Origin stories are popular these days. I suppose they always have been. Even the Bible starts with the words, “In the beginning…” Established civilizations, organizations, and even great loves started somewhere. Her love story was no different.

Rewind to age thirteen. Up until that point, she had only been kissed once by a boy, and she promptly smacked his face! It was a knee-jerk reaction, the result of mere shock! That relationship did not last long. It was just as well because a few months later, she moved away. Leaving your childhood friends, and family is a heartbreak that never heals.

No longer surrounded by familiar faces and surroundings, she tried to adjust to a new home, new school, new friends, and living with a stepdad again. As the school year passed, it was time to move again. Another school year, another move. The only thing that stayed the same was her new church family. They adopted her, along with her mom and sister. They became aunts, uncles, grandmas, and friends. She grew in her faith there and she grew up too.

From time to time, her church teamed up with another church in town to host community events; her adopted grandma had family and friends there. It wasn’t long before Grandma decided to play matchmaker. It was at Halloween, as a matter of fact.

To be continued…