Justin & Laurie Story Part 1

It's kinda like the boy next door.
Classic beginning to a love story, if you ask me.

There were actually 11 houses between us--but who's counting?!
Same kindergarten class.
Mrs. Hipke's  P.M. class to be exact. 

I don't really remember Justin and he has no kindergarten memories of me.....
but there are some things from that year that we both remember so that makes it feel real--
this whole "knowing each other since kindergarten" thing.

In second grade Justin had his tonsils taken out and I sooo remember that.
When he was "Star of the Week" (or whatever)--he brought his get well map including all the fun foods he got to eat until his throat healed.
Cool, right? Well, for a second grader that really stuck out (how do I get my tonsils out?....)

In seventh grade Justin had this crush thing going on. A crush on MEEEEE.  Awwwww.
I had no idea. 
He took it as a "sign" when I jokingly sharpened one of his pencils down to nothing. 
I have no memories of doing something like that...but it sounds like something I would do.

Blah, blah, blah.
Fast forward to sophomore year of high school.
Over that summer I went on a missions trip to Venezuela with a bunch of people, including Justin's sister, Becky.
During late night chats when us girls would talk about what we wanted in a husband someday, she'd tell me "you and my bro would be good together."

Justin. Hmmmm.....
I'll admit I came back from Venezuela and took a second glance. 
However...

The first connection Justin and I had when I returned from Venezuela he sauntered over to me, sat down at my table (at the youth group picnic) and told me that despite anything my sister may have said to me......he did NOT want to marry me.
He got up and walked off. And that was that.
We totally laugh about it now. Such a high school thing....
We liked each other on and off our sophomore year but that was about it. 

Apparently one time when Justin missed a couple days of school
I told him I went through "Justin withdrawl." 
Geesh.  I was like throwing myself at the guy. 
So forward of me....

Then came our senior year of high school.
And all things changed.

Before the school year began, I bought a little red Nissan, picked Justin up every morning for school...
The Flirt was on.
Justin would turn on the hazard lights on my car and I'd pretend to be annoyed. 
I'd keep my hand close enough to the button that maybe he'd accidently touch it. 
He would.

We went to our Homecoming Dance with different people
--just as friends--
and soon after realized that we just wanted to be with each other.

And so to begin our senior year of high school,
the Justin & Laurie Story had it's official beginning. 
On October 16, 1997 (sweetest day.  sigh.)
Justin took me to the mall so I could "help him find a winter jacket"
(such a line.....he never ended up buying one)
and to Starbucks.  Yeah.  He pretty much had me at Starbucks.
But we shared a Caramel Macchiato, his first coffee drink EVER,
and it was the best one I'd ever tasted.
I could say a simple, "the rest is history" but
Part II is in the works.  Are we having fun yet?