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In the summer of 2006 Chris and Rachel met while volunteering for The Slice, the summer TFC chapter. They took notice of one another but not much more than that. In the beginning of August, after getting to know each other a bit through hanging out with mutual friends, we were at the TFC Leaders Retreat. While there we had opportunity to truly talk for perhaps the first time. This conversation was cut short though due to some little one's bedtime. Nevertheless we spent the rest of the evening with other leaders our age chatting and laughing. [A couple of memories from this weekend was that Chris knew this card trick and said that if he could guess the card that I had, we were 'meant to work together' in the chapter. Needless to say, he guessed Rachel's card, and she was excited. A second memory was that the two of us were talking about how Rachel had never seen a shooting star. Chris walked outside and upon his return commented that he had just seen 3 shooting stars. He liked having this edge to rub in. : ) ]
It was after that weekend that we knew that we would be leading the Spencerville High School TFC Chapter together: Rachel as the director and Chris as the leader. This is where and how our relationship took off.
Over the course of the school year, we began spending LOTS of time together. Monday nights was Chapter night, when we not only spent the 3 hours together leading the teens, but we also spent an hour and an half in the car chatting and getting to know each other more. Wednesday nights we would see each other briefly as Rachel helped with a youth group and Chris met with a friend. Thursdays became our 'The Office' night, which began with Amber and the two of us, be she seldom showed up to watch the tv series so it was just the two of us. Then eventually we thought that it was getting a but raunchy so we stopped watching it each week, but we didn't stop spending our Thursday evenings together. Fridays we occasionally saw each other as we hung out with mutual friends or sometimes even just the two of us. Saturday Night Prayer was another weekly occasion that we would commonly see each other. Finally Chris began going to Lima Baptist Temple where Rachel attended and they both went to Summit on Sunday evenings. As very clear we saw each other a lot and spend lots of quality time together.
All of this brings us to April 14th. On this Saturday morning Rachel left her house as her mom asked her feelings about Chris. Rachel promised that there was 'nothing really' but WHEN something came about she'd let her mom know. [Rachel had no idea how soon she'd be letting her mom know.] TFC was hosting a Dodgeball Tournament at Temple so both Rachel and Chris helped work this. After playing/reffing/getting dodged the two of them went to Pizza Hut with the other leaders. After this Rachel went to Chris' because they had planned on hanging out afterwards due to an invitation Chris sent her the night before. He requested she bring 'clothes to the Dodgeball thing that you can get dirty, in case it's not too bad outside for 4 wheeling...b/c it's definitely wet and muddy!!! Which is great!' So Rachel brought her clothes and they headed to Chris' house.
When they got there they hung out and eventually began working on a puzzle that they'd been working on for a few weeks. [This puzzle consisted of a ton of smiley faces that was two sided, it's hard to describe, but trust us, it was difficult.] They had put hours into this thing, but it happened on this day that they finally put that final piece into puzzle!! This was quite exciting, and alone would have made Rachel's day.
[As a sidenote, as they finished this puzzle the song 'When Did You Fall' by Chris Rice came on the radio. Chris commented that he like that song, especially the ending. It was cute and sent some 'hopeful' butterflies into the stomach. Just look the song up. : ) ]
After supper, we decided to finally go outside and go on a ride on the 4-wheeler. Because it was snowing on this day [strange, eh, since it was April!] we layered on the clothes and headed outside. We got on the 4-wheeler and after a short ride in the neighboring field, Chris stopped and said he had an 'activity' for us to do.
He pulled out a map and a hint. He explained that Rachel would have to figure out where we would have to go next. With a little help, the first destination was determined and we were off. Upon our arrival, Chris handed Rachel the first scroll. She was instructed to read it aloud, and so she did: 'One time--though It hAppens everyday in every nation, in every language, and in Many different ways--two people began a journey.This journey required every part oF them--their best effort, Attention, and focus. All their strength, all their passions, and all their Lives. This journey brought out their best.'
After reading it, and a bit of confusion yet still oblivious, Rachel got the second clue and they were on their way. Mind you at this point she still had no idea what was going on because a week or so prior Chris had told her that he had an idea for a four-wheeler ride, so she just thought it was a 'riddle' or game they were playing. Suspicions grew though when on our way to the second destination, Chris slowed the 4-wheeler and said that one requirement was that Rachel had to hold on. She didn't mind : ) so she did and thoughts started racing.
The second spot brought the next scroll:
'Most days they enjoyed the journey together.In part because the experiences were good; in part because they enjoyed the adventure with the other person.Once in a whiLe, neIther was good. But they got through that and continued the journey anyway. They overcame many obstacles and celebrated maNy successes. Something was drawinG them.'
And so they continued on the hunt, all the while Rachel was noticing that particular letters were capitalized and bold, yet she couldn't remember what they all were. [And you just thought it was a typo. :)]
'They weren't drawn to the journey because they'd seen many take It before, though they had. They had seeN some excel, some fail, and many simply meander.Something else drew them, It was bigger--bigger than them and those who had traveLed and those still tO travel. What drew them gaVe them purposE, directing the Whole journey, making It an adventure.The force? PerfecT Love.And so they learned to love.'
[Perfect Love is capitalized in reference to God, not the format in which Chris wrote the 'hidden message'.]
Obviously at this point with the use of the word 'love', Rachel knew that something was either 'up' or she was setting herself up for some major disappointment.
Rachel nervously read the fourth scroll:'THey loved amidst foes of various tYpes. They loved despite the lack Of loving feelings. They loved becaUse they wanted to. The more they loved, the more they became like the Perfect Love. It kept dRawing them, forming them, giving them dreAms and goals. The PerfeCt Love perfected their love. Loving each other perfected their love.'
Chris then smiled as he gave Rachel the final clue that read, 'This prevents the iron Wagon from plummeting into the raging waters.' Rachel concluded that it must be 'The Crossing' which is more commonly known as the bridge for the railroad tracks. There we headed. As he got off the 4-wheeler he gave her the final scroll:
'One day--many, many days after tHat first day--they neared the end of their journey. They didn't look the samE as when they started, they didn't love like they did when they started, they didn't act like they used to either.The were more perfect, more wise, more beautiful, more loveLy and strong and exactly how the Perfect Love had designed them to be. They were inseparable and grateful for the other's company on the journey. Then they began a new journey, in a new place. And they were more and more perfect each day!'
At this point Chris instructed her to go back and ready the large bold letters aloud and so she did: 'I AM FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU RACHEL'. Chris then said something along the lines of, 'Soo.. what do you think? How did you feel?' In a shaky voice, due to the cold [it was snowing and we had been outside for awhile now] and excitement! Rachel told him that she felt the same way!
They stared at each other while 'sideways' hugging the other [kind of awkwardly looking back on it, but innocent and cute then] and shared few words. Chris suggested heading back to the house to warm up and drink some hot chocolate and Rachel didn't argue. This time when they got back on the 4-wheeler, she held him in a slightly different manner and with gitty feelings. : )
When they returned to the house they warmed up with hot chocolate and Chris tied the five scrolls together to make one long scroll.
They spent the rest of the evening together with Chris' family playing cards and dice and experiencing that 'warm excitement' every time their hands brushed one another...
And so that new journey began...
