The Story of Us

On this day, three years ago, I married my best friend, my soul mate. The one I tell all my secrets to, cuddle with, laugh with, and live to see each morning. Even though we have been together for six years and eight months (yes, I still keep track!) I still find him as amazing as I did as a lowly first year RA at Oregon State.

(Taken a week after we got together! I was 19! And much skinnier. We hadn't even kissed! I think I surprised him by kissing his cheek!)

I had the BIGGEST crush on Jason since that fall. I had met him the year before through one of his best friends (whom I was dating, shhh!) and thought he was hot then. He had olive skin, bright green eyes and was the best dancer I had EVER seen :) He was confident (maybe overly!), smart and kind. We became friends during RA training because our staffs were close and worked together.

I would call my mom to tell her about my crush. I wrote journal entry after journal entry about him, praying to PLEEEASE not like him, praying for contentedness, praying about whether he was the one, my future husband. I liked him so much, but didn't think he liked me in "that way" by any means. Jason Furgison could have any girl he wanted! Why would he want me? I was a total dork! I prayed that God would help me get over him, or somehow open that window for us to become more than just friends.

Thankfully, I had some very good buddies (Chelsea and Tony!) who knew my heart's desire and tried to make it abundantly clear to Jason that I had a thing for him. They asked him what he thought about me, and he said, "Katie? She is gorgeous!" My friend Tony hinted that he should ask me out to coffee and J (always dense) replied "Why?" I think my friend Chelsea was about to hit him over the head with a textbook (that is what we carried around back in the day). Finally he got the message. Later he would tell me that HE didn't think he had a chance with ME!

Our other good friends, Brandon and Tarek, were planning a group get-away to Sunriver the next weekend. Brandon and Tarek made a plan to MAKE SURE Jason was going, so that we could spend time together. To make a long story short, Jason took care of me the whole weekend (I was super sick, including car sick), we watched movies, talked all night and in general got to know each other on a much deeper level. I remember sitting next to him in the hot tub and his leg brushed mine. In my head I was screaming, "OMG, JasonFurgison's leg TOUCHED mine!" My girlfriends and I threw intense knowing looks at each other. It was love.

(By the way, we did always refer to him as JasonFurgison. Because we had another Jayson in our crowd, it was always, "JasonFurgison did this, JasonFurgison is so hot, JasonFurgison, JasonFurgison." One name. No fingerspace).

We had a rough couple of first months. Jason took an internship in Medford spring term and I missed him terribly. My last boyfriend had left my heart in bad shape and I don't think I was anywhere enough healed or completely over him. It was a bad situation. In all honesty, I probably should not have been in any sort of relationship until I worked out my issues, but God has His own timing and purposes, and I truly believe that He sent me Jason to help pull me out from a hole I just didn't have the strength to get out of on my own. I don't know if I ever would have healed had he not sent me such a patient, understanding, non-judgmental man, who is the best communicator and listener. Jason encouraged me, he loved me, he accepted me right where I was. More than anything, he prayed for me fervently and fiercely. He fought the battle for my heart, and he won.

Through the years, it is Jason who has always supported me and pushed me to discover who I am. He encouraged me to go back to school, to follow my dreams, to pursue higher education just for the education, for the learning and stimulation. He has held me through the deaths of dogs and family members, laughed with me at my family and my students, indulged my craziness, and protected me from anyone who hurt my heart. There is nothing about me that he does not know .... and he loves me anyway. He makes me a better person just by being around him. All that is wrong with me is right with him, and someday, I hope to be half of the person of character and integrity that he is.

Now, as my husband sits in the next room, dutifully studying o-chem after working all day to keep me fat and happy, I am excited for the rest of our lives together. Not excited for medical school necessarily, but happy that for once, I am going to be able to give him at least some of the support and encouragement that he has given me. For once, in these coming years, it will be my turn to push him, pray for him, help him achieve his dreams. I want to be the wife he deserves. I want to give him the children he desires and needs and should have the chance to raise. I want to make him proud that this is his life.

God, thank you for my husband. He is more, waaay more, than I have ever asked, prayed for or deserved.