The story of us & Day 84. 281 Days Left.

April 16th, 2005 we were married.

Today we celebrate six years. I am still amazed how quickly those years have past. I guess six years of marriage is nothing when you dated seven beforehand.

How we met: The stalker

13 years ago I had no idea the man I was meeting would be my future husband and give me two amazingly beautiful children.

It was a few days after my high school graduation; I just broke up with my boyfriend and the place I was working closed for business. I was heartbroken and unemployed. A friend of mine wanted to introduce me to someone he worked with. I agreed and we headed to this guys house. I met Kim (my husband’s best friend and our best man) and no attraction (sorry Kim). We talked and really hit it off as friends. About an hour later Kim’s roommate walks through the door. BAM… that was it. I was smitten.

Justin and I talked a couple of hours. We connected. He drove me home (my friend was passed out on the couch- nice friend) … I remember thinking: this really sucks,I am never going to see this guy again.

A month or so later the same friend called to see if I had found a job. He mentioned the restaurant he was working at was hiring a hostess. He also mentioned Justin worked there. I told him to sign me up. I called, went in for an interview, was hired and started working two days later.
The third day of work Justin checks in at the front desk. He looks at me and says “you work here? Since when?” … this is the moment I would forever be referred to as his stalker.

I would hitch a ride to work or ask my mom to take me. I had a plan; thankfully it never backfired. I would come up with elaborate reason why I did not have my car and Justin always offered to drive me home. On the nights I did not trick him into driving me home, we would hang out in the parking lot talking for hours. Months later he finally asked me out. I went in for the first kiss… sorry hubs but I got tired of waiting around. After that kiss he turns to me and asks if I went to work at Burt & Jacks because I knew he was working there… I just looked at him with a slight smirk of accomplishment. The stalker.

Seven years later we were married.

Our Wedding day: Everything that could go wrong did. Almost…

~My veil fell off while walking down the isle (twice) and a family friend
stopped the ceremony to reattach it because “a bride needs her wedding veil”.

~The priest almost dropped the aspergillum while blessing our wedding rings.

~After our vows... The priest "for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Justin (insert wrong last name here)"... even after the name correction he mispronounced it again.

~My sister could not find her reading.

~While at the cocktail hour a friend stepped on my bustle, I went to walk away and one side of my dress ripped.

~My “up do” hair hairstyle became a "down do"; just a mess.

~The strap of my dress broke.

~We (including friends & family) drank our open bar dry- by the end of the reception we (some of us) were doing rum shots (I think I just threw up in my mouth a little)... needless to say some where falling down the stairs drunk- seriously falling. down. drunk.

But at the end of the day- I (the stalker) was married to the only man I could ever dream of loving and evenrything that wrong didn't matter.

Celebrating: After six years and two kids

Since the hubby is working we will be celebrating next weekend by taking the kiddos to a park for an Easter egg hunt. Fun. Romantic. Remember it has been six years and two kids later… Although, the traditional anniversary gift for year six is candy. Perhaps I should run out and get us come chocolate and a bottle of wine (or two) for when the kiddos are in bed. bow chicka wow wow…

What I love: he will still reach over and hold my hand, I catch glimpses of him looking at my butt (although, after two kids, can't really miss it), he leaves the last piece of chocolate for me, he will wake up in the middle of the night after working all day and having to be up at 5am just to grab the kids, he lets me sleep in on the weekends, I feel him lightly kiss me goodbye each morning and every night before bed
he says "I love you".

So I will leave you with this: love is not an emotion, but it’s an action. It’s a choice to place that person before yourself. The Bible says this about it: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres”(1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

While we may not always live up to that, it’s what I strive for in my marriage. Our relationship is not perfect, it takes hard work and some bruises along the way, but we made a commitment never to give up on each other and though hardships are inevitable we will see it through by the grace of God.
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Day 84
Pictures of us

Our Honeymoon April 18, 2005