So last august I got an invitation from Taylor's good friends Jon and Allison, to their wedding in September. Weddings are my favorite, and I was not about to just say NO to the first real opportunity I had to meet Taylor in person.
{by the way this is the 4th in a series about my relationship. If you want to read more, then go back to THIS post, then THAT one, then THIS one.... and if you want some pretty pictures, check out this post}
I waited til my parents were vacationing at the camp I was working at, to talk to them about the possible trip, and ask for their advice. We talked.... and later that night I was looking up plane tickets to and from Oregon for my trip!!! Taylor actually bought my ticket there... what a gentleman :)
blah blah blahhhhh camp ended, school began, and on September 6th, I got on a plane at 8:20am to meet this guy who had so strangely captured my heart from 3,000 miles away.
I travelled for 13 hours....brought a change of clothes so I wasn't all stroobly and gross and sweaty and smelly when I met him, but I ended up buying a shirt in the San Fran. airport anyway, because I COULD. {all you judging eyes... I see you...}
So finally after 3 flights, 2 delays, and 13 hours, I stepped off the plane rather calmly into the Eugene airport to meet this guy. Because of my delay, Taylor thought my plane was going to land in another hour and a half {but he was still at the airport, don't worry...}. I was pretty nonchalant the whole day. I guess the reality of the trip hadn't really sunk in yet.....and I think airplanes just have a calming affect on me! {ya know.... you're up there in the sky by yourself just doin your own little thang}.
Despite my previous nonchalance, when I stepped off the plane, all of a sudden my stomach roped itself into a thousand little knots, and my hands started shaking. I'm pretty sure it looked a little like I was about to go speak in front of a room full of people {lol jk i love public speaking} {.....but you know... the #1 fear is the fear of public speaking....} I walked out of the plane and up the ramp into the airport, all of a sudden realizing that this guy I had been talking to for the past year {358 days to be exact} was in THE SAME building as I was!!!!!
I knew his character, his jokes, his personality, his favorite everythings, his convictions, his joys, his failures, his triumphs, his past, his lifelong dreams and goals, his insecurities, and much more.... but I couldn't tell you exactly how tall he was compared to me. I couldn't tell you what he smelled like, or how he hugged. I couldn't tell you about all the little freckles around his eyes, or how soft his hair is. I couldn't tell you what his arms feel like around me, or what his hand feels like to hold. I could tell you how watching him laugh over skype made me smile, but didn't know how watching him laugh in person would make my heart smile. I could tell you how it always made me laugh when he asked if I wanted a glass of water, over skype, because he was getting himself one... but i couldn't tell you how special it feels to actually be served in that way in person. I just didn't know.
All those things were going through my mind as I stepped off that plane. I was finally there. It was finally going to happen! I walked through the terminals, texted him, and went to the bathroom {too much ginger ale on the plane}. I had this whole plan to reapply some makeup, perfume, deodorant, and brush my hair a bit... but I basically just walked out of the stall, looked at myself in the mirror, said.. "well..... that's it then", and walked out to go find my man.
Not knowing the eugene airport, I didn't know when I was going to see him, so walking through hallway after hallway, not knowing if I was going to see him on the other side was exciting. Finally though, I saw the sign that said "baggage claim" and an arrow pointing to a down escalator, so I stepped onto it, and started looking. I didn't see him at first, and became almost frantic, asking myself " where is he? why don't I see him? what if I don't recognize him? what if I already looked at him and didn't know it? what if he's watching me right now and I don't even see him?"
lots of questions.
But have no fear, he was just hidden by an ill-placed advertisement hanging from the ceiling of the escalator. Finally as I was descending the stairs, I saw him. He was taller than I thought, {good thing} and was standing right in front of me!
We hugged, he kissed my head {such a little action, but it brought so much peace}, then we looked at each other, hugged again, looked at each other again, then walked over to the baggage carousel, shaking arms around each other's waists, and giggling like 5 year old girls. He smelled like heaven my hair {I told him he was weird}, took my backpack {which was pretty heavy... because I'm weak} and smiled at me with his eyes, as well as his smile. We were happy, giddy, and needless to say excited :)
stay tuned!
Love,
