Grace

Our relationship started with just a few words while blindly walking, having no idea what the next day would bring. There would be no way to predict what God had in store for us but walking by faith was the best decision we ever made! It all started with a few online chats. There was this guy on other side of the computer who was quite persistent in trying to get me to talk. This wasn’t something I would normally do, but eventually out of a little curiosity and slight annoyance I answered and then it began. It didn't go very far, life got busy and couple months passed by. . .    But a simple "Hi" sometime later re-opened the book to this love story. Our conversation was like as if we always knew each other. Then out of the blue he says "Wanna go to a movie Wednesday?” I almost said no because who goes out with a complete stranger?  But if there is one thing I am talented in its researching or more like “Googling”! My instincts, thought process & prayers said "this Christian guy seems pretty honest and safe" though just to be safe I had him pick me up at my mom and not my place.  After church that night he came to my mom’s front door. I’ll never forget those first moments "Hi I'm Grace, Hi I'm Jonathan" (as my mom was peeking through the front window! So adorable) and he had the biggest smile ever! :) Our date was simple, dinner and movie but it was the simplicity that became the beginning of forever. Dinner was at Chipotle, one of the few places I can eat without feeling sick and little did I know that Chipotle would become a staple in our lives. And the movie, I don’t remember much but I do remember watch Jonathan laugh, and laugh, and laugh. Eventually I enjoyed watching him laugh (Ok let's be real the WHOLE theater noticed Jonathan's laugh!) more than the movie and I just wanted to hold on to that moment forever.  His laugher started a spark that jumped started my heart to work again. After the movie quickly I discovered an impressive fact about Jonathan, he could out talk me and even more impressive he could make me listen fully attentive! This conversation continued well into the morning all the way until my confused mom walk into her living room to find two people talking and she said "Wow, you guys are still here and STILL talking!” The day past and that night I invited him over for dinner to meet my two best friends. I was blown away on how eager they were to help me out! They helped me cook and clean. Once Jonathan was there he helped me finish dinner. During dinner Jonathan shared his passionate faith and cleaned his plate while wanting more! It was the best compliment the cook could get. JWe spend another night talking. You’d think sleep deprivation would kick in about now but it was like I just needed to hear everything about him and his life. It was just so natural to talk to Jonathan like he was a long lost friend. Soon we discovered that though we’d had just met we definitely had been passing each other for over a decade. Probably due to the fact that parents lived about five minutes down the road to one another and yet we originally met on the internet while Jonathan was in California and I was in Arizona. . . . Looks like God had planning this for some time :) As incredibly awing the days had been, there was a little piece of this story that was missing. As most of you know Jonathan was not necessarily living in California by choice, he was stationed there. He is a Marine and at this time he was home on his pre-deployment leave right before leaving to Afghanistan for seven months. When I found out this piece of the puzzle there was a shift in my thinking. No more worrying about yesterday, today or tomorrow. I decided that I would just absorb and enjoy every second we had together and see what God had in store for me. The next afternoon after a long and busy day without any much sleep for neither of us, Jonathan invited me to dinner with his grandparent then out dancing with some friend. My new unspoken motto was to “live in moment, blinded with God leading” so what could it hurt. In true Jonathan style the details of who he was bring to dinner wasn’t relayed to his grandparents, so the double take and  surprise on their faces was priceless. They were blown away to see a girl in the passenger seat! The dinner went just perfect and became just another blessing in this story. It was Jonathan’s grandparents that brought my heart even closer to Jonathan. They were welcoming, open and so accepting. We spent the evening, after many twist and turns, meeting friends and dancing until late. It was then that the connection had become obvious that it was too deep to let go.   We didn’t have many days together but we spent more valuable time together than most get the opportunity to even have in many months of dating. It was at this point Jonathan decided that at his “Going Away/ Birthday Party” the next evening they would announce they were a couple. Grace didn’t just meet 10-15 people but maybe 100 or more people with MANY questions. If anyone knows Jonathan then they know he needs to talk with everyone who then unintentionally left me alone at times but everyone was welcoming especially his family. After the party Jonathan invited me to church the next morning. Sounds simple right? Nope, this was another batch of people and much attention, probably due to the fact that Jonathan wore his dress blues for his last day home. This attention I wasn’t use to but nothing to worry about. It was only more support, kindness and love. For me, the reality of deployment starting to sink in after the bible study grouped prayed around Jonathan. It all was real, not a dream and he was leaving. There was nothing I could do other than trust God that there was a reason I was here. After church it was lunch at Macayo’s (which is now another staple in our lives, lol). It was grandma Dipiazza who asked if I’d be driving back with him and his mom to base. I hadn’t even thought of that but I had no plans for the evening so it was just a blessing of more time and added blessing of getting to know his mom on the way back (minus the times I would fall asleep mid-sentence due to sleep deprivation, Lol) Those were three amazing days to carry a lifetime and worth anything and everything life had thrown out. God had a little surprise still yet to come. Jonathan had to be back at base that Monday morning but got off work early Monday and was deploying Wednesday morning. Well after a few phone calls I cleared my schedule and hopped in my car and headed out for just one more day with the one who change my perspective on life. It was a wonderful evening in Palm Springs (which included a $20 well needed nap in a movie theater!)  and another night to let out anything else we could talk out but at this point we had pretty much talked about everything in life. It was just a blessing to get a little more time. Deployment day was a whole new experience full of so many emotions for not only Jonathan and I but everyone around us. Everyone around us was going through the same feelings. Some were detaching from their husbands or their fathers but everyone was losing a piece of themselves as their loved ones pilled on the buses and drove away. As painful as deployment was it was full blessings. Jonathan’s friends and family embraced me and my family, allowing the two to mess together. There were many more discoveries on how Jonathan and I had been passing each other as stories were shared. One particularly instant was discovered over the 4th of July when we realized our families sat across the street from each other in eyes view for years watching the fireworks display. It was just one more thing justifying it was God's plan. Over letters, short & sporadic phone calls, boxes from home, we grew closer and closer emotionally and spiritually. I became very involved in Jonathan’s family, friends and church for the seven month stretch and very quickly became family. Some days felt like years but eventually it was over. A new chapter was beginning and it was obvious that Jonathan and I were inseparable! And to think, it all started with a chats and three days. . .