13 years ago, during the autumn of my freshman year at Spring Arbor College, my friend Jill Thompson announced to me that she had found my future husband. Her "find", she proclaimed, was my best fit. She couldn't imagine us not getting together. Then, she said his name. Ben Parker. I scoffed in her general direction and informed her that while I found him EXTREMELY attractive, his less than bubbly personality instantly deemed him a not-viable option. He seemed too arrogant to me. Plus, I saw him serenading a girl with his guitar once. Fail. I later found out that Ben was equally turned off by my huge mistake of a pixie hair cut.
Hours of chapel band practice, psychology classes together (his major, my minor), basketball games, more mutual friends later, it seemed our friend may have been on to something. December 2001, I accepted an invitation to a faux "blind date" with Ben Parker. November 2002, I accepted his marriage proposal. And August 9, 2003, we made promises to love each other forever. And I can't imagine a day since or in the future without him.
Thank you, Jill Thompson.
"I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life! and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death." -e.b.b.
