I decided to skip all the apologies of not blogging for over a week because well we have all heard them before. And instead dive into one of the reasons why I haven't blogged.
My darling best friend, is getting married.
She makes me smile.
She makes me laugh. *Hard*
We talk in to the wee hours of the morning.
We finish each other's sentences.
We even know what the other one is thinking most of the time.
And we both love the fact that we are sisters.
Yes, Carole is getting married. And if you are a long time reader of this blog you may ask I thought she was already getting married. Well she was and she is...and here is the story enjoy.
Carole first met Mark at a Christmas program at her church, the week before she turned seventeen.. Mark has told her since that he was tired that day and didn't really feel like going.
However, his mother had told him “You may just meet someone new tonight.” He highly doubted it but went anyway.
Carole had been a member of the church Mark was visiting for about five years. He probably had seen Carole on a number of occasions but when he went into the small church and spotted Carole in her blue velvet dress he froze and stared.
He was determined to "meet" her after the concert.
Sure enough, when they were down stairs in the fellowship hall Mark made his way to Carole and started a conversation.
Carole had been munching on “hot” pepperoni as this stranger introduced himself to her. As much as she tried to pay attention the only thing she could think of was how could she step around him to get a cool glass of soda for her burning mouth.
Mid conversation and a burning throat later Mark realized Carole was still in school and not the same age as himself (22) like he had first thought.
Although that surprise was great he tried to hide it and finish the conversation that he did fully enjoy. They said their goodbyes and didn't talk again until the following year...
It's funny how Christmas just sneaks up on you, isn't it? You always say something like “Wow, it's Christmas again. I feel like it was just yesterday.”
Well, I don't think Mark thought that. He was determined to speak to her again. He had spotted her at several church gatherings but was unable to speak to her.
A year just seemed too long to him and he wanted to hear her voice again . Carole was growing and maturing.
She was turning 18 the next month and I am sure it was evident to whomever spotted her that she was growing into a special young women.
Carole was wearing a dark blue top and black skirt. She honored people with her sweet smile as she found the pew her family was sitting in.
She didn't even notice she had been spotted for the second time. Mark indeed found her once again.
After the Christmas concert she was nominated as "Punch girl." With her delightful personality and ready laugh, she was perfect for the job.
She stood by the big crystal bowl of punch and poured the drink into each cups. She smiled and laughed, greeted new people and welcomed the regulars.
Mark had his eye on her all night but every time he looked her way she was talking to someone else.
However when he told his mom he was ready to go she suggested he should have some punch before the long ride home.
Normally he hated punch and at first was very much confused by his mother's comment until he realized Carole was finally alone.
He slowly made his way to her and casually said “Hi.” Carole politely returned the greeting but her demeanor was different from the year before.
She seemed almost annoyed by his presence. He must have thought “She must have been ordered to stand by the punch bowl or she wouldn't get any Christmas presents.” or “she stubbed her toe coming into to church and her high heel shoe was making the injury worse.” or “She only had one hour of sleep the night before and then had to wake up at four in the morning to feed the chickens.” or “She was told before she left for the concert that Santa was not real!”
Because this girl was not very out going towards him. He tried to pull her out of her quiet mood, tried to win over her with his witty personality but he realized it was a loss when she politely finished her sentence and walked away!
Mark thought that was the end and told his mom he was ready to leave. Little did he know Carole agonized over the way she treated him the whole ride home.
She casually mentioned the incident to her sister and her mom for months! Well, the following summer her sister Ginger decided to get a Facebook account. Mark recognized her sister and asked her to be his friend.
When Ginger thinks back to that time, she recalls him asking about Carole a lot. And he did. Whenever Ginger would mention Carole he would grab the opportunity to ask a question about her. Ginger said... “I remember now, thinking back he would always inquire if Carole was going to get a Facebook account. At the time Carole was not interested in facebook. One day Carole was enjoying being on Ginger's page so much that she asked her to help her start an account of her own. And who was one of the first people to ask to be her friend you may ask? Yup...Mark!”
By springtime everyone knew something was up. One night at Carole's grandmothers house she spilled her heart to Ginger. After Ginger listened to her little sister bearing her heart she said. "He likes you!" Well, Ginger was right. One Saturday afternoon Carole and Ginger visited Mark's brother and sister -in- law.
They enjoyed playing with their adorable daughters and had a wonderful visit with all of them. Later that day, Mark's sister, joined them followed by Mark just about an hour later.
When he looked at Carole, the whole room seemed to disappear. The only one he saw was the small brunette who was holding his niece's hand. Everyone in the room saw that there was something special that was about to happen. One summer day he asked her via facebook if she would like to go bowling in a group including both of their sisters.
This is where the cute smiles, hardy laughs and adoring love began. After that the phone started ringing often and it was always for Carole. The P family started getting a particular guest often at their house.
Now, this story is not a fairy tale. Mark did not find that glass slipper, slip it on her foot and the story ended with “Ever After” on the last page.
Right when everything seemed perfect the road became rocky. The Lord needed to intervene and teach them both some life lessons to add to their love story, to mold them into the couple the Lord wanted and planned for them to be.
It wasn't easy, with tears shed, the love however grew.
The couple grew to love each other more and continued to get to know each other and to grow together and in the Lord as a couple.
Cherishing each moment together, learning, and growing, loving and discovering God's word in a new way.
Christmas, New years, Valentine's day, food poisoning,getting wisdom teeth pulled, driving and more filled their life and made it more memorable.
And then one day Mark new it was time. The day had come. His love just spilled over in his heart for that small brunette he spotted at her church, years ago. It was time to ask her father for her hand in marriage.
The hand he discovered he never wanted to loose. The hand he would cherish and love. The hand God placed on his heart. The hand that was chosen for Mark Timothy B.
He approached her father in the kitchen and let the words spill out of his mouth. Carole's father listened with a listening ear smiled and spoke to him.
It's never easy for a father to give away his daughter. His little “Firecracker” , as he always introduced her as. I wonder as he looked at Mark that morning if he could see a slide show going across his mind.
The first moment he laid eyes on his third baby girl, the exact moment she said “Daddy,” the way she looked as she walked down the isle for her kindergarten graduation, how her arms wrapped around his when he handed her her high school diploma or the way her smile changed when this young man entered her life.
When he finally looked back at Mark he nodded his head and said “Yes.” In Mark's mind the slide show was just beginning. His life was about to change and he smiled.
A picnic area they were at was beautiful on this Thursday afternoon. Their ham sandwiches some how tasted better while they sat on the ground listening to each other talk about their hopes and their dreams.
Mark looked at Carole and smiled “She is mine.” He said to himself as he gently took her hand “Do you know what?” “What?” Carole said “I like you.” Mark said “You do?” She said understanding dawning. “I do.”
He said the kindness from his voice was as sweet as honey as he looked into her chestnut colored eyes.
She smiled at him in a way that sent shivers down his spine. “Do you want to be my wife?” “Mmmmhmmm...I do”
Mark and Carole are pure examples of what God can do when you only listen to Him.
They trusted God and He blessed them with the ultimate relationship that will last a lifetime if they always keep their eyes on Him.
In 15 months they will stand in church and proclaim their love for each other.
“Mark is my best friend.” ~Carole
“I never thought that spunky sixteen year old girl that I had met a few years ago at the Christmas concert would someday become my wife.” ~ Mark
Love sure is a strong and a powerful thing and with God it's a lasting thing.
SIGH! So...off to planning we go! I just love this girl so much and I am so honored to be the maid of honor.
It's funny we always dreamed of our weddings.
And we were always each other's maid of honors.
But it's so hard to believe it's not make believe anymore.
