Vantage Point : Seven Years Ago

Today is our favorite anniversary to celebrate (for now)!

Our first photo together (and it's only fitting that Shawn Sullivan is in the background).

Seven years ago, today, was Tyler and my very first date. Many of you might already know the story, but since it's our anniversary, I just have to share about the day we met!

“She's not fine. Now's your chance. Go help her."

In August of 2014, my parents, Brooks, and some family friends all jumped in the car to help me move onto Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) campus for the very first time where Tyler had already been a student for a full year. August 15th was the day I moved in to my new apartment. And, according to Tyler and my mom, that was the day we first met.

Mom's story goes like this... As a few of us were carrying boxes from the car to my apartment, I walked ahead to get the door to the building. Then, from across the parking lot, a "cute young man" rushed over, walked through the door, "sized Allie up and down," nodded his head, and disappeared into the elevator.

Tyler's story goes like this... A few weeks before the new semester would be starting, all of the new students got added to the DTS campus social page on Facebook. A few of the guys were apparently scrolling the page looking for new dating prospects and chatting about a "new blonde freshman" who would be arriving on campus soon. So, on August 15th, Tyler was in the car with a friend on the way home from Taco Bell and saw "the new blonde freshman" walking across the apartment parking lot. Supposedly he made his friend slam on the breaks, he jumped out of the car deserting his friend (and his food), and he ran across the parking lot to try to get to the door to open it for Allie before she got there. When he missed his chance, he walked through (embarrassed that she was holding the door for him) and made his way to the student center to wait for his very confused friend.

To be clear...I do not remember this! I think they're making it up.

According to my dad and me, the day Tyler and I met was a few days later.

My story goes like this... We first met a few days later after my first trip to the grocery store. I had over-stuffed my grocery bags on purpose so that I could get everything in one trip from the car to the apartment. But my creative bagging did little to benefit me that day. As I was walking in, the bags ripped, and all my groceries started rolling away. At that very moment, Tyler and another friend walked out of the apartment, on their way to Jack in the Box, witnessing the entire catastrophe. They called over, "Need any help?" And I (absolutely mortified) shouted back as quickly as I could, "No, I'm fine." Then I heard Tyler's friend say, "She's not fine. Now's your chance. Go help her." So my knight in shining armor rushed over to help me.

Dad's story goes like this... the very night before this grocery spill occurred, Dad gave me the advice to drop my books after class. He said that surely a southern gentleman would come to my rescue. While it's true that he gave me this advice, I promise I did not drop my bags on purpose! ...but, he was right, it does work!

The Rest is History

Regardless of the true day we first met, about two weeks later Tyler took me out for the first time. We went to coffee (our favorite day-date to this very day), where he assured me we would be studying Greek. But we lost track of time, never touched our Greek, and instead spent six straight hours talking (and laughing).

Everyone says, "when you know, you know." And it always frustrated me until I met Tyler. That day at coffee, when he made me laugh from the inside out and when he shared his heart for the story of Scripture, I just knew. And the rest is history.

I simply cannot wait to watch this man become a daddy. I just know the day we meet our little one for the very first time is going to be even sweeter, and I'm sure we'll have even more fun telling that story over and over again, too.