As our friendship returned to "normal" Russ continued calling our home and talking to whomever chose to answer. In May of 2006, Russ was talking with my mom. She made a joke that he should come up and visit us. Russ responded in kind by saying "I'll come on one condition - if when I leave, I can take Aprille with me!"

But when my mom responded "come get her" Russ was taken aback. Phone calls started flying back and forth between my mom, Russ, Kurt, and I. For the first time Russ realized that my parents would not keep him from pursuing a relationship with me. He also realized then that he was, and always had been, very attracted to me. We began talking on the phone consistently for hours, as friends but considering more...and my heart was growing fonder of him with each call. After two weeks I felt like I needed to be honest with him about my feelings. However, when I told him how much I had come to care for him, he in turn told me that he was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with "the situation" (as he called it...) He was afraid making a mistake with me - I was the first woman who had really cared for him in that way. And as a 30-year-old single man, my "offer" of a loving relationship was rather attractive. But it all felt TOO easy for him. He knew that I was young (19) and fresh out of a relationship, and he didn't want to take advantage of my heart when he wasn't sure that I was even sure of my feelings (even though I was sure that I was!)  Russ decided that it was best to take a step back from "the situation" before it escalated to a relationship that neither of us were ready for. He treated me with decency, tenderness, and respect and I was deeply disappointed, but not hurt.

In hindsight, I realize that Russ acted wisely and that he was right yet again. I still needed a lot of time to heal from my previous relationship. While he had promised to keep in touch, Russ unexpectedly dropped all communication with me. But, in spite of the confusion regarding our relationship, I managed to have an amazingly wonderful summer. God really began to do a work in my heart - to heal me from heartbreak and rekindle a hope for true love within my heart. I didn't know what God had in store for me as far as a husband was concerned, and I still had feelings for Russ, but I was trusting him to reveal HIS plan for my life in HIS time, not mine.

The summer ended and I transferred to another Bible college (my third school in three semesters, which is a long story in and of itself). I was secretly hoping that my Someone was there waiting to sweep me off my feet. But, it didn't happen. In fact, Mr. Right seemed absolutely no where in sight. I was growing impatient, yet also growing much more self-aware. I began to wonder if I would ever find the kind of man who would truly understand the way I thought and felt about things, and understand how the trials I had faced in my life affected the way I viewed life. My thoughts continually turned back to Russ. He seemed like the only option, the only one who could ever complete me. But he was a closed book for the moment, so I didn't know what to do other than wait and pray. And so I did.  I began to pray in September (2006) that IF God wanted me to marry Russ that He work in his heart to turn it toward me. I didn't pretend to know God's will but I knew that I still deeply cared for Russ, and only a miracle could bring him back into my life.

Nothing happened for six months, but I never stopped praying. Russ kept in contact with Kurt so I was aware of what was going on with his life, but we had no contact. I chose not to initiate contact because I didn't want to step ahead of God's plan - especially when I didn't even know what God's plan was.

By the beginning of 2007 I had really given up in my heart. I really didn't see how Russ could be a possible mate because absolutely nothing was happening. I had reached a point where I completely surrendered my desires for marriage into the hand of God. Convinced that He had a mate waiting for me, I tried to relax, enjoy life, and wait for that time to come.

At the end of January, I began to once again feel a strong burden for the lost within the ranks of our military. I pushed it away thinking it was just a continual struggle to let go of my previous relationship. But the thoughts persisted. My mom encouraged me to pray about it. Perhaps God used that whole situation to prepare me for military missions or maybe even being a military wife. I didn't see how this could be, but as a step of faith I began to pray. Within a week I began to wonder if God indeed was working. In the middle of February I sent an e-mail to Armed Forces Baptist Missions asking them if there was anything that a single college-aged girl could do to help reach our military for Christ. I also felt burdened that I needed to go on a missions trip that summer, possibly to a Spanish-speaking country. I started looking into mission boards for trip opportunities.

Within a week AFBM called me with an opportunity to send me to Heidelberg, Germany to work with a military church and play the piano for them for a month that summer. This REALLY began to make me think. Maybe my mom was right, and God WAS preparing me for military missions - or maybe even to be that military wife (like my mom had suggested.) I knew that my husband was no where in sight, so I once again became overwhelmed with visions of a summer romance with Prince Charming - this time he was wearing combat boots! I began raising support for my trip and was filled with excitement about all that God was going to do in my life that summer.

What happened far surpassed my girlish dreams.

Russ called me out of the blue on Friday, March 3rd 2007. He was calling simply to pass a massage on to my parents about a separate matter, but he couldn't get a hold of them so he called me. He told me his business, hung up, and that was it.

Or was it? Russ immediately called Kurt and asked him, "Why is it that when I talk with your sister I get this tingling feeling in my chest?" To which Kurt responded, "I dunno..." (as if to say, why don't you think about it?!?!?)

A few minutes later he called back but I was unable to answer. He left me a voicemail saying that he wanted to "catch up like decent human beings" and that he was sorry he "hadn't given (me) that respect." We played phone tag for about three days and finally got to talk to each other on Sunday night. We talked and he apologized for avoiding me and cutting off contact. I told him that I missed his friendship above all. He agreed to be my big brother/friend again and keep in better touch. I was so incredibly excited. I really tried to keep my emotions in check because he told me I wasn't allowed to get "boy crazy" about him. Tough assignment...

Especially when he called me on Tuesday (March 6th) and we talked for 20 minutes. And then again when he called on Thursday (March 8th). By this time I was starting to get confused emotionally. Because every time my phone rang I would get so incredibly excited that he was calling but upset too! I wanted to say "STOP CALLING ME!!"  because he was stirring up the love that had been lying in my heart for the last nine months. I didn't want to become attached to him only to have things not work out again.

On Thursday, I went to Walmart with my roommate, and right before I was going to check out, I looked over into the women's department and saw a T-shirt that said ARMY on it. I said "Kimmie I HAVE to buy that shirt!" I tried to push thoughts of Russ out of my mind and remember that God was working to lead me into a life that was going to reach out to the military. "Forget Russ, I'm going to Germany this summer and I'm marrying a soldier - remember?!?!?"