Our Story: Before the Beginning

Well I know this is kind of out of place because I still "owe" my readers, all 3 of you, Elli's 1st and 2nd month posts since her 3rd month post is due this Thursday.... BUT if this story didn't take place then Elli would not even be here so bear with me :)

I decided to do a little timeline of Matthew and my relationship.  Why today you ask... Well January 27th is a special day to me.  Read below and you'll find out why.  (Keep in mind this is my side/version of the story. I'll try to interject Matt's side as I can but if you want the details from him you'll just have to ask him:))

Summer of 2004

I was 15.  My family was on vacation in Sylva, NC visit our very dear friends the Youmans.  Matt (17) was over at their house along with some other friends... He invited us all to go "extreme sledding" in the field below his house.  (Extreme sledding is another blog in and of itself!  But just so you know it involves a sled, some rope, a hill, helmets, and a couple of 4-wheelers)
I thought Matt was an adorable country boy looking good in his plaid flannel shirts with his wavy brown hair and stunning blue eyes, but he was too old for me.  You see Matt had graduated high school in May 2004, he was getting ready to start college and I, I was a little girl, barely in high school.  I admit, I had summer crushes on some of the other NC boys, but Matt, no, sadly, he was too old for me.
(If Matt was here to tell his side of the story he would say something about being head over heels for the redheaded Florida girl with freckles... He loved when he and I had a turn riding on the sled together...especially when Ian or Cody made us crash and he got to "rescue" me a.k.a help me up and ask me if I was ok).

Here are a couple of pictures from a few years later...

April 2007 During a 30 hour famine

First pic of just the 2 of us May 2007 (I was dressed up for a dance at SMHS that some of my girl friends invited me to

The next couple of summers I am sure we saw each other every now and then when my family visited NC but our story really continues in the....

Summer of 2007

Well actually this is the summer I "surrendered" guys/my non-existent love life to the Lord. I was 18. I had never dated anyone. But I had attached myself emotionally to a few guys, shared too much of my heart, and ended up hurt.  I decided I was over that. I was dedicating myself back to the Lord. I was finishing up my 2 year degree at the local community college then in Sept. 2008 I was going to go to Mazatlan, Mexico to do a 6 month Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM (Youth With A Mission). I was stoked. I had a plan. I was going to do two things I always wanted to do, live on the foreign mission field and be immersed in a Spanish speaking country.

Enter stage right: Matthew Brian Bishop. The unwelcome intruder to my nice, well thought out plan.

We had a great, fun group of friends that we both loved going out and doing things with.  I was "new" in town and I was over the mountain from Sylva in a neighboring town, so whenever the crew was planned to do something Matt would always make sure my dear friend, Jordan Youmans (now Parsons) invited me.  Most of the time she had already invited me, but Matt always called and reminded her "Invite Lauren!" 
This was a super cool set up because we got to know each other and watch each other interact in a lot of settings without the pressure of being an "item."  However, at the time I did not know this was what Matt was doing. 

Around July/August he began to call me every Tuesday night just to talk for 10-15 minutes.  This is when I got a little freaked out and cried on my mom's shoulder telling her all the stuff about surrendering guys and I was mad at Matt and God for messing up my plan.  She gave some wise counsel about trusting the Lord and not hanging on too tightly to my own plans but seeking the Lord's will for my life.  She reminded me that I was not in pursuit of a relationship, but maybe God was bringing one to me.  At the time I describe all of it as being "out of the blue."  I was trying to be obedient and surrendered and stuff, then this happens!
God works in mysterious ways doesn't He?  Maybe He just wanted to see that I was willing to lay down my idol of wanting a boyfriend so He could return to His rightful place as Lord of my life... Whatever the case, I learned many lessons then and I continue to learn so much every time He "messes up" my plans.  I am really trying to hold "my plans" loosely and be flexible.  Because I've begun to realize that His plans are a whole lot better... I mean if I carried out my plan I would not have married Matt!

Ok, I am going to attempt to be more brief in the next few sections!

Fall 2007

We went with a group to a Relient K concert at the Orange Peel in Asheville.  At a Wendy's drive thru Matt jumped out of the van and started dancing in the parking lot to the song "Dancing in the Moonlight."  I totally fell for him in that moment, which is why I refer to that song as our first love song:)  We were still just friends... I started wondering what his intentions were...because I had some hopes of what they were...

December 2007

Matt drove over the mountain in a HUGE, NASTY storm to got to the Nutcracker with me and my mom.  I thought, "man, this guy must like me to drive in this weather to go to a ballet with me and my mom!"  And that was the very message he was hoping that I got.

January 27, 2008

 I quote my journal, "I think I am going to marry Matt Bishop."  Yes I wrote "think" and then crossed it out. I was that sure. Call me crazy, weird, call me immature, naive.  Maybe I was all those things.  But somehow I just knew. I'm not normally one to say things like "The Lord told me..." It was probably the cheese pizza I had for lunch... but in this case I really feel like the Lord showed me Matthew was the man for me.  I think I must have needed that assurance or something.  Who knows... But that is why today is special to me:)

After this though I began to get impatient.... Patience is an area the Lord is constantly trying to grow me in... but I was soooo ready for Matt to make his next move, I could hardly stand it! The next month felt like an eternity!

Early February 2008

We took the Webster Baptist Church youth to Winter Jam. (Matt was the intern youth director at the time).  I hardly got to spend anytime with him at all.  We were in different vehicles because we both needed to drive.  But after the event one of the girls needed a ride home, Matt being the man of integrity that he is, did not want to take her alone so he asked me to go with him.  I was delighted!  After dropping her off we talked for a couple hours in the church parking lot.  I don't even remember what we talked about, but I remember not being able to sleep that night.

February 8th, 2008

I went on a Daddy/Daughter date.  Yes, we still did those when I was 19.  I have a really amazing Daddy.

My Papa and me (summer of 2008)

We ate BBQ at a local restaurant while watching football and talking about life. I was really excited to tell him about where I saw things going with Matt.  He listened and asked a lot of questions.  He gave me his blessing to be in a relationship with him.  Mind you, Matt had not even asked yet... but I just wanted to have everything in order when he did finally ask! (Ah so impatient, but trying to make the best use of the time;))

Ok now that this is the worlds longest blog post... look for a follow up blog with our First "Date" Story.