Once upon a time in a land called Oklahoma...
There was a boy. A country boy who excelled in college football, double-majored in chemistry and biology, and earned three minor degrees just for fun...which made him a 6th year senior. He had such hobbies as learning sign language, running, cooking, and applying to graduate school - dental school, medical school, and pharmacy school, just to name a few. He finally settled on pharmacy school, where he focused his efforts on chasing girls coaching the girls' intramural flag football team, shaking hands and kissing babies serving as student body president (twice), and starting running and book clubs. Oh yeah, and spending Spring Breaks in Vegas studying a little too. Life was fun, and every day was a new adventure.
But on September 3rd, 2006 at the Virginia Beach Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon, the girl realized that she now actually kind of liked running...and this boy, too. He thought she was cute, even when drenched in sweat after 13.1 miles, and he made her laugh. He even made her want to toss her "to-do" list sometimes, in favor of a random adventure. This girl also made this boy want to study harder and become a little more organized. But most importantly, this boy and this girl made each other fall more in love with Jesus. (This boy even ditched his next spring break Vegas plans to join this girl on a medical mission trip to Peru.)
In 2009, this boy and this girl both graduated with their Doctorate of Pharmacy and couldn't imagine parting ways at this point. God led them to North Carolina, where they had matched with pharmacy residency programs, although they were a 2 hour drive from each other.
While on the East Coast they were closer than ever to their annual Virginia Beach Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon, the one they now ran every year since that first race together. The boy took the girl for a walk on the beach the night before the big race. He stopped mid-stroll and asked her to dance with him on the moonlit beach. Then, he said some nice things and asked her a very nice question. He placed a very nice sparkle on her hand, and she was speechless. Then, she said yes.
There was a girl. A small town girl with big aspirations, who knew from early high school that she hoped to be married by 26, be pregnant by 28, and pursue a career as a pharmacist. A pediatric clinical pharmacist, to be exact. She spent two years as an undergraduate, where she was active in her sorority, was named a top ten freshman, and spent summers overseas, one volunteering in an orphanage. She entered pharmacy school with no intention of dating anyone in her class, as she was too busy studying, volunteering at the Children's Hospital, and spending Spring Breaks in South America on medical mission trips. Life was going perfectly as planned, thank you very much.
One day, the boy stepped in and changed this girl's life plans... It all started when he convinced her to train for a relay race at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon with him even though the girl hated to run. Short runs after class together turned into weight room sessions followed by longer evening runs, and maybe an occasional study session, too. And since it was getting late in the evening, the boy convinced the girl she might as well stay for dinner because he just happened to have a new recipe to try out and needed someone to help him eat it and the girl couldn't cook, so she accepted his offer solely to take advantage of free cooking lessons... This went on all summer long, and he somehow convinced her to train for a 1/2 marathon with him after the relay race was complete. But they were strictly friends, of course.
But on September 3rd, 2006 at the Virginia Beach Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon, the girl realized that she now actually kind of liked running...and this boy, too. He thought she was cute, even when drenched in sweat after 13.1 miles, and he made her laugh. He even made her want to toss her "to-do" list sometimes, in favor of a random adventure. This girl also made this boy want to study harder and become a little more organized. But most importantly, this boy and this girl made each other fall more in love with Jesus. (This boy even ditched his next spring break Vegas plans to join this girl on a medical mission trip to Peru.)
In 2009, this boy and this girl both graduated with their Doctorate of Pharmacy and couldn't imagine parting ways at this point. God led them to North Carolina, where they had matched with pharmacy residency programs, although they were a 2 hour drive from each other.
While on the East Coast they were closer than ever to their annual Virginia Beach Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon, the one they now ran every year since that first race together. The boy took the girl for a walk on the beach the night before the big race. He stopped mid-stroll and asked her to dance with him on the moonlit beach. Then, he said some nice things and asked her a very nice question. He placed a very nice sparkle on her hand, and she was speechless. Then, she said yes.
Two years later, under a grove of trees outside an old rustic barn in Oklahoma, that boy and that girl (who was exactly 26 years old...see above) made forever vows in front of 200 friends and family. It was September 3rd, 2011 - exactly 5 years from the race where she first said yes to him. They honeymooned in Greece and went back to North Carolina, where they made their first home together. They continued to travel the world together - South America, Africa, and Europe - and become invested in their local community and church. Although they missed their families in Oklahoma, North Carolina was becoming home, and they had plans to stay for a long time.
One day, that boy and that girl (who was exactly 28 years old) found out some very exciting news...they were going to have a baby! They began making plans for this baby and looked forward to the year ahead of them, sure to be full of exciting changes.
As it turned out, that year ahead of them was FULL of surprising and exciting changes. After a quick turn of events, that boy and that girl left their perfectly good jobs, friends, and community in North Carolina and headed back west to Oklahoma. Within the span of only two months, they moved, bought a house, started new jobs, and had a sweet, beautiful baby girl. They were truly home at last.
As it turned out, that year ahead of them was FULL of surprising and exciting changes. After a quick turn of events, that boy and that girl left their perfectly good jobs, friends, and community in North Carolina and headed back west to Oklahoma. Within the span of only two months, they moved, bought a house, started new jobs, and had a sweet, beautiful baby girl. They were truly home at last.
For a closer look at this love story unfolding...
Engagement photos http://hollibphotography.com/blog2/2010/12/05/leigh-jj-engaged/
Wedding video
Wedding photos http://hollibphotography.com/blog2/2012/03/04/leigh-jj/
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