If it's not one thing, it's your mother...: G Money

A couple of months ago, we made a whirlwind trip to Tejas for a friend's wedding. Jarrod was a groomsman and Collin Henry was one of the ring bearers. (I'm not ashamed to say that I lobbied for Collin to be a ring bearer. It was a dream come true for this mommy.)

Our friend is someone we have known since our time in Athens. When we met him, he was just a young kid who played guitar with the worship group at our church. He was quiet and kept to his self. Pretty soon after we moved to Athens, Jarrod started playing djembe with the worship group. After we had lived there for several months, I started to go stir-crazy and we decided I needed to look for a job! Jarrod mentioned one night at worship practice that I was looking for a job and had experience previously working for a law firm. This young kid spoke up and said he actually clerked for a law firm in town, and he thought they were looking for someone.

So the way I remember it, I took that knowledge and submitted my resume, interviewed and got a job with the law firm where I currently work.

The way Garrett Hope remembers it, he got me my job and I should have named my firstborn after him.

Either way, we spent a couple of years at desks situated about six inches from each other. We very quickly developed a relationship that entailed me treating him like a kid brother and him treating me like an obnoxious sister.

Garrett used to go to college classes during the day and then he would work at our office around his class schedule. This meant I had to endure several stories about a cute girl in a class who sat near him and laughed at his jokes.

G: Do you think she likes me?
Me: I don't know, dude. Why don't you ask her?
G: Nah.

I remember specifically praying that the Lord would bring someone into Garrett's life. Living in the same small town where he grew up and attending a small church with no single girls, meant that he ended up bumming around with us a lot. Jarrod and I liked to joke that he was our child. He didn't think that was very funny. I suppose I can understand why.

After we moved to Arkansas, the Lord answered my prayer (and I'm sure Garrett's too!). Garrett told me about a double-date he was going on with a girl who hadn't lived in Athens for very long and who was a teacher. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. About a year later, Garrett informed me that he was going to propose, and thus, my experience "advising" (aka TEASING) him about girls ended.

But you better believe I milked every last moment...

Just a little bit of what I texted him on the day he proposed

Garrett has been such a dear friend and an awesome co-worker. It was an honor when he asked Jarrod and Collin to participate in his wedding. Seeing Collin in Garrett's wedding was one of those full-circle moments for me. One of my favorite memories from my pregnancy is of Garrett playing the guitar for my big belly and singing John Mayer songs to get Collin to "dance" when Collin was just a nameless little baby inside me.

I'm grateful that the Lord brought Garrett and Briana together. I'm also thankful to have been Garrett's friend for several years now. He endures my incessant nagging. He appreciates my knack for inappropriate humor (mostly at inappropriate times). He endures my monthly work-related vent sessions. He's a good guy, with a great wife now.