This is the story of how I met my husband.
The week started out with a conversation between my dad and I. I was sharing with him how I felt discouraged about how all my friends were getting married and how I just didn't think God had someone out there for me. "L'Ray, trust in God, He's never let you down before. Sometimes you just have to be patient, God's timing is not our timing." Which at the time I agreed with him out loud but my heart was still filled with longing.
Later in the week, I had just gotten home from work. My dad had gone out of town and so my mom asked me if I wanted to go out for dinner. Now normally when my mother or anyone in my family goes out to eat we always have to go through the "where do you want to eat?" "I don't know, where do you want to eat?" for at least 30 minutes until someone finally gets frustrated enough to just blurt out somewhere. But this night was different. My mom immediately says, let's go to Red Lobster since we never get to eat seafood. (not my dad's favorite) For some reason that night I was unusually tired and wanted to just go pick it up and bring it home. My mom however was determined to go out. (which is crazy, normally I want to go out and I have to drag her kicking and screaming) Anyway, we arrive at Red Lobster and after being seated began to look over the menu. "Hi, my name is Rustin and I'll be your server tonight." Rustin was a great waiter, very attentive and was joking with us throughout the night. As my mom began taking her credit card from her purse she looked and me and said with a smile, "He sure is cute." "Yeah he is" I said really not thinking anything about it. "He sure has been flirty with you," she continued. "Oh mom he's just trying to get a good tip." Rustin came over and took mom's card and brought it back and said thank you for our business (or whatever waiters say) and then walked away. My mom and I got up and began to leave, my mom a little ahead of me. Just as I turned to walk away from the table Rustin came back over to get the signed receipt, "Thanks, be sure and come back and see me," he said and then flashed me his little one dimpled smile. I remember literally thinking, "OK, I'm so coming back tomorrow!!"
I got to the car and told my mom what he had said. "We should have left him your phone number!!" she very seriously said. Just then we remembered that we had seen a good friend of our family's also at Red Lobster and decided we would call him and have him give Rustin my phone number. As we both reached for our purses we realized neither one of us had brought our phones with us!! Mom drove like a mad woman home and we immediately ran inside and grabbed the phone to call Brad, praying he would still be at the restaurant. He wasn't, they were already in the car almost home. I decided it would be ok, I would just have one of my friends go back up there to eat sometime the next week.
I left my mom's house and went to my friend Lora's. I could not stop talking to her about how cute and funny I thought this waiter was and how she was going to have to go back there with me. Lora being an adventurous said, " of course, let's go now!"
"NOW!?!?!?", "Yes now, I'll go in and ask the hostess to give him your number." I was mortified!! I had never done anything like that in my entire life. How was he going to know who I was? What if he WAS just trying to get a good tip? A million of these questions started going through my head, but finally, I gave in.
I wrote my name and my phone number and placed it in Lora's hand. In she went and I sat in the car barely able to breath I was so anxious! After what seemed like an eternity (but according to the clock on the radio was only two minutes) Lora came walking back out.
"Did you give it to him?" "Yes." "Well.....tell me everything!" She said she walked in and asked the hostess if Rustin was still working. She said yes he was, did you want me to get him for you. To which Lora blurted back "NO!! just give this to him" and she walked back out. I would like to say he called me back that night....but he didn't. It was the worst night ever thinking of the millions of reasons he wasn't going to call. I honestly don't remember much of the next day, but I know I was gone somewhere because when I got back home there was a message on my machine that went something like this....
"Uh, hi. this is Rustin. I was your waiter the other night. Uh, call me back, I'd love to talk to you" followed by his number. (By the way that was totally L'Ray Paraphrased, I don't remember his exact words) ;)
So the next couple of days was basically us playing phone tag, but not actually getting to talk to each other. Finally, Sunday night, I called and he answered. To my surprise even though we were total strangers our conversation came easily. Yes he remembered who I was, and he was glad I came back to give him my number. We ended up talking for almost two hours. Before getting off the phone he asked me if I would be willing to go out with him sometime. He said we could go with a bunch of friends if it would be more comfortable for me , to which I quickly replied "No, it's ok, we can go by ourselves".
Of course my mom was so excited, being as how "SHE had found him for me" and she just knew we were going to have a great time. So anyway, date night came and I remember thinking, "Am I crazy? I know nothing about this guy! He could be a serial killer" I knew when I met him I thought he was cute but now I couldn't even really remember specifics.
All my doubts went away when I answered the door and was greeted by that same one dimple smile.
He took me to dinner and then to get coffee. I was so nervous the whole date but everything just seemed to go perfect. Conversation came natural, he was a gentlemen and even had his bible in his truck. I asked him if it was just there to impress me, and he replied no, why, does it? Which I thought was cute.
At the end of the night, I told him what a wonderful time I had had and hoped we could do it again. I gave him a hug (sorry ladies, no kiss on the first date) and went inside. Of course my mom was there "How was it? Do you like him? Tell me everything," to which I responded, "Mom, I'm going to marry him!" (and I meant it!)
Three months later, we were engaged.
A year later we were married.
I am continually blessed by my relationship with my husband and am so thankful for his love, his friendship, his values, his heart and his partnership.
And I am truly thankful for God's timing....
He's never early...
But He's never late.
