Could You Guess? Survey Answers!!!

Thank you to everyone who took part in my survey this week!  It was fun reading your answers!  I hope as a result of this, you will get to know Andrew and me even better. 

Okay, so let's get started!

1) How old do you think Rachel will be on her birthday?

19?

20?

21?

22?

23?

So apparently, by common vote, I look to be in my early twenties.  That is a good thing for me to hear, as I've had some people (not many, but still some) say something along the lines of, "You're married?!  How old are you??"  To which I am tempted to say one of two things, either "Well, I'm old enough to know that you shouldn't ask married people how old they are." OR "I'm only fourteen.  I was forced into this marriage.  Please help me!".  :-P  I promise, I haven't said either.  What happened to me is that I have looked about twenty since I was thirteen years old (people thought I was in college constantly) and I just haven't aged much since then!

So... 3.0% guessed me to be turning 19.  42.4% guessed I would be turning 20.  30.3% think I will be 21.  24.2% voted I will be 22.  And no one fell for the whole 23 thing.  :-)

Truth... *drumroll*... I will be celebrating my 20th birthday on Monday.  So, the largest percent of voters were right!

I'm young, yes, I know.  I see that as a blessing though, not something to hide.  God has taught me that you shouldn't put a certain age on maturity, ability to be used, entrance into adulthood, or anything else.  It changes from person to person.  I know some fifteen-year-olds that are more capable of teaching the truth of the Bible than some fifty-year-olds.

Okay... now onto my baby-faced husband's age!

2)  How old do you think Andrew will be on his birthday?

19?

20?

21?

22?

23?

My honey looks like a kid... I realize this.  That is the main reason Andrew is now sporting a goatee.  :-)  I abhor the idea of looking older than him!  I have noticed though, that if you study our faces and features closely, you can tell he is older.  Love those "responsibility lines" on his forehead.  They make him look so dignified!  ;-)

So, no one guessed him to be a teenager.  Good for you!  He was glad to hear that.  :-)  3.0% guessed him to be turning 20.  12.1% supposed him to be turning 21.  27.3% thought he will be turning 22.  57.6% voted that he will be turning 23.

Majority won again!  My "older gentleman" *wink, chuckle* will be turning 23 soon.  Honestly, the age difference fits us perfectly.  Andrew had a chance to go out and learn to be a hard-working, self-supporting, mature (most of the time) adult before adding the responsibility of a wife to love and care for.  And he does such a good job.  I have always been old for my age (not by choice, it's just how God decided I would be), so we don't even think about it anymore... except when he teases me about just now finally finishing up my teen years.  :-P

Picture taken on our honeymoon in Florida

3)  What do you think Andrew and Rachel's middle names are?

Thomas and Marie?

Craig and Lynn?

Caleb and Sophia?

Quinn and Faith?

Both of our middle names have a history.  Andrew's middle name is his Dad's name (which happens to be a name I hadn't heard much but really like!).  My middle name (actually my name as a whole), was my Mom's favorite name for many years... my middle name also happens to be both my grandma and aunt's middle names.

45.5% guessed Thomas and Marie.  33.3% guessed Craig and Lynn.  15.2% guessed Caleb and Sophia.  6.1% guessed Quinn and Faith.

Well, majority was close, but not quite...

Andrew Craig and Rachel Lynn are our names.  :-)

Fun fact, Andrew's sister, Amanda, is names after their Mom with her middle name (Janine).  AND my sister, Rebekah Ann, is named after my Mom, Jennifer Ann. 

4)  How long do you think Andrew and Rachel have known each other?

Since they were little?

More than 10 years?

Just over 5 years?

Almost 3 years?

3.0% guessed that we've known each other since we were little.  No one guessed we've known each other more than 10 years.  18.2% guessed we've known each other just over 5 years. An overwhelming 78.8% guessed we've known each other almost 3 years.

Hence, the majority has redeemed itself.  Yes, my husband and I will celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary two days before we'll have known each other for three years.  We met in the summer of 2010 (the above picture us the first picture with just the two of us in it... quite by accident, since we'd only known each other for a couple of weeks) and God just took it from there.  :-)  It was a crazy time.  There were doubts, worries, and fears, but the Lord helped us through those and we are so happy to be experiencing these young years together. 

5)  How did Andrew and Rachel meet?

Andrew did an internship at Rachel's church?

They met at a summer camp and served on worship team together?

Blind date?

They grew up in the same church?

One day, after stealing a crown from a great castle,

Andrew climbed up this tower where Rachel had spent her entire life...?

72.7% think we met when Andrew did an internship at my church.  21.2% think we met through serving on worship team at a summer camp together.  3.0% think we met on a blind date.  3.0% think we grew up in the same church.  No one guessed the last option... but I hope you got a smile out of it!  :-)

Majority is on a roll again!  Back in 2010, Andrew came along with his friend, Logan (pictured next to him), to do a summer internship at my family's church.  We were able to serve many ways together like town-canvassing, VBS, town festivals (him mostly protecting me as I sat alone running a booth), drama, music, AND camp ministry (counseling and worship team).  Great ways to get to know each other as friends-who-were-attracted-to-each-other.  :-)

6)  How many times did Andrew ask Rachel to marry him?

Once over Skype and once in person?

Never, she asked him?

Three times over Skype and once in person?

Just once in person?

21.2% guessed that Andrew asked me to marry him once over Skype and once in person.  No one guessed that I asked him OR that he asked me three times over Skype and once in person.  78.8% guessed that he asked me just once in person.

Surprisingly, no one guessed the right answer!  No, I didn't ask him!

Because Andrew and I did most of our relationship long-distance, I always told him that I would NEVER accept a proposal over Skype.  So, teasingly, he asked me one time if I would marry him when we were talking over Skype.  I said, "You know what my answer will be over Skype!".  Again, another time, he asked me when we were Skype-ing if I would marry him, with a little more sincerity in his voice.  I again said no.  The third time he asked, a few days later, with all the love and longing you want to see in your lover's eyes, I answered, "You know I'll marry you... but you had better still ask me in person!".

It was only about a week later that Andrew came out for a surprise visit and proposed to me with a song he had written (it was so sweet how nervous he was), a special ring-box he had carved himself, and a gorgeous, unique ring that included my grandma's diamond.

And, of course, I said yes again!  :-)

7)  What was the first gift (besides flowers) Andrew ever gave Rachel in their courtship?

A courtship book?

A bracelet?

A deck of cards?

A poem?

Well, this picture gives the answer away, doesn't it?  No one guessed that Andrew gave me a courtship book.  57.6% were right when they guessed a bracelet!  3.0% guessed a deck of cards (which actually wouldn't have been a bad gift in my family!).  And 39.4% guessed that he gave me a poem (which was one of the gifts he gave me during our courtship, just not the first).

We were in Colorado for my dear friend's wedding and one of the places we visited was a really neat gift shop.  I found a rack of bracelets and Andrew secretly bought this one for me, then gave it to me later that day.  :-)

8)  What was the first gift Rachel ever gave Andrew?

A tie?

A Calvin and Hobbs comic book?

A ducky pillow?

A sweatshirt?

Again, the picture gives away the answer... but how many got it right?  15.2% guessed that my first gift to Andrew was a tie.  51.5% guessed it was a Calvin and Hobbs comic book.  A fortunate few 15.2% guessed correctly that the first thing I gave Andrew was a ducky pillow.  18.2% guessed a sweatshirt.

The first thing that Andrew and I had in common was a drama we were both working on for summer VBS (I was directing and he was acting).  One of the props for his character was a ducky towel (which was simple fabric we bought at the local Walmart).  There was much fun and many jokes surrounding that "towel" so, once VBS was over, I made Andrew a special ducky pillow out of the fabric.  He took it with him everywhere and it how sits at a place of honor on our bed (though it doesn't match our bedding at all!).  :-)

9)  What are two of the many things Andrew and Rachel have in common?

Enjoyment of seafood and long walks?

Love for music and aquariums?

Desire to visit New Zealand and sky dive?

Growing up in similar ways and in big families?

Does the picture give it away again?  I don't know...  ;-)  9.1% think we both enjoy seafood and long walks.  24.2% were right in thinking we both love music and aquariums!  6.1% think we both want to go to New Zealand and sky dive.  And 60.6% think we grew up in similar ways and in big families.

While we both enjoy going on walks and Andrew loves seafood, I grew up in a family whose Dad was deathly allergic to shellfish, so I never acquired a desire to eat seafood.  Andrew and I both would love to go to New Zealand, but I am scared to death of heights and Andrew would be the only one brave enough to sky dive.  And, even though we did both grow up in Christian families, our upbringings differ in several ways and Andrew only has one sibling while I have six.

So, music and aquariums win!  We both couldn't live without music and we really enjoy our fish.  :-)

10)  What are Andrew and Rachel's goals in life/ministry?

Andrew keeps working his job and they both continue to serve in their local church until God leads them to another place?

Raise a family to honor God?

Adopt either domestically or overseas?

Move out west and do church-planting?

Rachel continues to blog as long as she can, even as life changes?

Stay married forever and use their relationship to reflect Christ?

All of the above?

This wasn't a trick question... more giving you a list of the things Andrew and I truly do want to do in our lives together.  A couple of people guessed just one of the answers, but 87.9% guessed the correct answer: all of the above.

Our life in Indiana is temporary.  Andrew will work his current job and we will keep serving in our church until the Lord leads us on.  We truly desire to raise a family of many children to honor God, biological and adopted hopefully.  One thing we're praying about and feel lead to do is join some dear friends out west and church-plant together.  I hope I will be able to keep blogging for many years to come.  AND Andrew and I have promised to stay married until death parts us, no matter what, and we desire for our marriage to be an example to others of how Christ loves His Bride, the Church.

So, how did you do???

I hope you've enjoyed this post!  It was fun for me to write.  :-)

I hope you have a lovely day!

God bless!