Ways of the McKays: "You want to be WHAT?"

Ever since we were young, we've always had big dreams of growing up to be something fabulous. For Heath, it was to become a professional basketball player. For me, it was to become a famous singer like Selena. She was so in at the time, and I am so grateful I never pursued singing. You can ask all my friends. As we grew up, dreams and visions changed. I pursued writing and communications, and found myself working in public health prevention right after college. It was the best first job I could have ever asked for. I wish I could take that job (and my co-workers) everywhere with me forever.

But for Heath, those dreams never changed.

When we started getting serious in our relationship and talking about what our future was together, Heath was anxious to move on with basketball and start a new adventure-- real estate. He enrolled in an online course his senior year, and I was excited to see how he would adjust after the end of the OBU basketball season. I had our whole lives planned out, and I was positive God approved it. Ha!

It was nearly 2:30 in the morning in a Kansas City hotel lobby when Heath told me he wasn't ready to quit basketball. It was the night of the NAIA National Championship game in March, and, unfortunately, it wasn't the Bison that were waiting in line to cut down parts of the basketball net after the game. Down by three points to tie the game, my heart broke for Heath (and his team) as I knew this was going to be his last memory as a basketball player. You want to be a professional basketball player? You want to pursue playing overseas? But what about real estate? What about our lives that we planned out? How do our dreams go together? You can't change what we already agreed on. You can't throw me off our timeline!

I didn't know what to do. I loved Heath so much, but I didn't know how I was going to support this new journey. A part of me was very much still selfish. Weeks and weeks went by while I was still trying to grasp the idea of Heath going overseas. I cried often. I knew it wasn't Heath's fault, but I had no one else to blame. Then I realized that there wasn't blame anywhere. I had to decide how much I loved Heath to support him in the future. I realized I loved Heath more than myself. There was no room for selfishness in a relationship. I couldn't imagine my life without him in it, and there was no way I was letting anything get in between us-- even basketball.

On the other hand, Heath voiced he wouldn't pursue overseas basketball if I wasn't going to support him. Because that showed how much he loved me. He was willing to give up on his dream so that I could be happy. He, too, loved me more than himself.

Something hit me one day. I still don't know what it was... maybe an imaginary 2 x 4, or God, or even myself. Heath would do anything and go anywhere for me. I bet if I wanted to move overseas for something (because y'all know it wouldn't be for basketball), he would do it without hesitation. I had to let go of a lot of pride and realize that I needed to support the man I wanted to marry one day. Now, it's more like I want to instead of I need to.

Our timeline couldn't have been more perfect. God knew it was going to be this way from the beginning. I was at a point where I was ready to leave my job and move back to Texas. Heath got offered a contract. We got married. And now we get to experience the world together. Most importantly, I get to be in the stands to watch him play again. Because that's his dream... is to play basketball. And that's his dream... is to have me by his side.

And that was my dream too, just like every little girl playing dress up. I want to find the man of my dreams, marry him and love him my whoooooooole life.

So I found the man of my dreams, I married him and I'm going to love him my whole life.