The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing

Throughout the year and half that we were buddies, James was falling for me. I, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with him and romance. I recall one night after James and I went for a jeep ride and stopped by the Drip (the local coffee shop in Black Mountain), I realized that James was interested in me. After hunting Anthony down, I told him that he had better warn James that I was not interested. Apparently, James humbly accepted the rejection but made a vow that he will someday go out with me. He quietly pursued me, just through conversations, quick chats in the hallways, and even occasional lunches in the college cafeteria. Clueless, I was just relieved that he wasn't asking me out.

Every year there is a winter ball. The college hires several dance instructors to teach college kids how to waltz, swing, salsa and fox trot. It is a great time since I love to dance.

Well, when the winter ball of 2006 rolled around, I was bound and determined to go with a guy, just so I would have a guy partner. After years of dancing with girls and arguing about who is going to take the guy position (girls- you know how hard it is to find a guy who is willing to dance), I was just ready for a change. I went on a hunt to find one of my guy friends and everything was falling through. Discouraged, I decided not to go and just to stay at home with my roommates and watch a movie.

The night of the ball came around, I went up to the campus to check my mail. I ran into James and we chatted for a bit. A light blub suddenly went off in my head, and I quickly asked , "What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing" was his reply.

I grinned and boldly ask him to dance with me at the ball. After stammering that he didn't know how to dance, I challenged him, "All I am asking, is for you to learn with me."

James' face brightened and with a grin, he said, "Okay."

Mere hours later, we met up at the ball and enjoyed dancing the night away. Sure, there were times where he stepped on my toes and I messed up a few... okay... a lot of steps, but we laughed through it all and went on dancing.

(A friend snapped our picture that night.)

As I walked home later that night, I don't think my feet ever touched the ground. Over the next several days, I realized that God opened my eyes to James and spoke to my heart- "He is the one."

There is a song from "White Christmas" called The Best Things Happened While You're Dancing. I heard it a couple weeks after the ball and I realized that is exactly how I felt about the whole night.

"The best things happen while you're dancing

Things you would not do at home

Come naturally on the floor

For dancing soon becomes romancing

When you hold a girl in your arms

That you've never held before

Even guys with two left feet

Come out alright if the girl is sweet

If by chance their cheeks should meet while dancing

Proving that the best things happen while you dance."

My joy is dancing in my beloved's arms.

The Beginning

Several friends and family have inquired what our love story is... that is James and mine. I had no idea where to even start, but a friend reminded me, "Why not the beginning?"

James actually remembers the very first moment he laid eyes on me. I, like usual, faintly remember the moment.

I was scheduled to leave for Guinea Bissau, West Africa in the September of 2004. Before I left, my mom and I made a trip down to Montreat College in North Carolina at the end of August. When I arrived, I was able to visit with several of my friends along with Erin. We had decided to go to the guys' dorm to visit Anthony. As I was wandering the halls, I stopped and said hello to a friend, Zach. In his room next door, James apparently heard our voices and wanted to see what the commotion was. All I remember that there was this guy that suddenly appeared at the Zach's door, but I didn't think anything of it. I did not even remember his face. It wasn't till later that James said that it was him. He remember the encounter vividly, down to the dress I was wearing.

It wasn't till a year later, when I returned from Africa and went back to Montreat, that I came to know James. Because Anthony is one of James' best friends and he (Anthony) was dating my twin sister, Erin, I saw James frequently through out my sophmore year of college. We would occasionally hang out. I never viewed him as anything more than a "brotherly" friend. This friendship would continue for the next year and half.

James and I at Anthony's Graduation in 2006.

to be continued... :)

My joy is the aroma of my mom's apple crisp baking in the oven.

Thanksgiving

Spending time with the family for thanksgiving was simply bliss. We enjoyed stuffing ourselves with an ambrosial feast. After leaning back in our chairs and adjusting our pants, we swapped some stories, comments and opinions. Later, I decided to set up the living room for a photo op.


It started with just me...


Slowly, some family trickled in...

Then another...

A couple more...Lisa came along...My aunt grabbed the cammera and took a couple shots of all of us cousins that were there that night. We are missing a couple- Allen (CA), Erin (South Africa), Eric (The U.P.), and Brian (The U.P.).

Aw, what the heck, let's have a couple whole family pictures...

That was a fabulous Thankgiving night.

**In addition to my first post- When I was describing my blog name, "Laura's Joy", I forgot to mention that I am going to be a bit of a "Pollyanna". I enjoy finding joy in my everyday life, so for each blog, I plan on posting a simple or even grand joy that I found that day. So here is mine for this post.

My joy is my family.

Blogging

I did it. I started up my own blog. I did it for several reasons...

• I love reading several people's blogs. I feel that I know what's going on even if we are miles apart and haven't talked in days, months or even years. Perhaps I can do the same for my loved ones...
• I need to keep many people informed of what's happening in this chapter of my life, being engaged and getting hitched.
• It is a way to jot down some thoughts if my mind is going 100 miles a minute.

Now, I chose laurasjoy.blogspot.com as my url address because everything else that I wanted was taken. Finally, I just thought that I would put my first and middle name, but go figure... someone else has it... sigh. Then it hit me, why not put Laura's Joy? This blog is mainly going to describe me and James' journey to where we are now and where we've been. It's my joy to tell you of what's happening in my life right now. It's my joy to share our love story. It's my joy to remind you that life isn't perfect, we will have days of low lows and high highs.

It is my joy....