i dialed his number with red puffy eyes and a slight “hiccupy” rhythm to my breathing.

that’s right, my future husband received a phone call this early evening that started with, “i’m a mess.”  i wasn’t a pretty picture — trying to get those three words out in a rather high and squeaky voice with tears and snot running down my face while the neighborhood probably watched and wondered why on earth i was wandering around town in such hysterics.

cue the thought: welcome to the reality of what the rest of your lifetime has become, josiah tabolt.

if you’re like anybody else you’re thinking, “gee louissa, you should’ve called somebody else.  way to scare the guy after only three and a half months into knowing him.”  and you’re right, maybe i could have totally freaked him out.  but the best part?  he seemed completely unfazed by the blubbering fool he put a ring on and knew how to handle the emotionally undone louissa quite well.  as someone said tonight, “you sure do know how to pick ’em!”  that’s right, i do.

and i picked the best.