Sweatpants.

You know that stage you go through right around middle school where you really want to look cute everyday for school? Wanting the cutest clothes, trying makeup for the first time, and waking up extra early every morning to fix your hair. I went through that stage for sure, but then I realized that no matter how hard I tried I still felt self conscious about how I looked every day, ducking into the bathroom every chance I got to make sure everything was in place and usually pulling my hair back because it looked just too frizzy.

I was never by any sort of a long shot the "cool/beautiful/popular" girl at school, and to be honest, I didn't really envy those girls because I had a taste of how much pressure it was to keep up your image...It was right around my freshman year when sports began getting really busy that I started choosing that extra hour of sleep over the vain struggle to be seen as "so pretty." It was then that the sweatpants ruled the closet. God began teaching me that He doesn't see me for my "adorning" on the outside, but the condition of my heart, so then I began wearing those sweatpants with my head held high...

The only problem was that Satan likes to attack a young girl's fears and I was constantly fearing that God was the only one who would see me for more than a sports girl, and that no boy would want a girl who never looked cute at school...and who never had time because of her countless practices.

There were a couple of heartaches in high school that maybe went unnoticed but God taught me through and showed me the perfect love that I was so desperately looking for, and I count myself blessed for it, not many people are given the opportunity to experience God to that magnitude in high school.  

Then college. The only people I had time for was my team. It was okay though, I loved them, these incredible girls that became my sisters. They understood. Everywhere I went I was with at least a couple of my teammates by my side representing the sweatpants right along with me. We cherished the times we had when we actually had enough time to try to look like girls.

I still struggled with the thought of never finding that guy who could appreciate me and my sweatpants.

Then junior year of college came along, and with that came Josh. He tells me now that he remembers me as the "pretty volleyball player who was really busy." We became good friends and after a little bit of hesitation on his part, 5 months to be exact, he decided that my busy schedule wasn't enough to keep me away.

Josh, who happens to be the most extraordinary person I have ever met, very quickly became my best friend, the best friend most people hope to find in their lifetime. Today I can say that I have been married, for almost a year, to the man who saw through the "volleyball player" and miraculously came to love me.

The other day I walked out of the room and, unknowing of any of my past sweatpants insecurities, Josh said innocently and surprised..."Hey, sweetie, you are wearing sweats! You haven't worn them in so long! I love it, I've always thought you look so beautiful in them." 

Thank you God. You really did have the perfect man waiting for me and my sweatpants.