19 days. . .

In 19 days I am getting married to a boy who some how managed to steal my heart at the age of 12 years old. A boy who made me fall madly in love with him with only the sound of his voice. In the matter of a couple years we managed to rack up thousands of hours on the telephone. I saw him only once a week and that was enough. His wisdom, his charm, and his sense of humor at age 13 somehow found a way into the depths of my heart. This boy has heard more tears than any person I know, more ridiculous ideas and thoughts than I am proud to admit, and the most fall-on-the-floor-roll-over crying kind of laughter than anyone in my life at that time. He sang me the songs he wrote over that purple cordless phone I got one year for Christmas. This voice in the dark stole my heart!

In 19 days I am getting married to a boy who stole my heart at age 17. Even though more than 3 hours separated us, the seeming to be chemical connection was no fainter than the day we first started talking 5 years before. This boy took my breath away as he told his stories from Africa with a passion that was undeniable. The joy, the pain and sorrow he experienced became the same in my heart too. He melted my entire being as I watched him lead countless people in worship and praise to our one and only Creator. To watch him pour his heart and soul so openly and freely only made me realize all the more this boy had my whole heart! The camping trips, the walks on the beach or in the park, the late night drives half way in between, the sitting on the driveway until 4 in the morning talking. . . I couldn't imagine ever loving another. This boy, my first love, he completely and totally took hold of my heart.

In 19 days, I am getting married to a boy who I watched become a man in the past year. Three and half years of no contact still could do us no wrong. It was one night, a Laker game and a late night walk on the beach. That was it, one night and the three years of distance never existed. I was just as in love as I was at age 13, laying on my bed giggling to his absurd lectures and ideas. A camping trip to Joshua tree the week after only confirmed everything I had ever thought to be real. The conversation was easy, the company was incredible, even the silence in the beauty around us was comfortable. He swept me off my feet, rode me off into the Hawaiin sunset and for four months I began to watch an incredible transformation from a boy to a man. This man stole my heart as he gave me space to heal from a past of mistakes and lifetime of pain. With notes, flowers for my hair delivered to work every morning, hugs when I felt overwhelmed, and kisses that can make the world stop turning. He's the one I choose. This man, who planned an entire trip back to Kauai, a proposal, and reunions with friends, without me knowing, yes, this man has won!

In 19 days I am getting married to the one who ALMOST got away, and I have never felt so blessed.