The Road To Two

Click here for Part 1
Click here for Part 2

Just an add on from last week...when Joshua asked who I was, Tim The Host replied, 'Oh, that's Aubrey. She's a firecracker.' That is just one of those tidbits that has managed to stick with me through the years. While I don't fault Tim for his description, I have thought of numerous other ways I would have liked to have been described to my future husband.

My next encounter with Joshua was around the spades tables. You need to know that spades was the pass time of many of the BSC crew. Fortunately, in my first quarter in college, I had learned the basics of this game while sitting around in the student center, so I didn't look completely foolish when I set up with these spades gurus. I soon learned that after Celebration on Tuesday nights, and really, just about any other night of the week, there could be found two or three tables worth of folks playing spades. I managed to gain the acknowledgment of the spadesters and was often searched out to play a game or three.

It started out innocently enough. Maybe we were partners, maybe we weren't. But if you saw Joshua and I at the same table, you could count on much laughter due to the ribbing and general harassment that was bound to take place. Directed at one another. It was all very reminiscent of junior high.

I spent hours around those tables, playing, laughing, chatting, getting to know others. While I would play with or without Joshua, I preferred with. And, to be even pickier, I preferred to be his partner. It was easier to watch him and have a valid excuse. I did learn to read his 'card' expressions some, but mostly I just enjoyed the scenery. And that is all I intend to divulge about that.

Just before Christmas break, one of the girls from the BSC hosted a Christmas party at her house. I was there. So was Joshua. But not with each other. When he sat down to play piano, I was done for. If there was any doubt in my mind that I liked this guy, it was swept away at that moment. He sat there caught up in his music, laughter and conversation going on all around him and the lights of the nearby Christmas tree throwing funny colors and shadows on his face. He was a Christian, he was fun, he was well thought out, he was musical. Seriously, what was missing?

I started praying then and there for the Lord to lead me in how to deal with things. I had this growing crush, and I had basically just sworn off guys. To give my heart time to heal from it's earlier beating, and to take time to define what it was I wanted in a guy. I was tired of dating. I was tired of playing. (I was nineteen years old, oh-so-young) I wanted to be sure what it was that I desired in a relationship, and then pursue those ideas.

I left the party that evening with a bit of a heavy heart. Christmas break was upon the college world, and everyone was headed home for the holidays. For Joshua, that meant Georgia for about three or four weeks.

It was a loooong Christmas break.