We're Happy You're here!

My favorite story! Both James and I attended Belmont Abbey. I technically met James once during the fall semester of my freshman year (August, 2018), but we only exchanged pleasantries and didn't come across each other after that. Flash forward a year later (August, 2019), the start of my Sophomore year, we both signed up to be Orientation Leaders. I saw James for the first time in months and thought he looked familiar but truthfully, I could not quite remember who he was. As it happened, it would be the week leading up to Orientation, when all of the Leaders are training and preparing, that would pique my interest once and for all! During this week, all of the leaders are together 24/7, from sunrise to sunset. I noticed that in group conversations, there was one person who was quiet, sweet, and very respectful-- regardless of whether he was around his peers or staff. There was one person who, when asked in front of his peers to wear the Benny costume (the mascot for the Abbey) in the heat of August, just smiled to the head of student life and simply said, "Yes, I can do that." No other words to anyone else, just respectful compliance. There were some jaunts thrown his way, but he didn't mind. It's hard to explain, except to say that divine providence was at work and that you must place yourself back into the shoes of 18-21 year olds who find everything embarrassing, but his lack of complaining was very impressive! There was one word that popped into my head to describe James-- sweet! That day, I remember texting my best friend, saying, "Guess what! I met a guy!" Naturally, she asked, "how did you guys meet? what has he said?" To which I had to reply, "Oh, well, we haven't actually talked, really. I have been around him and think he is just so sweet!" From that point on, I had a crush on him for almost two years (which he never knew about) before he asked me out! You know what they say, God works in mysterious ways!