Love story - Chapter 3: Happily ever after

In celebration of Valentines Day this week, I though it would be fun to share our love story. I've split it up in three chapters. Chapter I, Chapter II and today Chapter III.

Chapter III : happily ever after

After years of chasing each other around the bush we finally were dating again in the summer I turned sixteen. We were young and in love and what we had together was very good.

And then during yet another summer, I had just turned 18 years old, I jeopardized this good thing we had going. 

^ ^ ^ ^

Ever since my family had moved from Canada to Holland when I was ten, I would once in a while spend a summer in Canada with my sisters family and my best friend, Lydia. 

I had finally saved up enough money to make another trip across the pond, and I could not wait to get on board that plane.

B. didn't have the money to come along, so I was going by myself and didn't really mind. We had been going out for quite a while now, and I was looking forward to doing something by myself for a change. I would spend the summer in Canada and he would spend his with his family camping in France. 

We promised to write each other letters, and phone each other at least once a week.

But as soon as the plane hit the tarmac in Toronto I was in another world, where there was no place for anyone or anything back at home. 

> I was going through an identity crisis at the time, and had no idea where I belonged. I didn't really like my life in Holland, apart from my boyfriend, and Canada was like 'the promised land' to me. Oh,  the complicated life of a 'Third Culture Kid' ! <

I had arranged to work as a counselor at a Christian Summer Camp for underprivileged kids and I couldn't wait. 

Being 'the girl from Europe' I got quite a bit of attention from the male counselors and because I had been dating since I was sixteen and awkward I hadn't realized that I had turned into a young woman that wasn't particularly ugly. 

I was pleasantly surprised and flattered by the attention I got, and 'forgot' the fact that I had a boyfriend at home.

In the next few weeks I got caught up in the attention and flirting from the Canadian boys and stopped calling and writing B. Whenever he called me, I would be distant and uninterested. 

I was confused, was I still in love with him, or did my flirting with others mean I should break up with him? 

And  he was equally confused and also hurt. He didn't understand why I was being so distant but kept calling  and sending me cards and emails, even though I didn't answer him back.

reading Seventeen magazine

^ ^ ^ ^

The summer came to an end, and I had to go back to Holland. I remember sitting on the plane wondering how I would tell B. about my confusion about us. And if there should even be an 'us' anymore. I was so nervous.

B. had come along with my parents to pick me up at the airport, and he was just as nervous. 

I walked through the gates and there he was, my boyfriend. And I knew straight away that I wasn't done with him. Things had changed over the summer, I had changed and made mistakes, but I had also matured.

^ ^ ^ ^

It took some time for us to get used to each other again, but we did and when we did our relationship was better, our bond tighter and our love stronger than what it had been before.

It was as if this summer of confusion was necessary for us to move from an adolescent relationship to a more mature one.  

But that doesn't take away the fact that I cringe every time I think about what I put B. through that summer. I hate that I hurt him and confused him, and I still feel so sorry about that.

^ ^ ^ ^

Two years later on a February night B. proposed to me and the following August we tied the knot.

We were both poor students and had no money, but what we wanted was a marriage, the wedding didn't matter! 

And still, our wedding was the most beautiful one I have ever experienced. It was small and simple, filled with love and with friends and family around us. My beautiful dress was sewn by my mom and the flowers were arranged by B.'s grandma. We had a barbecue in my parents back yard and danced under the stars until our feet were sore and the lawn was ruined.

wedding bbq

wedding fun

And since that day, through all the good times, but also through the hardships, our love has grown stronger and more beautiful than we could have ever it imagined it to be. 

I thank God everyday for my man!

^ ^ ^ ^

This is our love story so far, to be continued!

Love,  Maria

Missed the first two chapters? 

Here they are:

Chapter I

Chapter II