Letters, Lightsabers, and Love: Chapter 23

Levi and I married each other in June of 2012 after six months of head-over-heels, foolish-about-each-other love. Our story, like every love story, has its own sweetly unique moments and timings. We continue to marvel at the way God orchestrated our lives to bring us together, and though it included pain and trials for both of us before we met, we wouldn't change anything about it.

Everything that happened, and every way we grew, led us to this moment.

We're officially "an item" now. Big declarations have been made. Love declarations. And it's only the first day we've seen each other in person. Where do we go from here?

Chapter 23: Weekend Impressions

After Levi left to spend his night at Craig and Sharon's house (at 10:00 p.m., the curfew we had set for us), I stayed up for another hour and a half journaling everything that had happened in that incredibly big day. That was the only night I managed to stay up and journal, but I'm forever grateful for that immediate account. 

Levi arrived at 7:00 the next morning, which was a Saturday. We were back to feeling a bit shy, and I force-fed him some oatmeal as I realized that not only had he not eaten any breakfast, we also had forgotten to eat anything for dinner the night before. 

The rest of the weekend doesn't need to be broken down in minute detail, but moments and impressions from our first days in each other's presence will always stand out.

Levi stood over my left shoulder as I played and sang a song for him for the first time. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I'd painstakingly chosen the perfect song that sounded OK when I sang it and also embodied how I felt about him. My hands shook when trying to press down the keys and my voice betrayed a slight wobble, but Levi noticed none of that. When I finished, he slipped onto the piano bench beside me, set his bowl of cold oatmeal on top of the piano, and gave me a long hug. I'd never felt so exposed before, and yet I felt perfectly safe at the same time. 

I stood in my friend's kitchen while her husband showed Levi around their house and property. She looked on with surprise as I told her that we had already said "I love you" to each other. 

Levi and I sat next to each other in a crowed arena, watching my school's boys basketball team advance themselves another game closer to a state championship, which they eventually achieved, and as the crowd erupted in ecstatic pandemonium around us we smiled softly at each other. 

I walked Levi to Craig's door and wished I had made our curfew later than 10:00. 

Levi arrived extra early on Sunday morning and let me ply him with oatmeal yet again. He looked so handsome in his slacks, button-up shirt, and tie. 

Levi held his guitar in his hands and we tried to play and sing some music together. It ended in frustration and disappointment for both of us.

We sat on the couch together, Doctor Who, playing in front of us. I learned later that Levi was so hyper-aware of my closeness that he remembered nothing of the show. 

Snuggling into his arms, completely relaxed and content, I realized that not only was this something big, it was probably something final. 

As the evening drew to a close on Sunday, the knowledge that Levi had to leave early Monday morning was settling around us.

And then came The Moment.

It's called "The Moment" because in one moment's time, we both realized that the other was The One. It may sound corny or exaggerated, but I can't help that. The fact remains that we realized we were going to spend our lives together at the same time.

I'll set the scene:

Levi plucked away at his bass in my living room as I excused myself to prep our dinner. I'd prepared my grandmother's chicken and noodles recipe, which was guaranteed not to fail. As I smiled softly to myself, my fingers shredding the chicken on the counter in front of me, I heard a rustling sound behind me. Levi stood in the kitchen doorway with his bass still strapped on. I grinned at him and kept working on the chicken. He beamed back at me, then leaned back against the door frame. I continued to work as he lightly plucked arpeggios from the strings. 

And that was it. I knew. He knew. Done deal.

That night was a little sad, but only a little. It was most definitely not the end.

Levi arrived at my front door at 5:00 a.m. on Monday morning to say one last goodbye before he began his long drive back to Minnesota and before I went to school to begin my morning prep work. We held each other as long as we could, releasing each other reluctantly. As we parted, Levi whispered a promise to me. 

It was the beginning.

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Phew. What a weekend. After those point the story really gets going. Things only get faster from here! Catch up on what you've missed below, or hand on for yet another installment next week!


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