Love Story / Part 2

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In honor of celebrating 8 YEARS of marriage today, I’m sharing part 2 of our love story!

(catch up on part 1 here)

taken on our trip to Lake Tahoe earlier this year

The point of meeting at the library that morning was to “get familiar with the Islam section” because the philosophy class we were in was called “Classical Islam”. Not only did we practically miss the section altogether because we were so focused on each other, but we also never utilized that part of the library again.

We had many study dates in the library, though not much studying was done on either part. We found any opportunity to talk to each other and spent a lot of time together in our new group of friends. That group ended up being such a core group for us during our time in Greenville. And a few marriages came out of it other than ours!

As the semester rolled on, I knew I would see him on Tuesdays and Thursdays in class. And then again on Thursday night at church. And likely a few times on the weekend. And I think we had at least one study date during the week at the library. Essentially, there was no shortage of time spent with him, or looking for any excuse for it.

Fall break came upon us and I went home to Illinois to visit my family. I had arranged a ride from the Raleigh airport back to Greenville with a friend, but after landing in RDU and calling her phone a million times I discovered that I was stranded at the airport. She wouldn’t answer her phone! I was a little panicked because I was over 2 hours away from my apartment with no ride home.

I called Justin and told him my dilemma. He calmly told me not to worry and that he’d hop in his car and come to pick me up.

I sat outside for awhile and waited for him. He had given me some philosophy papers to browse before I went home, so I pulled those out to look over in anticipation of my 2 hour car ride home with him.

About an hour or so later, I went into the airport to use the bathroom and saw my friend that was originally supposed to pick me up sitting at bag claim! Her phone wasn’t working and she had no way to contact me. So we had both been sitting there waiting, not knowing the other person was doing the same.

I felt immediately grateful to not be alone and stranded, but was also torn between what I should do for my ride home. Should I go with my original plan since my friend was here waiting for me? Should I tell her to go ahead and I’ll just catch a ride home with Justin?

I called him and told him I found her and he said, cheerfully, to just go ahead and ride with her. Later I learned that he was just minutes from the airport and he was pretty bummed that the 2 hours in the car together didn’t work out. And I was too.

Once I was home, I can’t remember if this was the same night or the following morning, but I profusely thanked him for his willingness to drop everything and come to pick me up. I told him I’d take him out to lunch as a thank you. He accepted, but explained that lunchtimes were tough with his job but he’s free in the evenings for dinner.

Dinner? More like a date? Yep sounds good to me too.

I believe it was the following night that he picked me up and we went to Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner. I recapped my trip home and we just enjoyed each other’s company. Near the end of dinner, he mentioned that he needed a haircut. He knew I did hair, though it was just on the side while I was in college, but I offered to give him a haircut back at my apartment.

This next part of the story is very important because it is still a detail that he and I disagree on! Let me say now that my action was completely innocent, but he received it as a signal to ask me out.

I had nearly finished the haircut and I saw a small clipping of hair sitting on top of his ear. In a salon I would have grabbed the blow dryer to blow the hair off his ear, but we were just sitting in my apartment in front of my closet door mirror. So I did what any resourceful person would do, leaned over and blew it off his ear. I then moved on to finish the haircut without a second thought.

Meanwhile, Justin had been mulling over how to ask me out and the “ear blowing incident” was all he needed to pull the trigger. He thought I was being very intentionally flirty while I was just trying to help his ear not to itch later on from little pieces of hair.

The haircut was over, we were chatting in my kitchen, and I offered him a cookie that my mom had sent home with me. They are the best cookies! I practically forced it on him, though, because he was so distracted internally with the decision on whether or not to officially ask me out. The evening was over, and I walked him to the door and said goodbye.

With cookie in hand, he walked down the hallway to the elevator. I was cleaning up inside my apartment when I suddenly heard a knock at the door.

I opened it up and it was him. I remember asking him if the elevator was broken because it often was, and we still laugh about that to this day. He was feeling nervous and vulnerable, about to ask this girl out, and I basically asked him why he hasn’t left yet and if his only way of exiting was broken.

He stepped inside and professed his love. I’m kidding, but that happened only about 2 weeks later.

He stepped into my kitchen and explained that he doesn’t spend time with girls like this if it doesn’t mean anything, and he’d really like to take me out to pizza on an actual date sometime, and would I like to go?

I was feeling excited, flattered, and so happy. And also feeling a great weight of despair because a friend of mine had just told me that she was interested in dating him.

I felt like the right thing to do, despite my seriously strong interest in dating him, was to basically tell him to “hang on” and let me talk to my friend first. So I told him that. I said that my friend was interested in him and I wouldn’t feel right about saying yes to a date unless I spoke with her first.

He let out a sigh and with a smile said, “Well, tell her not to be.” We parted ways with a awkward heaviness hanging over us.

Before the door had even latched shut upon his leaving, I ran across the room to my computer to message my friend.

And the rest of the story will come in Part 3!

(thanks so much for all your sweet comments about Part 1! I’m truly NOT trying to drag this out, there is just so much to say to give context that I’m trying to avoid one huge long post!)

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Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says · 05.15.17

Thank you for sharing – can’t wait for part 3! (I’m such a sucker for love stories and how-we-met stories, haha)

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com

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Cheryl Francis says · 05.15.17

Wonderful story and I can’t wait to read part 3. I sure hope it comes soon.

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Amanda says · 05.15.17

Ahh!! What a cute love story you two share! Can’t wait for part three!

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Lisa says · 05.15.17

Awe, man! I feel like I just watched the season finale of a TV show and now I have to wait for the ending!

Hehe, such a sweet story so far! I’d say the ear blowing was maybe both resourceful and a bit flirty? 😉

And Happy Anniversary! I’ll be celebrating 8 years in August. 🙂

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Juliette | Namastay Traveling says · 05.15.17

I love reading these stories! So uplifting and beautiful. Congrats on 8 years!

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Katie says · 05.15.17

I love the build up! This is great! Can’t wait for Part 3! Congrats on 8 years! =)

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Ariadna says · 05.15.17

Congratulations on 8 years!! Can’t wait for part 3, but please don’t leave us hanging so long!! I mean we know how it ends 😉 but it’s still exciting to hear about the story! Happy belated Mother’s day too!!!

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Abby says · 05.15.17

OMG
This is just too cute! It honestly sounds like a romance (NOT smut) book you’d read!! I love it and can’t wait for part three!

PS Happy Anniversary

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Christina says · 05.15.17

I love hearing people’s love story. Don’t wait too long for the next part.

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Lindsay @ Hot Mess, Cool Day says · 05.15.17

I love it – the whole story (so far) is so sweet!

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Shannon says · 05.15.17

What a cute story! I too met my husband in college. We used to have study dates in the library but he actually had to study as his major was Nutrition and Dietetics! Cannot wait to read part 3!

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Teodora says · 05.15.17

What did you study at university?

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Kate says · 05.15.17

Philosophy

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Nicole says · 05.15.17

I can’t wait for the next part!! Love reading y’all’s story!

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Krystal says · 05.15.17

Happy anniversary! Love these posts! ❤️

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Angie K. says · 05.15.17

Such a fun story!! I can’t wait to hear the rest of it! And congratulations on 8 years of marriage! My 8th anniversary is coming up next month.

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Audra says · 05.15.17

Oh this is like waiting for book to come out ugh lol…. so sweet❤️

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Amanda says · 05.15.17

Greenville (and ECU) must be the places love is found – I met my husband at ECU our freshman year 18 years ago!!!

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Jill L. says · 05.15.17

I love this! Hanging on the edge of my seat! It’s like the feeling you get when reading a really good book and not wanting to put it down! Can’t wait for part 3!

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Hillary says · 05.15.17

Congratulations on 8 years of marriage! Looking forward to reading Part 3, your story is so fun!

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Mercy Gjolberg says · 05.15.17

Congratulations on your wedding anniversary! 8 years is such a wonderful accomplishment, and your story is so cute and refreshing to read! I really hope that you post the Part 3 soon, because I am super eager to see how it turns out!!!

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Kristin S says · 05.15.17

Y’all have such a great story!!!

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Nicky says · 05.15.17

Love your story so far!!

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Lindsay says · 05.15.17

I loved reading this! Thanks for sharing your personal story – it’s so great to know more about you and Justin! 🙂

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Willow says · 05.15.17

It’s a small world! Born and raised in Greenville; attended ECU. Found your blog by Accident! So glad I did! Love it! Don’t make us wait too long for part 3!

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Wei Hook says · 05.15.17

I’m a guy and wondering how can an innocent blow to one’s ear can be a ‘come on’ sign? Haha….

By the way, I do enjoy reading your experiences. Wow ! All the details, you must have a good memory…….or you already fell head over heals over him at that time 🙂

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Linda Mae says · 05.15.17

I can’t wait to hear about part 3!

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Sophie says · 05.16.17

Oh I am loving reading this story so much, it’s lovely 🙂 Happy 8 years! Can’t wait to read the next part.
Sophie xxx | Sophar So Good

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Hailee Rutherford says · 05.16.17

I am sitting here reading this and I’m so giddy for you. What a cute story! I cannot wait for Part 3! *emoji heart eyes*

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Saturday says · 05.17.17

Love the story so far! You’re a wonderful storyteller. 🙂

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Stel says · 05.18.17

Oh you sweetie pies!!

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Gail says · 05.19.17

Happy 8th Anniversary! We just returned from the NC mountains celebrating our 24th on May 15th! What joy it is being married to the men God brought into our lives! I look forward to reading part 3 😉

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Lauren says · 05.22.17

Aw…. You two sound so sweet!

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Tori says · 09.20.17

uggghh. #cliffhanger #nailbitting #onedgeofseat #justkissthegirl

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Heather says · 09.20.17

I admire your morals especially relating to asking your friend first, she didn’t exactly have a claim on him but I’m sure your friend would have felt very betrayed if you hadn’t asked. And, innocent or not didn’t you enjoy blowing on Justin’s ear??

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Beverly Potter says · 10.12.17

CLIFF HANGER!! I mean we know how it ends but give a girl some details :). Is there a part 3 coming soon!?

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Jamie says · 11.09.17

Yes! When is part 3 coming?!

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Mindy says · 12.17.17

Part 3??? Such a sweet story!

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Alice says · 12.25.17

Still waiting for part THREE! 🤗

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Abigail E says · 01.13.18

Where’s part 3?? I initially found your site somehow through reading part 1, and here I am like a bazillion days later, still waiting! Soooo sweet though! I love this post!!!

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Isabel says · 01.25.18

Kate, when are you going to post Part 3?!

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Meghan says · 01.29.18

Is part 3 somewhere else & I can’t find it? Or you havent written it yet? If not you totally should bc I am hooked to this adorable story. Also thank you for your blog and all the information you share, I’m really enjoying it. 🙂

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Melanie says · 02.05.18

Where is part 3?!????

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Rachel Saucier says · 09.28.18

So sweet!!!! This is the cutest love story ever!!!! Can’t wait for part 3!!!!

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Melanie says · 01.19.20

Where do I find part 3??

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Kristina says · 02.09.21

This was posted over 3 years ago can we assume a part 3 is coming very soon? ❤️ We are on the edge of our seats!! :))

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Jen says · 02.09.21

This story is so sweet. I’m hanging on for part 3. 😂

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Melissa says · 02.09.21

Blowing in his ear before the first date….you go, girl!! Lol I love how you both remember it so differently. It’s been fun reading your love story. Thanks for sharing!

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Angie says · 02.10.21

Oh my goodness, this is just the sweetest beginning ever!! I love here this and can’t wait for part 3…..this would have been really interesting to have you & Justin sit down together in an IG chat, to hear his thoughts too.

We are celebrating our 25th anniversary in August and I’m thinking I should have our “how we met” story written down somewhere. Our boys are 22 & 18, and I know in their future married lives, it would be neat for them to know.

Happy Anniversary! ♥️

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