"I've got a story to share with you..."

So my aunt tells me. Exactly one year ago today, she sits across the table for me. Notably, I'm the only one with a plate in front of me. She was not relaxed in the slightest. I was fully prepared for some terrible news to come out at any moment. However, not wanting to seem nervous or concerned, I calmly took a bit of pizza.

She begins...

"There's this family I know...."

Family...??? I came all this way for her to tell me about a family??? Does she want to know about HPA? WHY did I drive all this way?!


"... and they have two sons..."

... so?....


"... one of them is married..."

.... WAIT A SECOND...


"... and one of them is not."

WHAT?! I came all this way to hear about a BOY?!?! 


I'm speechless. My aunt is anything but a matchmaker. She proceeds to tell me about Mr. Tom Stuart - a young farmer passionate about his faith and family. He was interested in meeting me - on the condition that I was free to say no. It seemed my comfort was his primary concern.

She also proceeds to tell me that she had been praying about this since the summer before, when she had met Tom. Their families had known one another for a few years, but ever since she had met Tom, she had been thinking about me praying about her thoughts. She had continued to feel compelled to pray about it and finally decided she needed to ask us about it... which, eventually, had brought her to my parents to ask if I was even in a relationship. :) As I said in my last post,  extremely single girl... her spiritual tone touched my heart, though. It definitely touched me to know how much she had prayed and pondered this before approaching me.

Anyways, I was rather speechless by the end of the whole thing. For some reason (which I couldn't explain at the time), I didn't feel like I could quite laugh the whole thing off. I told her I would think and pray about it, for sure... though part of me was already wondering what in the world was going to happen next. As I pulled out of her driveway, I called my mom. She laughingly answered the phone "Happy Valentine's Day". Thanks Mom. Apparently I am the last to know about this guy. I had to get to rehearsal, so off I went... but my thoughts were a bit distracted that night, I must confess.


One year ago, today. Who would have thought so much could happen in one. single. year.


I love you, sweetheart! Happy first valentine's day together!