I am not sure if remembering dates is a female characteristic, but when it comes to your dads and my dating history, I essentially can recall most significant dates. For example, our first date was November 24, 1995. He asked me to be his "girlfriend" on January 3rd, 1996 with a rose after church. We had our first VERY SHORT kiss (I mean lightening speed) on January 5th, 1996. I left for college on August 28th 1996, while he stayed home. He asked me to marry him on October 17th, 1999..and so on and so on...
One of the days that sticks out is July 19, 1997...exactly 13 years ago today. I remember this day so well because it was the wedding of my cousin Staci. Daddy and I had been "back and forth" for the months of May and June, and I was getting a little frustrated (okay, a lot frustrated-ha ha ha) of his indecisiveness. I can take you back to the place that we engaged in a very lengthy and deep conversation. It was on the front porch of the Warrenville house. I stood on the top stair of the deck, and Daddy stood on the stone step beneath me. On the afternoon of July 19th, I told him, "you either date me 100%, or not at all". At 19 years old Daddy decided that he needed to go a different direction in life, and that was the last time I spoke to him for close to 6 months. I was heartbroken! What made it worse was that I had to attend my cousins wedding that evening, and they played "our" song at their wedding. I was bawling my eyes out! That evening after the wedding my good and loyal friends Dave and Kelly came to my house with a Cubs balloon and two gallons of ice cream, and helped me eat my sorrows away. :)
I "befriended" one or two other people during that 6 month hiatus, and so did Daddy. That December we were both single again, and over Christmas vacation, we re-established a friendship. Then, on January 17th, 1998, Daddy says that is when he fell in love with me, and knew that I was "the one". How did I know that? We went rollerskating that night with some friends (there was literally nothing else to do in Spfd, MO), and he kept his ticket stub as a momento of the day he "knew". He later gave me that ticket stub after we were married, and I have it still in my hope chest.
I think this day is significant in my life, and in our relationship, because this day propelled me to examine my life, my heart, my calling, and my relationship with God like nothing else ever had. With Daddy's absence in my life, I took my broken heart to the Lord, and I found my security and identity in HIM. It was one of the most spiritually rapid growth spurts that I've known. I think it prepared me to be the wife that Daddy ultimately needed. That 6 month break that started on July 19th, propelled me to look to Jesus to fill the voids in my life, instead of requiring a human to fill that roll. When we got back together, I didn't put pressure on him to be my "everything", because I had found that in Jesus. Daddy wasn't responsible for completing my existence, but rather his presence complimented my life. I also grew in my understanding of Daddy. Even during those 6 months apart, I knew that I knew that I knew, he was the one for me. I just had to wait until he figured it out! :)
I don't know who you are going to marry. I don't know if you are going to be like me and fall in love at 17, and never look back, or if you are going to date multiple people until you find your soul mate. I would never wish you pain in your love journey, but, I do hope, that throughout your dating experiences, you continually keep your hearts grounded in rooted in the Love of Christ first.
Anyways, just a funny story of July 19th..And, if you look back at my last three years of blogging, I always recount a sappy story about Daddy and I when he's away at camp. I miss him so!
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