Sat. Series - All About : How I Met Your Father

Well, um, not your father, but my kids’ father
I thought for the month of June I’d let you all get to know a little more about me….

This week I’ll let you know my love story. It’s cheesy, and it’s all mine! (Hint, next week’s linkup will be about love, so write your post this week to be ready to linkup!)

One day a 27 year old Spanish teacher (who had just resigned from her wonderful position at a high school to teach 1st grade in Honduras) headed to an outdoor store to get a water purifier to be able to hike on her new 2 year adventure abroad. She had been to this store numerous times the first year it had been open. (It was of course filled with things that she wanted to purchase to go on her adventures. Waterproof, breathable, compact had been her new words she had been obsessed with after her trips to Colorado with her Young Life kids.) This day she searched for one thing and one thing only. With a sale postcard in hand she entered.


A man approached her with a smile and asked if he could help her with anything. Immediately she got out her scribbled note paper and asked for the specific water purifier. Surprisingly they had it. He walked her to the display case and began explaining how it worked. The conversation moved from water to her job and the fact that she was to resign soon. She hadn’t told anyone yet. She wondered why she had just shared this secret with a stranger. BUT there was something different. He was so easy to talk to and he wasn’t too hard to look at.


(Side note: The woman’s sister had often told her about a single man that owned the local gear shop with his brothers. Unbeknownst to her the talkative sister had also been scheming and sharing bits and pieces to the man about her as well.)


After an hour they exchanged names, glances and goodbyes and Virginia walked out of the store…..forever….well for at least 2 years thought Paul. Immediately his heart fell and he began to search for ways to be able to get into contact with Virginia. He, with his brother and sister in law, tried to come up with ways to find her. He was at a loss.


Meanwhile, Virginia went to her sister’s house with a new water purifier and a story to tell. She began to retell the story. How she had met that man at the store, and the conversation that followed. Her sister giggled. Then, that’s when it happened. The receipt came out and Virginia had been overcharged! The day’s sale price wasn’t given! That was it. There was no choice. $30 wasn’t something to walk away from. Quickly Virginia picked up the phone and called her mother to come with to the store and check out the sale. (Not telling her the real reason was because she didn’t want to go alone and feel like she was a stalker.)


An hour later Virginia pulled up to the store in her car and walked inside with her mother as her “wingman”. Embarrassed she approached Paul and told him what had happened. He was surprised to see her back again. & happy that his sister in law had overcharged the woman he thought he had lost. & here she was in front of him! It was a busy evening so Paul had to help other customers and Virginia and her Mother stood in line at the check out. Wandering back and forth Paul eavesdropped on a conversation with the two women and overheard the word “tent”. Suddenly from 15 feet away he offered to show Virginia the 2 man tent in the back of the store. With flushed cheeks she followed after her Mother’s prodding. The tent was called the Hubba Hubba tent.


On the way back to the checkout Paul asked Virginia to dinner. A quiet, embarrassed “sure” followed. Then he asked for her number. Flustered and with no grace at all she couldn’t remember her own number. In front of a crowd of people she asked her mother for her cell phone and number. Everyone’s eyes were on the future couple. Everyone knew what was going on!


to be continued……

REMINDER - with some great advice we’re switching up the Illuminate Series and only having it open 1 day. Next Friday come with the theme of LOVE! (Maybe you can share your love story!)