Drew

Ok, ok. Sorry about the delay. Drew is... well, I don't know what we are technically, but he said I could introduce him as my boyfriend, a fact that has yet to pass before my father, so that's still unofficial. But Drew is, for lack of any better comparison, my "Prince Charming" in the flesh! He's tall, dark, and handsome, of Italian heritage, about 6', athletic build, hazel eyes. And we have about a zillion things in common. We both want to go to Hawaii and Colorado and possibly live in California. He loves to do things in the water (ski, wakeboard, etc.), as do all of us. He's 11 days older than I am. And his hands fit perfectly with mine! He's sweet and supportive and friendly and laid-back and a gentleman, and so amazing I really don't think I've touched the ground at all over the past two weeks. He plays the guitar and can sing and has wonderful fashion sense (:p) and is a typical boy in some ways, but is undeniably adorable. He says I'm beautiful... We like the same kind of movies, we can sit and talk about all sorts of things, and then we can just "be" without it being awkward at all. He works, and isn't technically a student this semester, but will be enrolled next semester. He's thinking about architecture but hasn't decided yet. He makes me laugh and laughs at my silliness. He listens to stuff I've never heard of, but I like all kinds of music, so that's not an issue. He's a Christian! We go to church together and Bible studies on Tuesdays and it's a major part of both of our lives. He's calming and exciting both, and he makes me happy. He's very busy with work and all sorts of things during the day, but I am, too, so it's not too bad. We make time for each other over the weekends. His Saturdays and Sundays are pretty much spent with me. And we hang out and watch movies and talk and laugh and sleep and play on the computer. He blogs. But I'm not going to post his address until I ask him. So he'll be aware... Cuz it would be mean otherwise. I told a friend that I really never thought anything so... perfect, I guess, could really exist for me. But it seems as if it does. And I'm excited and scared and happy and a little nervous... I don't know what I'm doing at all. But I'm willing to go with it. And he met Mom and my big brother and thinks they're both awesome. They think the same about him, I think. It's really very cool. And we haven't kissed. We hold hands and give hugs, and it's enough. More than enough.

I actually spoke to Dad today... Mom told him about Drew and the Ren. Fest. He says we have to come home this weekend so he can meet him. I'm nervous about telling Drew, but not nervous about Dad meeting him. Or vice-versa. Is that strange, or what? I know Drew will do wonderfully, just like he did with Mom and Derek on Saturday. He did admit to being a little nervous, but that's to be expected. He was almost excited about the prospect of meeting Dad when we first made plans and thought he'd be able to make it, but it ended up not happening. So I don't know how this is going to work out. But it's really amazing and wonderful and beautiful because we pray for each other. And I care about him so much. He's a friend. A real, true, close friend. And I'm glad there's that before any relationship is even considered.

I met him at IHOP at the beginning of the semester. He was with a friend of a friend. Brandon lives downstairs and Dustin is Brandon's friend. Dustin plays with Ryan, Drew's brother, in a band at church. Drew came with Dustin for dinner and sat by me. For no reason, that's just where he sat down. We ended up talking and laughing through dinner and I really enjoyed myself, but didn't think anything of it. Then I saw him a week or two later walking down the hall. That next Sunday he came to our flag football game. And then he came back to my room and hung out with me for a few hours while we talked about blogging and computers and music and all sorts of stuff. Then we met for coffee on the 26th at Starbucks (two weeks after the aforementioned game), where I met his brother and a few of their friends. They sat over at a big table, a rather amoeba-ish group of church kids that grew as the night went on. We sat together at a small table apart from the group and talked for about 2 and a half hours. Then we drove around to Wal-Mart, which was closed (this was the week after the hurricane) and then to Walgreen's and walked around all of the aisles and talked about nothing in particular. We headed to his house to watch a movie, but his brother told him that his new boss had called and he had to work the next day. So he stayed and I went back home. I got online when I got home, and he was on! So we talked even MORE for about another hour, then made plans to go to Bible study the next night. So we did that, then hung out for a little while in the driveway at his house (because he had forgotten his key) just looking at the stars and talking. Then we saw each other again on Saturday after talking every night for the rest of the week. We got together in the afternoon and watched a few movies (Legends of the Fall (so sad, skip it), The Three Stooges (a cartoon I had picked up for $1), Notting Hill, and The Mask of Zorro), then we just sat there and talked some more for another hour or two before I took him home. He's working on getting a car, btw. We went to church and then dinner on Sunday (he paid) with his brother, Ryan. Then we took Ryan home and he came over later on his bike. We hung out again and he stayed to watch me play the flag football game. He had to be home so he could sleep before he had to work the next day. Then he got sick. And he was sick all day Tuesday and Wednesday. He was a lot better by Thursday, so we hung out again, and watched Ocean's Eleven. Friday was Rootbeer Fest and Saturday was the Renaissance Fest. And now you're all caught up!

But really, I'm very content and really happy with the way life is going. Carrie, is that enough? I actually think of y'all when I think about our relationship because it's so sweet and slow and amazingly perfect... *sigh* Love and hugs!