How we met

     I had discovered the Carpentar's Cellar downtown while it was still being run by Grace Church. During that time, Jay and Amanda took over the ministry, and eventually began recruiting Volunteers to help out at the coffee bar. Amanda asked if I wanted to help out, and I agreed. While working there, I met Natalia whom I became instant friends with. We just clicked that well.
     One night, when I was at the Cellar hanging out (not volunteering) I was introduced to 2 young ladies who were there for their first night training, Hope, and Aubri. That introduction was one of those "Hey, nice to meet you" kinda deals, and that was about it. Fast forward a couple of weeks, and I'm once again at the Cellar working. This particular night they had a cover charge, so I was taking money from people as they walked in the door.
     While at the door, I looked up at a group of people coming in, and there she was! The most beautiful woman I've ever met. God prodded my heart saying "There's your future wife". Now, at the time, I thought that was just my own desire at seeing such a beauty. Another first impression was that I thought she was with her husband and sons. She came down and I told her how much the cover was, and at that, they decided not to come in. The Beauty looked at me and asked if Natalia was there, and I said she was, so I let her in to chat with Natalia for a few. After she left, enraptured as I was, I went and asked Natalia who she was. Natalia responded, "That was Hope." "That was Hope?" I said, instantly recalling the girl I'd met a couple weeks prior while training. So, naturally, my next question, "Is she single?" "Yes," was Natalia's response. "You need to introduce us!" was my request.
     A while later, on St. Patrick's Day, Natalia, Zack Walters, and I all got together for lunch at Mcallister's Deli. While there, I mentioned Hope to Natalia again. With me sitting right there, she up and calls Hope on the phone and asks "Ron wants to know if he can have your number". I believe Hope said yes, because Natalia repeated, "No no, Ron wants your number" to which again her answer was yes. Natalia went on to make plans to have Hope and I meet up later that evening downtown, making it sound as though I'd be there with a group of friends.
     That evening we met downtown at, you guessed it, the Carpentar's Cellar. She was there with 2 of her sisters, and when they saw that I was by myself, they decided to disappear to give us some time together. I proceeded to tell her my relationship status (Separated, but not yet divorced from my first wife). I also revealed many things to her that I had previously held back on a "first date" because I had always feared it would scare the woman off. God was definitely involved. Had I hidden the details of my divorce from her, she never would have come to trust me based on other experiences she'd had.