Inspire, Summer 2012

Serendipity is a space featuring your stories about the delightfully unexpected ways our Cedarville roots bring us together. Essays can be humorous, heartfelt, or surprising. Please limit your story to 500 words and include your name, class year (for alumni), city, and state. Submit your essay for consideration to Inspire , Cedarville University, 251 N. Main St., Cedarville, OH, 45314, or cedarville.edu/inspire . A Modern-Day Fairy Tale by Jennifer (Lenhart) VeStrand ’89 Once upon a time, four young students, Steve Terpstra ’86, Jeff VeStrand ’87, Amy Joslin ’88, and Jennifer Lenhart ’89, crossed paths on the campus of Cedarville College. At the time, Cedarville was a small school of just 1,900 students. Steve, Jeff, Amy, and Jen all “knew” each other, but they became friends when Amy became Jen’s resident assistant in Printy Hall In the summer of 1988, Amy and Steve married, as did Jen and Jeff. A few years later, God blessed Steve and Amy with a son, Adam Harris, and Jeff and Jen with a daughter, Brooke Ashleigh. Years passed as the two couples lost touch and went about their lives — until 2007. When Jen signed up for a Facebook account that summer, Amy (Joslin) Terpstra became one of her first Facebook friends. An Enchanted Encounter The two caught up as much as distant friends can through social media, although they rarely interacted personally. Two years later, in August 2009, Jen posted a video of Brooke singing. As Amy sat watching the video, her son Adam walked by. Brooke’s voice intrigued him, not to mention her looks, and he asked who was singing. Amy told him the girl in the video was a college friend’s daughter, and she was going to Cedarville in the fall, just like Adam. “Hmm,” he replied. “I’m gonna marry that girl!” In early 2010, as Adam and Brooke prepared to graduate from high school, both moms suggested that their kids connect via the “Cedarville Class of 2014” Facebook group. Adam sent Brooke a friend request, which she accepted, but that seemed to be the end of it. Then, on May 27, when Brooke sent Adam a note on Facebook introducing herself, Adam responded immediately. They shared cell phone numbers, and the texting began. A Land Far, Far Away A few weeks later, Brooke came home and announced, “Mom, guess who I have a phone date with tonight?” Jen guessed several people before Brooke said “Mom! It’s Adam Terpstra!” After a month of constant phone calls, the kids hatched a plan for Adam to fly to Maryland for a visit and, for the first time in 22 years, Amy and Jen connected in person to plan his visit and marvel at this blossoming relationship. That summer, Adam visited Maryland, and Brooke visited Indianapolis. When it came time to move Brooke and Adam to Cedarville in August, the two families enjoyed reminiscing about the past and supposing what the future might have in store. A Happy Ending In 2011, on a beautiful fall afternoon, Adam asked Brooke to be his bride. They were married on August 4, 2012. The VeStrands and Terpstras thank God for His perfect plan for their children and the role that Cedarville played in all of their lives. They look forward to many years of family and friendship. Jennifer (Lenhart) VeStrand ’89 lives in Eldersburg, Maryland, with her husband, Jeff ’87, and their three other children. Read the full story, with all its twists and turns, on Jennifer’s blog, peaceinthepandemonium. blogspot.com. Steve ‘86 and Amy (Joslin) Terpstra ‘88 (left) were college friends with Jeff ‘87 and Jennifer (Lenhart) VeStrand ‘89 (right). They reconnected years later through social media, sparking a romance between their children, Adam Terpstra ‘14 and Brooke (VeStrand) Terpstra ‘14 (center). serendipi ty