I want to begin with how Lindsay first came in to my life. Lindsay and I grew up about 5 miles from each other, but we attended different elementary schools in Arlington. It was not until Junior High that we went to the same school and we did not meet until High School.

I know it is cliché to say, but I knew from the first time I saw Lindsay she would be in my life. One day after school when I was in my 9th grade year, Lindsay was in her 8th grade year, we were both waiting for our ride to pick us up on the side of the school. I will forever have the image of her in my mind, it has never left me and I was so enamored with her that I remembered even the dress she was wearing. She had a mouth full of braces, beautiful olive skin and a little plaid, grey dress.

Lindsay and I would not go on our first date until Valentines Day 1998 and that was not really the beginning of our love story. We had some mutual friends and one in particular was her sister. I knew Devon well before I had a chance to work up the courage to talk to Lindsay. Through the youth group at church and friends at school, Devon and I had a conversation at some point about my interest in Lindsay. She was kind enough to put a good word in for me with her and I eventually asked Lindsay to be my Valentine. I had one friend with a car at the time, so we did a double date with them. Lindsay and I had our own chauffeur for the night. Lets just say there weren’t too many fireworks between us. It was the first time we had spent any amount of time together and I was ridiculously nervous and Lindsay was just fulfilling a favor to her sister. I don’t remember much conversation, but something that we both remembered well was when I just cupped my hand underneath hers on the way back to her house just to let her know I enjoyed the night and I appreciated her. For her it was just an awkward moment.

Fast forward to “First Event” in High School her Sophomore year, my Junior year and I show up with my new car. Oh how a little accessory can catch the attention of a beautiful girl. That night I ran into Lindsay and she invited me and some guys over to her house after the school function. We are on our way and in her neighborhood when we see a car of a couple other guys that she had invited as well, which they were leaving and stopped to tell us her boyfriend was over there and we needed to wait a little while before going back. Turns out, they did not go back and I had a little more patience and persistence because we eventually made our way over there. It was meant to be just a friendly gathering, she had a boyfriend which was great and it was me and some buddies just going to entertain. We ended up having a lot of fun and phone numbers were exchanged, but on a friend level. It was very understood she was taken and I was perfectly fine with the “friend” status.

As the weeks went on we spent more and more time together, helping with homework, going to church, going to lunch after church, so on and so on. I am not sure at what point we started getting on the same page about the appreciation we had for each other but it must have been some time in September or October of 1998. Things got a little rocky between her and her boyfriend (which I still feel bad about), but it was like we just knew there was something bigger than a “High School Romance” at stake.

Neither one of us wanted to cross any lines before things were right with her boyfriend because Lindsay really did have a huge heart and she really struggled with the fact she knew she was about to break someone’s heart. To be perfectly honest all I cared about was being close to her and was willing to wait however long I needed to and she knew that.

Fast forward through some of the crazy high school stuff and on 11/11/98 we decided we would be exclusive to each other and the rest is history. We eventually got married on our 7 year anniversary, 11/11/2005.

Through our marriage, having children and just building a life together, I often times go back to that day outside Junior High waiting for our rides. That memory of her was the first time God said “I have something great planned for the two of you, it will be on my time, but trust in me and you will have the greatest human love and the blessings I will provide are greater than you can ever imagine.”

I am thankful for every second I spent with her, talked to her, or even thought about her. I will love that girl for the rest of my life and God really came through with his promise. Thank you God for ALL my blessings and please take care of that little girl with the mouth full of braces, beautiful olive skin, wearing the little, grey dress.

She Saved It.

Gabe