Justine’s Story
I first met David in Toronto in August of 2007 at a Harry Potter conference (we’re nerds and we love it!), sharing a hotel room together with a few other people. We didn’t talk too much during the conference itself, but became fast e-mail/skype friends over the internet. Later that year in November, David came to visit me after travelling to California to visit some friends. He got to meet both sides of my family for Thanksgiving and adored their quirkyness–one of my uncles tried to get him to enlist him into the U.S. Army!
We remained in contact and saw each other again in Chicago the following summer for another Harry Potter conference. Though our connection was strong, I was a little flippant and told myself that I didn’t want a relationship across the pond; I had just graduated from college with little money and too preoccupied with my transition from student to professional nurse on the other side of the country. But…on my birthday in November 2008, David wrote a song for me on his guitar and uploaded it to YouTube. I thought it was one of the most romantic things someone could do for another person and I knew right then that I needed to try something out with him.
We met up in London the next month in December and it immediately felt right. I felt like I was home. It was as though we had skipped the first part of the relationship because we already knew each other so well, pouring out our dreams and thoughts to each other, baring all. I knew then that if things continued to go right that we would get married in the future. Not bearing to spend too much time apart, we’ve seen each other nearly every moth since then, much to the dismay of the UK border officials for me and ironically the nonchalance of the US border officials for David.
I am so happy to have the privilige of being David’s future wife–I thank God every day that David is here with me and I pray that He continues to bless our relationship.
David’s Story
It took Justine a while to fall for me, but I on the other hand fell for her very quickly. I would always try to be a gentleman, and when we met at Prophecy (a Harry Potter conference) where we would be room mates, I offered to take her bag as we went up to the room as I would have for anyone. But when I moved to take it, I was a little more eager than I would have been with someone else; this was because she had a beauty and charm that extruded from everything she said and did.
When we got to the room, she got all of us talking to each other even though none of us had ever met; as someone who was at that time still extremely shy, this impressed me greatly. I wanted to spend time with her, but I couldn’t push it because of the very fact I was shy and my general nervousness around girls. When we did spend time together, she talked and talked about everything and I wanted her to keep talking. It was easier for me that way, and I loved every syllable. She was so open with her feelings and so completely unique, like nobody I had ever met. Later when she heard I hadn’t kissed a girl before (not counting when I was seven) she offered to make up for that and I accepted, sure that something could really happen with us. Of course as it turned out she was doing that because she thought I deserved it, not because she was interested, and a long distance relationship wasn’t anything she was looking for. I was disappointed, but I figured that as long as we stayed friends it would be fine. Maybe something would happen one day, because we seemed so very perfect for each other, and I felt it right then, but I wasn’t holding my breath. Later that year Justine rescued me from a bad experience in California and saved my entire trip by inviting me to stay with her and her family over thanksgiving. I met her family who seemed amazing, which made me even sadder than nothing was likely to happen. I loved everyone I’d met so much.
It took Justine quite a while to get around to the idea of us as more than friends, but when we were together at the next conference (Terminus, in Chicago) it was clear there was something there once again. As we sat relaxing in the lobby of one of the upper floors of the hotel, laughing together and talking about things that really mattered, for the first time in my life I felt confident enough to kiss her. I had never felt like I could do that with any girl because of nervousness, but right then I could. Yet I didn’t, because I knew she wouldn’t like it. She’d made it clear we were just friends and I wasn’t about to make her angry by doing something silly.
A few months later, shortly after sending her a birthday video she seemed to absolutely love (more than I expected, in fact) she told me she loved me with the most ado
rable video I’ve ever seen. I was bouncing happily through my life for days, because someone I loved and who seemed perfect for me was really interested.
She flew to see me the next month, and it was like fate. As soon as we were more than friends, everything clicked into place and I was ready to marry her right there. She complimented my personality in almost every way and we could talk about anything. Our chemistry was undeniable, in a way I never expected to have since I was so nervous about things; just leaning in to kiss a girl was a source of great fear for me, having so little experience, but our minds and bodies seemed to be in perfect sync.
We didn’t get engaged there, though we talked about our life together and about being parents as if we were. We waited to be sensible, and after the initial excitement faded, for a time I got nervous. I got nervous about the idea of marrying anyone, taking such a big step that changes your entire future. Then I realised that it was that step I was nervous about, and I wasn’t at all nervous about being with Justine. So after making Justine wait while I got through my bout of nervousness for a few months I finally decided I had no excuses left. She is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with; to share our dreams, hopes and adventures. I love her more than I could imagine loving anyone and I know we’ll have a wonderful life together.