How We Met

Instead of going in to great detail of how we first met and how the relationship got started I am going to share two short stories. One he wrote and the other, I wrote. It tells a little bit of how it started and will show you a little bit about ourselves, our personalities and our prospective of it. Our photographer asked us both to write a small story of how it began so we did. And this was the results:

Julia’s Story–  Joe and I first met when we were very young. Both of our families attended Cornerstone Baptist Church. With him being 13 and me being 6 we don’t remember much about each other. My family went to start another church and so we lost connection.

 Well…..14 years later in the day where Facebook is used so much…you know how things go….you see a profile and think oh I remember him/her and ask to be their friend, and that’s how it went. We were friends on Facebook for 3 years but because we didn’t attend the same church, we didn’t ever see each other in person. Well one day…in October or November of 2017 I noticed his name for the first time in a VERY long time. I forgot we were even friends, but I noticed he started liking my posts. I thought “Hmmm…that’s odd” but never thought about it again. He continued to like everything I posted and time passed. It was Christmas time, and me being an aunt to (almost) 18 nieces and nephews, most of my posts are of me and the little ones. I posted pictures of my 10 month old cousin as I was babysitting her and low and behold…his name pops up again. Except this time it was a message. He asked which niece it was ( I had to correct him and tell him she actually wasn’t a niece but a cousin) and that was it, that was all he said. Strange again! I didn’t think much more about it. Over the Christmas season he would continue to comment on every story of mine. That’s when I began to wonder….what is he up to?? He messaged occasionally asking questions, I would answer and I wouldn’t hear from him for several days. On January 3rd 2018 he messaged me again and well….we haven’t stopped talking to each other since.

We started corresponding on Facebook messenger. About a week or two in messaging occasionally he asked me if I thought it would be okay if he talked to my daddy! And of course I said yes! January 26th 2018, I saw him for the first time in 14 years (give or take) and I knew he was going to be something special to me! He talked to my daddy that night and was a nervous wreck, poor guy, BUT he received my daddy’s blessing!! We’ve fallen in love over a course of 5+ months and we both know this is the Lords will! On June 9th 2018 my best friend and the love of my life got down on one knee and asked me to marry him and spend the rest of our lives together. And again, of course I said yes!! I’ve been praying for my future husband since I was 14 years old. I would have never thought in a million years I would get to spend the rest of my life with Joseph Byrnes. But I wouldn’t have it any other way! The Lord has helped us grow in many ways throughout our relationship. We’ve had to overcome many obstacles in this short time period and we’ve worked through them all with the Lord’s help! Our relationship has been unique and different, but I love it! So see? Some good can come from Facebook. Joe doesn’t like Facebook and is now off. He said he didn’t know why he had an account to begin with… I think I do! I believe the Lord had it all planned from the beginning. September 22nd, 2018 I get to marry my soul mate , the one the Lord meant for me to be with!

Joe’s Story–  I first started by sending an emoji smile of a photo Julia posted of her and her niece and liked some photos and stuff she was posting! Then she smiled back with an emoji and then I said hi and asked how she was and shortly there after we kind of started talking. I hardly believe it sometimes when I try to think back on those days. Then around the middle of January we started getting serious and I asked if we could keep talking more and she said I would have to speak with her father which I had started to consider already, so after several days of trying to set an appointment with him we finally set the date for January 26th. We talked for about one hour, but it seemed more like two. He said yes and we became official! This was the first best moment in my life! Several wonderful months went by and I kept coming over often spending time with Julia and her family. We talked about everything we wanted in our relationship and praying for the future. We discussed our next step in life and I went and asked her dad’s permission on April 7th and then planned with the help of her mother the when, how, and where. My original plan was to take her to the prayer rock that once her Great Uncle Clifton used to pray at, but due to the hay not getting cut on time I had to change my plan. She actually had a surprise planned for the weekend before my birthday. Julia’s mom mentioned to me about asking Julia at her own surprise. So when the day came I couldn’t keep the ring in my pocket cause the box was too big so I left it in the truck. She planned a beautiful well arranged picnic at the perfect location and the setting was perfect. She new something was up cause before we left her father pulled me aside and asked me if I was still doing the proposal so that had her questioning me which I smoothly avoided. Finally got out there ate and had two bucks join us for supper. After we ate I got my guitar out and played a few and we sang a couple then it was about dusk. She brought up the question again asking me why her dad pulled me aside and what he asked me. So I told her it would be easier for me to show her rather than tell her. So I walked to my truck and when I opened the door it occurred to me to turn on the truck lights and I walked back with my arm behind me got down on one knee and asked Julia Green to marry me! And she didn’t even hesitate!!!! That right now is the second best moment in my life!!!!!! I thank the Lord consistently for the blessings he has bestowed upon me.

And the rest is history as they say! 😉 Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading. We are beyond blessed and are so thankful for the Lord’s blessing on our lives!!

“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107:8