... there was a little ice cream shop. Little did we know when we met at Big D's in July of 2011 that a conversation over music and football would lead to a best friendship, that would later lead to a proposal, and then marriage. In the beginning neither Joshua nor Misty would have ever allowed the thought of anything romantic to ever become a reality. They, being 7 years apart in age, actually entered into the friendship with the thoughts of hooking each other up with their siblings (who both are married now, to different people. haha). Over the years there were many stages of distance due to missions work, schooling, travels etc., but anytime they would re-connect (many times at concerts) it would be as if no time had passed. Joshua was the "little brother", Misty the "big sis, who'd give relationship advice." When Joshua and Misty met they were in completely different places in life, and over time the gap slowly lessened. ... lot's of life happened in this gap... Fast forward to 2016, once again reconnecting right before a Johnnyswim concert. Misty, the day before, had just went through one of the most difficult heartbreaks. She and her sister-in-law Jessi were at a restaurant and Joshua and his brother Caleb knew they were going to be there. They came in and found them. It was again one of those "I've missed you in my life moments," and that night Jessi said to Misty... "what's up with you and Josh?," Misty of course was very confused as to what she was talking about giving the response in laughter, "He's like my little brother," to which Jessi's response was " Misty... I've never seen you light up with way you do around him!" Not willing to take any of those words at that time, we all continued to the concert with plans to get together again soon.

...was all it took to remove the veil from my eyes. Due to difficulties in previous relationships, I had became kind of opposed to physical touch. Through many years of ministry service it seemed as if there a handful of moments where the Father was teaching me that physical touch could be pure. So time and time again father-figures in my life would walk up to me and kiss me on the forehead, explaining that they felt that God had asked them to do so. A simple kiss on the forehead had became such a pure form affection, that it became my prayer that my future husband would choose that as a form affection, where I wouldn't be taken from and simply cherished. On a road trip back from Florida Joshua and myself and a couple others had to stop mid way for the evening to get rest before continuing our journey, and as we were saying goodnight, Joshua walked up to me leaned over kissed my forehead and said "Hope you have a good night of sleep." This completely threw me! I had known him for over 5 years (at that point), and that was never a thing he had ever done, nor any guy other than men who were father figures. I literally immediately began praying, and questioning this spark that was just lit in my heart. Over the next 7 months, I would do everything I could to convince myself that my feelings for Joshua hadn't changed. In fact, there were moments where I nearly convinced myself. Then something would happen, and everything would come flooding back even stronger than it was before.