Our Love Story Part 4

I LOVED being in my first relationship.  It was so much fun to have a boyfriend, and one that was seriously full out into me.

In the first few months I just couldn't wait to get done with my classes so that I could see him again and the nights that he was busy I would stay up late pretending I had homework to do just so I could see him (even though I had to work just to keep my eyes open!).

A couple of months into dating I noticed one day that Bob's hair was getting pretty shaggy.  From the moment I had met him he was a clean cut type of guy.  Having his hair grow out was new so I asked him about it.  "Oh I don't know, I'm just letting it grow, you know, doing something different."  Hmmm, well okay, whatever.....he was still hot :).  From our first date throughout our entire dating relationship he never cut his hair.  I had no idea why and I didn't ask.  We dated for a solid 14 months or so.  It was crazy curly and long by the time he cut it next.........but more on that in a while.

The Summer between our Sophomore and Junior year was kind of a make or break time for us.  Bob headed out to Minnesota to work with a ministry called Treehouse, and I decided to go on a 3 week mission trip.  It was hard because I felt as though our time apart was either going to make the heart fonder ........ or forgetful.  I prayed it would be the first, said goodbye and prayed that at the end of the Summer we would still be together.  I missed him and he missed me.  I think in a month and half we spoke a couple of times but each moment just brightened our future.  Oh he was the one.

We reconnected in person halfway through the Summer and lets just say, our hearts were fonder.  In fact the whole purity plan and "no kiss till our wedding day" plan became VERY challenging.  We struggled we had moments where we walked dangerously close to that line, the chemistry between us was just so real.  It was truly a poignant time in my life of learning how weak we are, but how strong the Lord is.  He sustained us and helped us stay true to what we had committed.

We went back to school in the Fall of 2003 more in love and more an item than ever.  Although Bob lived on campus and I lived off we still saw each other, and I still cooked for him.  I loved that time.  When we weren't in classes you could find the two of us rock climbing.  We did  it all of the time.  It was scary and challenging.  I liked it but I LOVED just being with him in the mountains.  He was far stronger and committed to it than I was, but I was determined to hang with him.  Little did I know that the rock would literally test the strength of our relationship more than anything else had.....