An import from the old blog

This is a post I wrote on my old blog and I wanted to move it here. It's the story of me and Mike. Mostly, I'm posting it here because it makes me smile. Love that man!!

All Because Two People Fell in Love

Originally posted: June 18, 2009

Thirteen years ago tomorrow, I went on my last first date :) It was an unlikely pairing, an eighteen year old girl, a thirty two year old man. Some would say it was scandelous. But, I knew, before we ever went on that date, that this was the ONE.

Let's start in April 1996. On April 2, when I was all of 18 years and 15 days old, and still in high school, I met two men who would both change my life. One for the better, one for much worse. I was introduced to these men by my friend and boss, Randy. We were leaving work one night and he said, "Hey, I met these guys last night, you should meet them, they're great." So, we poked our heads into a partially constructed restaurant next to the store we worked at and said hi. The two men were Mike (future husband) and Chris (future nightmare). Well, we started talking to them and I stayed and talked for over 2 hours. Mike was hilarious. Chris was, well, he was hot. Mike was good looking, but seemed very OLD to me. Chris was 26 and looked all of 20. When it was time for me to go, I told them I would see them again, I was sure.

Fast forward to the next night. My BF Chanda and I, along with her little sister, stopped by my place of employment to pick up something I left earlier. I saw Chris and Mike leaving, so I pulled up and said hello. They said that they were headed to Los Portales (a local Mexican eatery), would we like to go. Well, of course, we did. So, we had a great time talking to these guys and when we left, we all agreed that Chris was really into me.

Sometime during the next week, Chris asked me out. Thus began a three week relationship that had A LOT of drama, some of the worst decisions I have ever made, and a broken heart. The broken heart was due to the bad decisions, not the idiot. Anyway, that relationship was over quickly, and while it was, by far, the worst of my life, I got something priceless out of it. My friendship with Mike. Though Chris and I were over, Mike and I had become fast friends, bonding over our superiority complexes and other things we had in common.

Well, over the next couple of months, the friendship grew. We saw each other daily and had a great time when we were together. I was falling, and fast. In my mind, I kept telling myself that this would never work. We were 14 years apart, he just thought of me as a little sister, etc. Well, on June 16, I called him and bit the bullet. I told him that I was romantically interested in him and would like to go out sometime. I was met with *SILENCE*. Then, he regained his composure and said that he would love to, how about lunch that Wednesday, his day off.

Well, I'm pretty sure I didn't sleep the next three nights, I had never been so excited. My friends thought I was nuts. Here I had fallen head over heels for this OLD guy, who was cute and funny, but OLD. Anyway, he picked me up for lunch on Wednesday and we headed for the Garden Plaza Hotel. SCANDELOUS! Kidding, kidding, we ate at the restaurant there. One of my good friends worked there and I wanted a witness to the date. You know, to tell us if we looked cute together, if we had chemistry, etc.

Well, we talked comfortably throughout the meal. Of course, we were great friends already, so the conversation flowed easily. Towards the end of the meal, I casually placed my hand towards the center of the table. He, just as casually, placed his close to mine, and within seconds, our fingertips touched. I am not exageratting here, I felt a spark. I had never felt like I did the moment we touched. My whole arm was warm. We left soon after that and he put his arm around me on the way to the truck. My knees went weak. That had never happened. Even though I was only 18, I had dated quite a bit. This weak knees thing was very new. All the way back to my job, we held hands. He had a stick shift and shifted with his left hand :)

Once we got to work, I shyly sat on my side of the truck as we parked. He turned off the engine and turned towards me. We locked eyes for a few seconds and then he said "Come here you". In one swift move, he pulled me towards him and kissed me. The earth stood still. I saw fireworks, wedding bells, baby blankets, and rocking chairs all at the same time. I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I was kissing my husband. After a few minutes of kissing, I had to tear myself away and head back to work. I floated through the rest of the afternoon. Sometime around 3 p.m., he called me babbling about picnics and walks on the beach. Basically, he was telling me he was smitten. I agreed and told him I could not wait to see him again. I promised to call him that night.

That night, when I called him, he sounded different. Using a very well rehearsed speech, he told me that he understood that I was very young and that I had a life to live. He totally understood if I wanted to date other people and live a little. He would wait for me and would not be dating. He was ready to commit to me, but expected nothing in return. I listened to his speech and then told him that I had no intention of ever seeing anyone else. He was the one for me.

Less than two weeks later, he showed up at my job, told me to sit down, and then told me that he was head over heels, without a doubt, in love with me.

Two weeks after that, all hell broke loose when my parents discovered that the guy I was dating was 32.

Three years after that he proposed to me in a candlelit room, choking back tears, making my dreams come true.

A few months later, we were married.

A few months later, we welcomed with much joy and tears our first baby.

Eight years after that we welcomed our second baby.

Today, 13 years after our first date, I still see fireworks, wedding bells, baby blankets, and rocking chairs when we kiss. I look across the dinner table and see the man I fell in love with. The man who cried when he proposed, makes me laugh every single day, and makes all my dreams come true. Whether he is rocking our babies or mowing the grass, I fall in love with him more every day.

Even though our relationship seemed unlikely and certaintly doomed, I can say with all seriousness, that our marriage is incredible. Mike is truly my best friend and we enjoy each other so much. Here's to many more years!!