“It's Amazing How One Day Someone Walks Into Your Life And You Can't Remember How You Lived Without Them” by Karen Grau

LOVE STORY OF Erica & ryan

June 12,2021

Laryn Bellar photography

It all started when…

Ryan and I, met at my sister and brother-in-laws wedding back in July of 2017. My brother-in-laws mother actually introduced us to each other at the wedding. We danced to a few songs and then went our separate ways after. I actually reached out to Ryan through messenger on facebook, and we messaged back and forth for a little bit. Then, after a day or two, I quit messaging him back because I thought he was boring! Lol! He told me he was working, but I didn't know how busy his job was, so I took his short responses as boring and like he didn't want to talk to me. After that, he would have my sister and brother-in-law tell me to text him (I never gave him my number) and I would always tell them, no.

LOVE STORY

Almost a year passes by of his efforts to talk to me, and I FINALLY decide to cave in and message him, but I don't fully give in to him. Playing hard to get, if you will. He was consistently trying to get my attention, and I would just give the poor guy the run around. He also lived 5 hours away, and I never believed in long distance relationships. Ryan then gets this bright idea to invite me to his family reunion (ODD, right?!), and I'm just thinking that's a little weird? I don't know you like that, and your family definitely doesn't know me like that! But, my sister and brother-in-law were going, so I was stumped on what to do. After weeks of going back and forth trying to decide what I should do, I decide to go.

I didn't want to have any regrets for not going and knew I would at least have my sister there with me if things were awkward between Ryan and I. We get to the family reunion, and I'm NERVOUSLY waiting for Ryan to get there. He shows up and (talk about trying not to sweat bullets), gives me a hug and we start to spend some time together outside while everyone else was inside, and what do you know?! I am loving every second of it! SHOCKER! To my surprise, we completely hit it off, and things could not have taken off any faster or better. All it took was that night at his family reunion for me to know he was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

Never in a million years did I ever think the man I literally prayed for would walk into my life, and now I get to share a lifetime with him. Fast forward 3 years later, and we have gotten married, had a baby, bought our first home, sold our first home and are currently buying our second home together. If you asked me today if I have any regrets, my only answer would be, I wish I would have talked to him sooner! So, who's really the fool in this story?! Lol!