another confession

i got in bed at 8:06 last night. i'm not ashamed. call me old and married, i don't care. after this whirlwind wedding weekend, i'm surprised i made it that late.

one of my dearest college friends got married saturday. as a bridesmaid, the schedule was hectic and a bit tiring. and i loved every second of it. there's just something about watching a close friend take that next step in life. melissa is such a gem and i was delighted to walk with her through her big day.

mel has played a huge role in LOML's and my relationship. at our rehearsal dinner, she made sure to point this out. without melissa, who knows if i ever would have met "the guy in the orange shirt." i'm not one that believes in love at first sight, or even that there is only one soul you are destined to spend the rest of your life with. i guess i'm not much of a romantic. what i do believe, is that you find a friend, you grow in your love and understanding of the other, and you make a commitment. i have chosen to love LOML unconditionally (or, as unconditionally as is humanly possible), respect him, honor him, and grow old with him. it's liberating to wake up every morning, knowing that he has made this commitment to me as well.

i have briefly mentioned how Love of My Life and i met, but maybe i should give you a little more insight. it was a thursday in late january of my junior year at auburn. i was going through a low point in life (a breakup, or the infamous we-need-to-pray-about- our-relationship-break, after 2 years of dating). the worship time at campus crusade that night had pushed on my bruised heart and i was very sad. i came home to an empty apartment (which only added to my lonliness), threw on my pajamas, and began to throw a nice pity party; crying was mandatory. melissa and abbey (2 of my roommates at the time) had gone out to dinner at mikata and called to say they were on their way home with some guys they met while eating dinner. how perfect, not only would my roommates interrupt my party, they were bringing boys over too. and from the phone call i got, i wondered just how much sake they had indulged in. i left my pajamas on and tried to minimize the crying. i remember standing on the balcony watching for them, when LOML got out of the driver's seat of melissa's jeep cherokee. hmmm...maybe i should have gotten dressed afterall. they came in, we were introduced, and the Love of My Life and i never quit talking.

so, thanks melissa, for being you...spontanous, random, and my friend. and as i sit in my classroom, listening to the students in the hallway, i am barely able to hear the ocean's waves singing to you and jared in mexico. have a margarita for me.