As most of you all know, I am a huge Taylor Swift fan. Her songs have narrated the highlights of my life, separated them by eras, and can bring me back in time.

One song she writes is called Invisible String, where this couple's lives have always been intertwined but never connected until the right moment. I like to believe that Eric and I have always been attached by a long string. I remember in middle school seeing this blonde boy walk the halls and just thinking dang he's tall and nothing else of it. Then in early high school, I always though he was just a football player that ran with a completely different crowd than I did, but in the halls he would always greet everyone with a smile. Senior year rolls around and I signed up to be an office worker. Now this was a big deal because only 14 students can be office workers in the whole school and if you made it you had the keys to the school, but it was also nerve-wracking because you don't know who you are paired with I walk in and I see Eric Harper sitting in one of the stools and we hit it off immediately. Through the months we got to know each other and became fast friends. We would talk about everything under the sun, good or bad. We would leave each other sticky notes with silly drawings or play paper football to pass the time. As time continued prom rolled around and Eric surprised me by asking me to go with him at the Gemini Mari Gras parade with a box of golf balls that all said "prom?". I was so excited, my bestist bud was bringing me to prom! But I was nervous I had a feeling we were both in the same spot of does he like me like me or are we just friends?

I decided to be a little bold and asked him to go to they Tyler Zoo with me so we could hang out more outside of school with our friends Abi and Nate Pons and Taylor and Cooper Wayda (they're both married now, don't worry guys were joining the club). We had a great time all together but after the fun was done Eric and I went on a drive listening to all our favorite songs and we held hands for the first time, which sounds so childish but I had butterflies. I thought he was the sweetest guy and I couldn't wait for prom. Eric and I both have had some crappy prom experiences but this one was like the movies! We had a ball just being with each other.

Since then we went to college together, faced challenges, and have been on countless adventures. We've been there for each other through ups and downs. Through our relationship we realized how many times our stories could have interconnected, but didn't until that day in the Captain Shreve office. What could have been a random class scheduling ended up being a lifelong adventure.

I am so blessed that this string tied me to Eric Harper.

When the time is right, I, the Lord, will make it happen. Isaiah 60:22

-Claire

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