Count On Me: Jason

Never did I ever imagine myself so completely in love and happy as I am today. It's just a random Friday afternoon, not a special day for us, no birthday today, no anniversary, but I can honestly say that I am completely more in love with Jason Blanton today than I ever have been...until tomorrow. It's like that song "I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow."

That's the thing that I'm learning about being in love. That it grows. It is continual. It never stops. That's how you know that it's real. It has life. No it's not always beautiful. In fact sometimes it's ugly and completely the opposite of what you pictured it to be. But it's in those tough moments that you know God is at work. And when He works, wow, does He make all the seemingly "ugly" moments just vanish away...no. Instead He makes even the ugly moments beautiful. Maybe the most beautiful of all because that's when true love grows.

Our love story is a "love at third or fourth sight" story...at least that's what I call it for Jason's sake. I loved him the first time I saw him. It took him a bit longer to realize that because he had a girlfriend when he met me. :) The first time that I met Jason I was a freshman at Shorter. My roomie, Jessica, had gone to high school with him. I had seen him in a picture that she had hanging on our wall. I asked who he was because he was cute. She said "oh he and my friend are dating...they're pretty serious." Bummer for me. Anyways he was at Shorter visiting some friends and decided to swing by and say hello to her, but I didn't know that. I was coming back from a dance rehearsal...gross and sweaty. I walk into our room and there sitting on our futon was Jason. I didn't stop to say anything. I just kept walking straight into our room. But I looked at him, and it really was like those cheesy chick flicks where everything else is kind of blurry except his perfect, flawless, handsome face. It was all slow motion-ish. Woah. I went in and sat down and just stared at Jessica as she was working on the computer. I asked if she was going to introduce me, which I'm sure came as a shock to her, because when have I ever needed an introduction to anyone? I'm the person that if I see someone I don't know I say "hey, I don't know you. Who are you?" Jessica introduced me and not too long after that Jason left. The next time that I saw him was when I was home with Jessica at some point. We all went out to eat with her friend Nathan too. I remember the tshirt that he was wearing and how adorable he was just sitting there across the table from me. I felt like I could just burst by being in the same room with him. There was one night that Jessica and I went to watch a movie over at his house. I remember the movie. I remember how he put too much butter on the popcorn. I remember how when he gave us both a hug as we were leaving I never wanted to be out from under his arms. Then came my junior year at Shorter and Valentine's day. Jessica had plans and I didn't...yet again. I decided to throw myself a pity party. I stayed up watching "When Harry Met Sally" and ate an entire bag of popcorn and a pint of Ben and Jerry's. Yes. I was that girl. The following day Jessica suggested that we get out of town and go to her grandparent's farmhouse for the night. It was just going to be a girl trip, but then she called to see if Nathan and Jason wanted to tag along so we weren't there by ourselves. I remember being so nervous that he wouldn't be able to come. I remember being jittery waiting for them to drive up. I remember being angry at Nathan for sitting in the backseat with me instead of Jason. We had a great time. We watched movies until late. Nathan got tired and went to sleep in his room. Jessica got sleepy and went to her room. I couldn't think about sleeping! I was so excited to have some time with Jason! We stayed up and watched another movie and talked and laughed. And before we went off to our own rooms we kissed. That was it. The end. Or rather the beginning.

No other person loves me the way that Jason loves me. Of this I am convinced. He has seen me at my best and at my worst. More often than most...my worst. He knows absolutely everything there is to know about me. He knows that little things matter to me. He knows that I want to cuddle at night. He knows that my feet will always be cold regardless of the outside temperature. He knows that when I get stressed I start cleaning. He knows. We know that we can sit and talk for hours or watch TV or read books and the being together part is what matters most. We know we can still date each other. We know we have no secrets. We know we have complete open communication. Honesty is something that I am notorious for and I am so thankful that this is something we share. We know. I know that Jason is the only man I'll ever love. I know that he is the only one who has captured my heart. I know that "look" he has when his mind is turning something over and over again. I know that he'll always ask me where something is before actually looking for it himself first. I know that I sit get a rush when I see him enter a room. I know. Our love for each other has oftentimes not gone according to plan, our plan anyway, but it has ultimately always gone according to Christ's plan. And that is the most beautiful thing of all. I am absolutely convinced that God designed Jason inside and outside specifically for me. Just as He designed me inside and outside specifically for Jason. It's like that song "I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart"

Jason will leave me notes and he'll write "if you're a bird, I'm a bird," Jason will run a bubble bath for me after a long day and have rose petals leading to it, Jason will stop on the way home from work after sitting in traffic to pick up a bottle of wine, Jason will also help discipline our children, Jason will also kill all of the bugs in the house even if I have to wake him up to do so, Jason will also take out the dog every night before bed. Jason will also always, completely, unconditionally love me, as Christ loves me. He is a good, good man. I am so undeserving. I am so blessed.

I thought that on our wedding day our love would have reached it maximum capacity. Little did I know how much more we would grow to love one another. In June it will only have been seven years that we began this journey together. How is it only seven years??? How is it already seven years??? I am thrilled to grow in this love with you, Jason. Even you said not too long ago, "we're only thirty and already love each other this much." I am astounded at our love...at Christ's love for us. I think our love can do anything. Now say you're a bird. I can Count On You. You can Count On Me. I love you my husband.