra muffins. I guess you could say September 14th was when we started "dating."