Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch.....

First Post May 2008:
Well, between Mark's coming home for R&R and our great adventure during his visit (you can read all about that in our journal http://itsareelthing.blogspot.com/ ) it has been a while since I have written in this jounral and now it is time to continue the story.....

Now where did I leave off....oh yeah! I ended my relationship with Mark.
That was one of the toughest two months of my life.

I knew in my heart Mark loved me; I knew in my heart we were met to be.
Or was I wrong? Was it really G-d I felt leading or just wishful thinking? These are the times of testing we all hate, but know are needful in order for us to grow into the mature, believers we wish to be. I had never known G-d to lie to me.
But I also knew there were a few challenges Mark had to face, to deal with. And that was something only he and G-d could work out. And to be honest, there were those who did not wish to see us together.
It was hard not to pick up the phone or write him. And I didn't. But I cried alot.
And then Feburay 14th, I recieved a phone call: "Hey Laini!"
Believe it or not, at first, I didn't even know who it was. it took a moment. "Long time," he said.
Frankly, I never expected to hear from him again.
Shortly after the blow up, there was a cooling off period nefore we began to slowly patch things up.

Mark began to call more and more. He told me he missed me, missed hearing my voice. And he needed to know if I had truly forgiven him. Mark told me of an orphanage he worked with. I asked if they could use some stuffed aninmals and he said yes. So I made some stuff animals for the children, praying other each and send them out.
I remember the call when the box arrived to Iraq with the stuffed animals. Mark said the children loved them. I just wish he had taken a picture of the children with thier new friends.

The more we spoke, the more I knew two things;
1.I had my friend back.
2.This relationship wasn't over.