vomit alert..
yesterday Jeremy and i celebrated 6 months of "J & K" :D
amazing how far we've come. we've known each other now for just over 4 years and been friends for most of that time. We met during our Cert 4 training in Poatina, and i really began to get to know him during our International Conference about 3 months after classes started.
We were partners for a class on leading others to faith, and were meant to be practising leading the other person through the "Roman Rd" but we didn't, we just talked instead. Sitting on the floor of the diploma room. :)
later that day i think i was telling another friend about how i was nervous about conference with so many people around that i didnt know, and Jero was in on te conversation and i think from then, throughout conference he said hello to me and asked how i was going lots and introduced me to people he knew so i made new friends. it was great :)
since then, we've shared more and more as we've gotten to know each other. we both moved to Vic for our diploma placement, and to be honest, part of the reason why i even did diploma was because of him, and my other friends, who i wanted to continue to spend time with and work with!!
He moved to Ballarat, and i moved to Morwell, opposite sides of the state, but we still saw each other semi regularly, and 4 times a year we'd be in Poatina doing classes again. So we kept getting to know each other and having fun, i'd visit ballarat occasionally and do daytrips (for young people) with him or just hang out. We both had not much supervision or support so we often would get support from each other.
Then he moved into South East Melb - only an hour and a half away! so we spent a lot of weekends together doing fun and random things. He'd pick me up from the airport when i went away, or we'd visit churches or have picnics. my feelings for him were definately growing. I'd broken up with Josh during certificate 4, and as i moved forward i noticed more and more of qualities in Jero that i liked.
As we got obviously closer as friends, it became obvious to people that we worked and studied with that something might be going on. This was a problem, being diploma students and having agreed to not enter into exclusive relationships whilst studying. so things began to get complicated as we asked ourselves - how do still be good friends without becoming more than friends romantically? and still be good role models to those around us..
i graduated with my Diploma in Jan 2008, and Jeremy didn't. This was unexpected. Now came the challenge of me being freer to relate to guys how i wanted, and him still being in the same agreement as before. From Jan to and May i think, we spent lots of time talking and even hanging out and trying our best to be friends that pointed each other to God first. Jeremy visited Morwell and we spent a day together - one of my favourite memories. It was the first time he held my hand. :)
Not too long after that Jero went overseas to Germany, initally for 3 weeks but it ended up being 3 months, including some time in Greece. We talked a little on the internet during that time but worked hard at being present where we were. things got tighter from the training end - where he was told to not talk to me at all and i was told to back off from the friendship.
thus began probably the hardest time i've ever experienced. so much confusion and loneliness in missing my best friend, and having to face a whole bunch of stuff in me.
fast forward through a lot of that to Jan this year!! Jeremy graduated with his Diploma!! we were once again free to relate normally! It took a bit of time to be comfortable with one another again, after 6 months of not interacting. Slowly tho we warmed up again to each other and eventually had the conversation which changed everything :)
SO here we are - 6 months down the track :) It's still been challenging in that we're still not in the same place! Him being in Jamaica and all.. but it's been an amazing time of learning to communicate, to love, and to encourage. Learning to keep God at the centre of everything we do.
In 3 weeks, we'll both be in Jamiaca together :) YAY. Words can't describe how i feel about this! It's a mixture of excitement, nervousness, adventure and a sense of something coming. It's great!!
Well, hope that's been an interesting read. it's nice to reflect on our story a bit and share it with you :)
amazing how far we've come. we've known each other now for just over 4 years and been friends for most of that time. We met during our Cert 4 training in Poatina, and i really began to get to know him during our International Conference about 3 months after classes started.
We were partners for a class on leading others to faith, and were meant to be practising leading the other person through the "Roman Rd" but we didn't, we just talked instead. Sitting on the floor of the diploma room. :)
later that day i think i was telling another friend about how i was nervous about conference with so many people around that i didnt know, and Jero was in on te conversation and i think from then, throughout conference he said hello to me and asked how i was going lots and introduced me to people he knew so i made new friends. it was great :)
since then, we've shared more and more as we've gotten to know each other. we both moved to Vic for our diploma placement, and to be honest, part of the reason why i even did diploma was because of him, and my other friends, who i wanted to continue to spend time with and work with!!
He moved to Ballarat, and i moved to Morwell, opposite sides of the state, but we still saw each other semi regularly, and 4 times a year we'd be in Poatina doing classes again. So we kept getting to know each other and having fun, i'd visit ballarat occasionally and do daytrips (for young people) with him or just hang out. We both had not much supervision or support so we often would get support from each other.
Then he moved into South East Melb - only an hour and a half away! so we spent a lot of weekends together doing fun and random things. He'd pick me up from the airport when i went away, or we'd visit churches or have picnics. my feelings for him were definately growing. I'd broken up with Josh during certificate 4, and as i moved forward i noticed more and more of qualities in Jero that i liked.
As we got obviously closer as friends, it became obvious to people that we worked and studied with that something might be going on. This was a problem, being diploma students and having agreed to not enter into exclusive relationships whilst studying. so things began to get complicated as we asked ourselves - how do still be good friends without becoming more than friends romantically? and still be good role models to those around us..
i graduated with my Diploma in Jan 2008, and Jeremy didn't. This was unexpected. Now came the challenge of me being freer to relate to guys how i wanted, and him still being in the same agreement as before. From Jan to and May i think, we spent lots of time talking and even hanging out and trying our best to be friends that pointed each other to God first. Jeremy visited Morwell and we spent a day together - one of my favourite memories. It was the first time he held my hand. :)
Not too long after that Jero went overseas to Germany, initally for 3 weeks but it ended up being 3 months, including some time in Greece. We talked a little on the internet during that time but worked hard at being present where we were. things got tighter from the training end - where he was told to not talk to me at all and i was told to back off from the friendship.
thus began probably the hardest time i've ever experienced. so much confusion and loneliness in missing my best friend, and having to face a whole bunch of stuff in me.
fast forward through a lot of that to Jan this year!! Jeremy graduated with his Diploma!! we were once again free to relate normally! It took a bit of time to be comfortable with one another again, after 6 months of not interacting. Slowly tho we warmed up again to each other and eventually had the conversation which changed everything :)
SO here we are - 6 months down the track :) It's still been challenging in that we're still not in the same place! Him being in Jamaica and all.. but it's been an amazing time of learning to communicate, to love, and to encourage. Learning to keep God at the centre of everything we do.
In 3 weeks, we'll both be in Jamiaca together :) YAY. Words can't describe how i feel about this! It's a mixture of excitement, nervousness, adventure and a sense of something coming. It's great!!
Well, hope that's been an interesting read. it's nice to reflect on our story a bit and share it with you :)