It's the end of another week y'all! We made it! This week I'm going to be sharing something that's so near and dear to me, Joey and my love story! I've been wanting to share it for a bit now and I finally got myself together and am going to share it with you guys! It's gonna be a long post, so settle in :)
I feel like y'all have to kind of get to know Joey a little before I jump in. So Joey is a year older than me. I'm 22 and he is 23. He is the biggest sports fanatic I have ever met. Like take the person you know that has the biggest sports knowledge and multiply it by 3,000,000. That's how much he knows. Idk how he stores it all in that head of his. He played Ultimate Frisbee at Messiah and before y'all say "that's not a sport", you best look it up on youtube. It's freaking intense and so much fun to watch! I loved watching him and learning all about it! Joey is also one of the most unhealthy eaters I have ever seen and stays so thin!! I once watched him down 2 cheeseburgers, french fries, 10 chicken nuggets, and a coke in one sitting. Boy can eat and eat and never gain a pound! It's crazy! I always try to get him to eat healthier by sneaking healthy things into his meals when I cook for him ;) I like really healthy things and I'm trying to get him to like them too. He's the sweetest thing to happen to me and I'm so happy to have him <3
Now that you know a little about him, let's get to it. So Joey and I met through a friend of a friend. My Sophomore year, my rec volleyball team at Messiah College was looking for 2 more players so my friend Emily asked one of her friends who had a friend that wanted to play too. That friend of a friend was Joey. I remember meeting him the first time and thinking he was just a cutie. I was a mediocre volleyball player and Joey teased me for it and I totally loved it. We all hung out a few times and I remember this one time we went to see The Maze Runner. I really wanted to sit next to Joey but our friend Brandon, who was our other teammate, got in between us and I was bitter the whole time because Brandon got in the way ;p.
Joey and I hung out the night before Christmas break started and watched Christmas movies. Joey was done his finals but stayed on campus that night just to hang out with me! How cute! We talked a lot through Trivia Crack which was a popular game at the time. That is until I gave him my number. I was feeling him out. We talked a lot over Winter break and he asked me on a date the day we got back from break which just happened to be my mom's birthday! So on January 6th, 2015 we went on our first date!
We went to Texas Roadhouse for our first date and he wouldn't tell me where we were going. He later told me he was going to take me to Olive Garden but he found out I was Italian and he thought I would disapprove because it's not "real" Italian food! I laughed so hard when he told me that because it's totally true but I love Olive Garden regardless! On our first date, I did most of the talking. If there's one thing I'm great at, it's avoiding awkward silences. I was not going to let those happen! After Texas Roadhouse, we went back to the common area right outside my dorm floor and we had some Peanut Butter Pie that I had made. I was trying to wow him with my baking skills ;)
He didn't ask me to be his girlfriend until 9 days later on January 15th. He took me to the farm show that happens every year in Harrisburg and asked me on our way back to campus and I was so excited! I liked Joey so much but I was so cautious because my previous relationship came to a disastrous end and I had been so completely hurt and jaded by that guy that I didn't want to fall too hard. Unfortunately, Joey was such a freaking great guy that it was really hard not to.
A lot of people have asked me when I knew Joey was the one and I always tell them that it's when I had a panic attack for the first time when I was with him. As y'all know, I struggle with anxiety and panic attacks. One night Joey and I were hanging out in my dorm and I had a panic attack. He had absolutely no idea what to do but handled it better than anyone I've ever seen. I couldn't believe it. He was so gentle and loving and just listened and comforted me without saying anything. It didn't freak him out and he wasn't just like peace out. He stayed with me until well after it was over and I fell asleep. He even had a late frisbee practice and he still stayed. That's how I knew he was so different from the others. I had never been treated with such respect even in my most vulnerable state. That was the moment I knew.
I'll stop there and save our engagement story for another time. Joey is the most wonderful person I've ever met. He certainly is my "prince charming". Wow that was cheesy. We've had so many ups and downs and never once did we think about quitting. I didn't think after my first 2 relationships I'd find someone who treated me so well and loved me regardless of my faults. Until I met Joey. Even if you think good guys aren't out there, I promise you they are and you'll find yours at the perfect time if you haven't already.
I hope you enjoyed the little peek into our love story! See y'all next week!
XO,
Gabby
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
1 Peter 4:8