The first time I stopped by KatieKate's blog, I instantly wanted to pack a suitcase and go hang out at her farm for awhile. And wonder of wonders, she claimed to have visited my blog many a time. A blog friendship was born and while the miles continue to separate us, we're convinced face time will happen soon. I'm thrilled she's sharing her story today.
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Curt and I met, like most couples in the Free World, at a women’s retreat. A large, overnight ministry women’s retreat.
That is absolutely true. That February 2002 weekend was the Young Life Women’s retreat near San Diego, and I was the host… which is a fancy way of saying I collected the money and made sure everyone had towels. Kevin and Curt came down to volunteer and help me get some side-work done in-between me racing to find toilet paper for the front bathrooms. Women’s Retreats are serious about their toilet paper and paper towels. Men’s Retreats, not so much.
I was busy and single and 25. Of course, I was meeting quality men left and right… youth ministry and YoungLife in particular are GREAT for that, but they all came on Friday and left on Sunday. I lived on a virtual island of awesome… solitude.
So when Kevin said he wanted to come down with a friend and a couple high school students to do some outside work, I said ‘absolutely.’ It would be a crazy weekend for me, and I could use the help prepping for a summer of camp ministry in-between setting tables and centerpieces for The Ladies. More help? Yes, please.
They showed up late, the boys. They always do, don’t they? Late after a basketball game and a 2-hour drive, it was easily 11pm by the time I finally got to say hello. Kevin’s friend was visiting from out of state- Michigan. They had been high school buddies and roommates in college and now Curt was out visiting. Ever the hostess, I tried to play a quick game of “I Know Bingo.”
“Hey! A really good friend of mine just moved back to Grand Rapids to get her nursing degree! She’s our age, tall, blonde, volleyball player… super cute. Went to Hope College? Studying at CC now?”
He barely even looked my direction. Flat up against the wall, in the dark of the dining room and over the din of 100 women drinking their nightcap coffee, he said, “That’s basically every girl in Grand Rapids.” The end.
Wow.
It was not love at first sight, lemme just say that right here and now. I showed the boys their rooms and asked them to meet me after breakfast on the tennis courts. We had a long day of painting carnival booths and fixing fence ahead of us. “Sleep well!” I yelled.
I wore Carhartts the next day- ready to work and haul wood and nail things and probably injure myself before the sun set. Chatty Curt asked for some sunscreen around 9am and that was the extent of our conversation for the remaining 8 hours they were on camp property. I watched as he kidded with the high school boys they’d brought. I listened as he found common ground with another Michigan transplant, our maintenance supervisor. I heard him joke with Kevin about high school times and family back home. I wondered how I had managed to alienate a perfectly normal guy in a matter of 30 seconds, beating my personal best by a good five minutes.
“Kate,” Kevin said as the two of us painted the outdoor stage, “You need to get to know Curt. He’s a good guy. Wants to build a cabin. Likes to work. Really, really good guy.”
“Friend,” I answered, “I believe you, but I just don’t think it’s meant to be. He’s barely said 2 words to me. Plus, you guys are headed back to LA tonight and tomorrow he’ll be in Michigan. Story of my life… but good thoughts, Kev! Good thoughts.”
And so we worked. And I hosted. We ate a quick dinner together and then I watched a really great (although small-talk-challenged) guy drive out of camp. Again. For the 40 million-th time. I didn’t even blink. It was time to refill the paper towels again and check the coffee makers.
Turns out, I seriously underestimated the power of a girl in Carhartts. A week later, Kevin called and asked if it was ok to give Curt my email address.
“Lame.” I answered.
“Not lame,” he countered. “He wants to write you a letter, but wants to ask for your address himself.”
Huh. Not lame.
Not lame at all.
And only the beginning.
But that, Friends, that is how we met.
Katie is the author behind Apple Pie, Anyone at texasnorth.com. Texan by birth, Michigander by marriage, and farmer by Divine humor, Kate has been known to mow the lawn in a skirt and roast marshmallows after dark. She believes in Sunday school and being barefoot as often as possible.
