The Last Month

This last month of being 24 has been such an insane blessing. One of the things dating has shown me is the immeasurable value of a friend who listens. Not just because she has to, but because she wants to. 

I confess that I haven't always been that friend, but this makes me want to work at being one. I've talked countless ears off in these last 4 weeks, gushing and gushing and gushing about all things butterflies. I can't express what a blessing it is to have friends who listen, who celebrate with me, who praise Jesus with me. 

And you guys? You're that type of friend, too. So many of you have asked for details of how this whole relationship landed in my life. Thank you for asking. Today, I deliver. :)

***

Oh, how I love those photos. They were taken shortly after PJ and I had our first real conversation, slow dancing to far-from-slow music in the middle of the crowded reception dance floor. We were pushed into the photo booth by two of his friends (thank youuu, Amanda and Kyle), and the result was two different photo strips. He kept one, and I kept the other. 

For each photo strip that came out, a copy was put in a guest book. When ours was glued in, I grabbed the sharpie to write my note:

Thanks for letting him crash your wedding. ;)

XO,

Amy

***

The moment on the dance floor wasn't technically our first convo. 

After the rehearsal dinner, two other bridesmaids and I did a Target run, while everyone else mingled at the hotel bar. By the time we got back and finished decorating Colleen's bridal suite, everyone had already been hanging out downstairs for a while. Honestly, every part of me was ready to call it a night. But thankfully, I fought my inner grandma, and went to be social with the other bridesmaids. 

As soon as I got downstairs, I spotted someone I didn't recognize. Not gonna lie, I found him attractive, and was intrigued by the fact that I didn't know who he was. I recognized everyone else from the rehearsal dinner, but not this guy. 

Our little trio of bridesmaids made our way over to his side of the room. He immediately noticed the florescent white liquid in my wine glass, and asked what I was drinking. Not exactly the most common color for a drink, right? I'm fairly certain I made some joke about it being straight up vodka, before confessing that it was a coconut water drink. Intrigued by my response, he asked if I don't drink. I told him no, I don't. 

That was literally the extent of our conversation. At this point, I can honestly say that I had no expectations with this. I didn't know enough about him to be seriously interested, though I was definitely attracted. But I had fully convinced myself that he wasn't. 

Why? Because of so many of my biggest insecurities. One, I was wearing glasses. I knew I would be wearing contacts for the big next day, so glasses it was for the rehearsal dinner. 

If you've been around for a while, you know that I have serious glasses insecurities. They've gotten better, but they're not fully gone. Add in the fact that I told him I don't drink? I seriously doubted that he had any interest, whoever this mystery man was. 

Turns out, I was wrong. :)

***

Mystery man's name was PJ. He had come down for a weekend getaway with friends, no intentions of going to a wedding. That is, until he was invited to the wedding the night before. Colleen met him at the hotel bar that night, and said "hey! you're here, you're friends with my future sister and brother in law, you might as well come to the wedding!"

{Three words: bless. her. heart.}

***

The day flew by. Getting ready, taking pictures, having the ceremony, taking more pictures, it was all such a beautiful wedding day. Ironically, as we were getting ready, I was talking to Colleen's older sister out on the balcony. We were talking about dating, and how I hoped one day all this wedding stuff would happen for me, too. 

It will, she said. When you least expect it, you're going to meet him. 

Zero percent of me ever thought I'd meet someone that night. 

***

When we got to the reception, all bridal party duties were complete. It was time to have fun, and with my glass of sparkling cider in hand, I was fully prepared for just that. Walking across the empty dance floor, I crossed paths with PJ. He brought his glass to mine for a cheers, "you look beautiful tonight," he said. He said something else after, but the butterflies distracted me too much to remember. 

There are so many details to share about the rest of the night, but for now, I just want to share a few. Like how Justin's aunt (Justin = the groom) created a mission to get us dancing. She was so dead set on it, that she ended up literally grabbing our hands and putting them together. The music was so upbeat, but we just started slow dancing. 

I love that this picture was taken. Neither of us like the way we look (though, I kinda dig that I look like I'm praising Jesus. I probably was), but this so perfectly captures that moment. Everyone dancing around us, and the two of us just engaged in that first real conversation. 

{Aunt Patty's in the blue next to us. You go, Aunt Patty!}

He told me he had been attracted to me when he first saw me, and I asked "when?" With all that hair and makeup did, I didn't think I looked much like the night before. 

"Last night," he said "at the hotel bar. when you were in your glasses."

{At this point in the convo, I seriously just had a moment with God. You would God, You would.}

He wanted to get to know me, so I did what any typical 24 year old girl would do to try to attract a guy: 
I laid. on. the. Jesus. 

After being in my fair share of wrong relationships, and finally being in a place where I was content being single, I knew I couldn't even think about getting into a relationship unless we were on the same page about the most important thing in my life: Jesus. And to be honest, I don't think I expected we would be. I think I was being suuuuper up front about who I am and what I'm about fully expecting it to scare him off. 

But just like I was wrong about the glasses, I was wrong about this too. Turns out he liked that I loved Jesus. He agreed with all the relationship boundaries I talked about. 

Everything I doubted he would be attracted to, he was: the glasses, the sobriety, my complete obsession with Jesus. He liked it all. 

I'm kinda liking this being wrong thing. 

***

PJ and I started talking on May 31, and we haven't stopped since. It's been so fluid, so natural. In these short 4 weeks, I've gotten to see God working so much in him, and in me, and in our relationship. 

There's so many more little stories to share, and words to say, but for now, I think I'll leave at this:

God is so good. 

I kinda like him a lot. :)

Happy Friday, loves! Hope yours is a fabulous one.