So where were we? Oh, of course, how we met Joel starts with how Leo met Sara. We find our brave hero and heroine careening wildly through an unplanned romance orchestrated by a law school madman. Our story at this point really is rather charming and sweet, but I tell you truthfully this was my daily prayer:

“Lord? Ummm, WHAT am I DOING? This guy seems amazing, actually like the man I have been imagining for years…did I make him up? Oh, ok, back to praying – Lord? Could you please make it really clear if this is what I should be doing? Because this is crazy, and it seems really great but this is nuts and I really don’t think I should be with anyone right now, but if you say so I will keep going. So Lord? Could you make it like, REALLY. SUPER. CLEAR. if this is your will for me? Because I really think this is nuts, but he is just so great and I don’t think it would be so good if you didn’t orchestrate this, but Lord? Could you just be sure to let me know if this is wrong? I just need you to be really clear…”

Make that about 385 times daily prayer.

So amidst the madness of insecurity and really enjoying each other when we could find the time, Leo asks me if I want to go out of town with him on Easter weekend. Sure, no big deal right? Except that it involved one of these:

Yeah, out of town like Florida out of town.  Playing it cool I said “Sure, sounds like fun!” Cue internal monologue: “ACK! What am I doing? Do I know this guy well enough to FLY somewhere with him? What does he mean “spend a little time with my folks”? Is this meeting the family? Are we up to this? EEP!”

I spent the time until we left convincing myself and my friends that a weekend out of town was not a big deal at this point and just completely disregarding the family and airplane part.

We did fine. His parents are wonderful people who made me feel right at home, which came in really handy when Leo became extremely ill right after we arrived. Fever of 104 ill. I was ready to haul him to the hospital but Leo and his mom assured me this is just how Leo does sick, and he would get well by resting up. So I spent most of the trip with Leo’s parents and sister having a perfectly lovely time, nursing my new boyfriend as best I could and just in a sort-of daze about the reality of where I was and what I was doing. Leo tells me it was a test and I got an A. I like to think it was a precursor of our lives together – unexpected, but fun and altogether exactly as it should be.

My family wasn’t quite so ready for Leo as his family was for me – so next up is the story of Leo’s first trip to Muskegon. That’s the part where they get surprised by Mr. Wonderful, I get flat-out amazed and he is as sure as sure can be.