***WARNING: this blog is incredibly sedimental, read at your own risk. Also I have had 9 hours of sleep this week, and with inventory going on, I have worked 74.2 hours for the week, so content may be a little more rambly than usually.***

So everyone wants to know about my Gary Britt. I met Gary Britt Cunningham, Jr. through myspace. We have a little Primitive Baptist Friend group, where we discuss scripture, post prayer request, and announce meetings. He posted that Elder Mark Green was going to be at their fall meeting. I had heard Elder Green at Mt. Olive in Culman earlier this summer and felt that he had a great gift from the Lord. I replied that I sure wished I could go. He sent me a message and from November 4 to the Sunday before Thanksgiving we sent emails often more than one, everyday back and forth. When he decided to print them out he was forced to kill part of the palms and the swamp near his home. Then he called the Monday before Thanksgiving, because I had given him my number, and we talked for 1 1/2 hours. Then the next night it was 2 hrs and 20 minutes, then the next night it was almost 5 hours. He wanted to come up Thanksgiving weekend, so I asked him to call and talk to Daddy, and he said of course. I was suppose to tell Daddy Wednesday night, but right after I came in the door, the phone rang and it was him, before I could tell him anything. They all laugh about it now, but Gary said that it was the longest 17 minutes and 52 second phone conversation of his life. Daddy insisted that he stay at the house, and he agreed. So Mother and I did all sorts of industrial cleaning.

I couldn't get off of work at Wendy's on such sort notice, so he meet me there on my break. He then had to go home and meet the family without me. Now, when Daddy brought mother back to Milan for the first time he sat his three sisters down and said, "You three behave, or else." He always said he never knew what they or else would have been, but the threat worked. In the same tone that Daddy always replays the scene in, I looked at the boys, and said, "You three behave. If he is gone before I get there you will all be dead in the morning." When I got home that night, he had flowers, with daisies, which are my favorite, and we sat up talking, until I couldn't stay awake any longer. Then we spent the next day hanging out and watching football with the family. While I was at work they played Balderdash to see whether or not he could be a dating option. haha. On Sunday we rode to church together and since Daddy and I were leaving for South Carolina, we were able to ride together to Atlanta and talk about all sorts of important things.

I asked Daddy what he thought and he told me that he really liked him and that he could come back anytime he liked, for graduation, Christmas, anytime. I told him that I really liked him, and told Mother that he was the man I was going to marry.

He was able to come up for my Graduation/Mallard family Christmas. Because he has been driving up, and traffic was bad in Atlanta, he got here a little after 3 am. He got to meet the cool side of the family, and see us as our crazy selves. Then on Sunday we had the day to our selves. He left Decatur just in time to be back in Plant City to clock in.

Then of course I flew down there (because he won't let me drive) for New Years to meet his family, and was given my engagement ring. Anyway, we have only been able to see each other three times, but Daddy said that he had only seen mother 10 times when they got married. They were 182 miles/3 hours apart, we are 750 miles/10 hours apart.

I use to get so mad when I asked Mother how she knew Daddy was it, and she just said, "I loved to see him coming, hated to see him leave, and overjoyed to get his letters. You just know." She was telling the truth though. I've dated and been engaged before but nothing like this. All summer I spent praying that if the Lord had someone for me, that my only request was that he be a primitive baptist. Then I finally got to a place where I was happy in Him and didn't NEED a fellow. God was all I NEEDED.

We talk about everything. The best thing about Gary is just how seriously he takes those lines where it tells that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church and gave himself for that. We have spent alot of time talking about Ruth and Boaz lately. He loves to sing, and he loves the Lord's people and his service. I count him as the third greatest gift God has ever given me: 1) Christ on the Cross, 2) knowledge of the truth, and 3) my fellow. He is undoubtably sent to me from the Lord. I have been trying all summer to understand the idea of submission, and now I just understand so much more and I love it. I love to say that "he is better than sliced bread" instead of the best thing since sliced bread. haha.

We have set a wedding date of the first Saturday in July, which just happens to be 07-07-07. It's going to be at his church in Lithia, Florida. I really, really, really, hope ya'll could make it over this way. : )