Every story has a beginning...

and this is ours.

Washington, D.C. might remind you of the Smithsonians, the Lincoln memorial, MLK's "I have a Dream" speech, and currently, the Obama administration...

but there is also a place called the South East Whitehouse, a ministry geared towards the inner city youth in D.C. Which is hardly a place that a teen with his license would choose to spend his summer vacation. I (Luke) was going to work and pay off my new 1989 dodge ramcharger, the hottest car around. But God had other plans for me in 2002.

After becoming friends with Stacey Tester (my former 4th grade enemy and now one of my best friends) I decided to join her on a mission trip with a bunch of strangers from Grace Community Church, which I later called home. I was packed into a van with a CRAZY bunch of people that I now call my best friends. (Taylor)

Many of those friends I asked to be groomesmen for our special day. For the four years prior to that trip, my small group was becoming more important in my daily life. And they were going on the trip, and like it or not, Robert Core was going to pay my way, so I was DC bound. And there were a few cute girls going on the trip too, but 11th grade Luke was far too shy to do anything about that just yet. (Luke)

BUT, Luke's best friend was not so shy. Houston began to make himself known to this poor girl who knew no one the trip...and it even caused some drama between the ladies! Although I (Taylor) did respond to Houston's cheesy pick up lines, it opened the door to get to know my future husband, Luke.

A little while later, wait. A long, LONG time later, we started dating. The tug of war between her feelings for me and mine for her, lasted through those years, but the timing just wasn't right quite yet. God was forming both of our hearts and we just weren't ready. (Luke).

The time was not right through the high school dances, the football games that Luke came to see me cheer, the mission trips we went on together, the high school graduations, birthday poems, several "friendship dates," the visits back and forth from elon to ASU, the time that I transferred to ASU, our spring break trip, the fake trees, and all the fun in between. BUT the timing was right when I began praying about my friendship with Luke after he moved to the Dominican Republic, 7 years after we first met in DC. (Taylor)

After much time in prayer, I believe that God showed up while I was in the Dominican Republic. He opened the door to move to Harrisonburg, VA, so I heeded that call and with my two fifty-pound bags in tow, I went and didnt look back. God has really blessed our time together this past year, and it keeps on getting better and better (Luke).

And now we will beginning our marriage on August 7, 2010 in Greensboro, NC and then moving to the CELLAR in Harrisonburg, Virginia. This is where a whole new story will begin...