Reminiscing

Lately I have been reminiscing about when Brian and I first met.... Maybe its the fact that we are coming up on the 5 year anniversary or a friend of mine was just talking about how in love she is with her new guy or Brian is out of town way too much lately and I just miss him like crazy (crazy as in I end up crying everytime I talk to him on the phone) or then there is that Darius Ruckers song "History in the Making"....

It was the summer after my Sophomore year of college. I was finally allowed to move out of the dorms and I had just signed a lease to live in Cape Place apartments from Aug-Aug. I was dreaming of the following summer in Cape, 21, and not at home with my parents. I had a friend named Jeff who is/was probably the most outgoing person you have ever met... and most people have met him! ha. Everytime we saw eachother he would ask "Where are you girl friends?" and I would always reply with "Where are your guy friends?". He would then go on to tell me how he had one friend who he knew would be perfect for me...

One day I get a call from Jeff... "I am hanging out with that guy I told you about, lets hang out so you guys can meet." I had spent the entire day with Kate and we already had a few invites for that evening... a part at my roommates house in Union, or a get together with some highschool friends... I somehow talked Kate into going to dinner (Red Robin, my favorite!) with these 2 guys she didnt know. We figured that if we got bored, we could make an excuse and leave.

We met them at Jeffs apartment... we walked in the door and Brian was sitting on the couch. I remember thinking to myself "Hes cute! He looks perfect!" I think the only thing we really said to eachother was "Hi"... Within 5 minutes the 4 of us got in Brian's car and headed to dinner. After "knowing" Brian for 5 minutes, while sitting in the back of his car heading to dinner I remember thinking to myself "Well.. it looks like I wont be staying in Cape next summer after all.. I will have to come back home to be with him!" Who does that? Maybe it was the crazy girl coming out in me, or maybe I just knew....

When we sat down for dinner, Brian and Jeff ordered beers while Kate and I, both 20, ordered sodas. Brian caught on immediately and asked how old we were... he was shocked that we werent 21... it was like we were kids to him and I felt like I had lost hope... but we started talking... about how he was an accountant and so was my dad, and his dad... how we both lived in Fenton but he moved... but we both were Rockwood babies... and then we both went to SEMO.

Kate must has seen how interested I was in Brian and being a good friend said we could continue to hang out with them... we went back to Jeffs apartment to hang out. We played card games, talked, laughed, went for a midnight swim, and just fell in love.

We exchanged numbers and me being the typical girl and already head over heels, called the next evening... he didnt answer... and didnt call back.... I was pretty devistated.

A few days later though in the middle of the day, while I was doing my usual summer gig of babysitting 4 kids (Yep, everyday for 4 summers!) I got a phone call from Brian! I remember getting the worst butterflies in my stomach ever and just being SOOOO giddy! We decided to see eachother again...

Our first "date" was a.... interesting one.... nothing romantic.... but perfect all the same... it was exactly how our life today is.... He invited me over to his apartment, where he would BBQ dinner and we would play some tennis. I do not remember the order of events... but I remember we did alot that night... somehow we played tennis, went and walked around the mall (I have NO IDEA why!) attempted to watch the movie Coach Carter but we ended up taking the ENTIRE time and he made me dinner... luckily I was thoughtful and brought over a side of pasta salad... the kraft kind... because he planned on just feeding me chicken. .... To this day he still BBQs me dinner while I make the pasta salad at his request... and we just spend time around the house, nothing exciting... but perfect and just to our liking.

After a month of dating I knew I loved him, but didnt say anything for another 4 months where he said it as well... and around that same time I remember my girlfriends saying "You guys are going to get married!" and I remember thinking to myself "You are totally right! He is the one I am going to marry!" ....

And here we are... married for almost 2 years with the most amazing little girl ever and excited about what the next 70 years will bring! :)

I love you Brian!