Small miracles happen every day, let me tell you about one that has drastically shaped my life. It happened a little over a year ago, June 8, 2008, the DAY I met THE Micah Joel Day. Now you may think the small miracle was meeting this wonderful man, but let me explain, there's more....
You see at the time I was attending the Inwood 3rd Singles Ward on 204th st, conveniently located nearly 100 blocks away from my home on 112th street. With church located on the north end of Manhattan, it was easily a 45-95 minute commute to church. Sure it would have been loads easier to attend the Manhattan 8th ward, East side singles ward, or even the Harlem Ward as they were a 15-20 minute train ride away at most, but that wasn't were boundaries had placed me. Don't get me wrong I LOVED the Inwood 3rd Ward, but it was not the shortest trip to church!
Now with the subway being my sole transportation in the city, the infrequency of weekend train schedules, and the A/C train UNDER CONSTRUCTION every single Sunday from the day I moved to NYC, it was a miracle to even arrive at church at all. Depending on when you step foot in the Subway, taking 110th st, a local stop, was always a crabshoot. Somedays it was only 40 minutes, other days 95 minutes, no joke. The problem of express only or local only on the weekends was every stop, or no stops, and waiting for a train that only comes every 25 minutes and then switches to a SHUTTLE BUS. Which is really fantastic because a shuttle bus in NYC moves slightly faster than the pace of a turtle.
This combined with my already propensity to be late did not make for a good situation to arrive to 1pm church in a timely fashion. But a huge thanks to Tamara Duricka, who on several sundays remedied this by allowing me to drive to church with her!
So June 8, 2008 was an odd day. I was called to be a ward missionary a few weeks prior, and challenged to make friends and sit with newcomers in Sacrament Mtg. I suppose I took the challenge to heart because I was in the Subway by atleast 12:20pm, a miracle in and of itself. Then the train god's must have aligned to arrive me at church promptly at 12:55pm. With 5 minutes to spare, I hardly knew what to do with myself. Alas I remembered the mandate, welcome the newcomers. My dear friend Tamara Duricka was sitting with a friend by her side. Tamara often had out-of-towner's visiting her, and each of them I had instantly hit it off with. I knew any friend of Tamara was a friend of mine. So I went up to the 2nd row and met Micah Joel Day. At first I was slightly disappointed he was visiting from Bountiful, UT, but I put that aside and sought to get to know him better.
That afternoon was a linger longer, and we all know how the food can be at those. I went up to the linger longer and got hit in one of those awkward conversations with a nice guy you have no interest in and hate to have to reject if he asks you out. Tamara was making dinner, and as all Knight in Shining Armors do, Micah Joel Day interrupted to conversation to ask me over to Tamara's for a heartier meal than cookies and punch! Of course I couldn't turn him down. Bonus was a ride HOME from church, so NO 40-95 minute train rides for me!
I went back to Tamara's later that eve and enjoyed the good company. I also discovered this Bountiful Boy was quite a pistol, he had the same disdain for mormon single social affairs as I did, and we bonded just like that. Tamara had her boyfriend over, and I knew Micah needed a break from the couplehood which surrounded him. I was attending Stephanie Lebadies final Ballet performance at the Joffrey School that night with Kim Calder, my VT partner. I didn't think Micah would be very interested in a Ballet, especially with a girl he didn't know, but he decided to come when I asked. You see a missionary is always taught to invite, and invite I did!
That night Micah, Kim, and I attended the Ballet, it was fun to banter back and forth. We seemed to have a great conversation that lasted all the way home and for several more hours at my apartment. Not only did he watch Ballet, but he also ate my Vegan Gluten Free treats, while I was on the 9 day Vegan challenge. I knew he was a keeper. So despite lots of distance, Micah invited me to be his phone-a-friend, how could I turn him down.
So you see, the small miracle was that I was on time to church! From there I met Micah Joel Day and that night we began a conversation that has not ended. We've spent approx 400 hours on the phone, 140 hours in a car, and 213 days being married, and I LOVE to talk to Micah every day for as long as I can! I hope he will talk to me forever!
Not the end, just the beginning...
