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Well, okay, maybe not a love story "for the ages" but it's still a pretty good one if I do say so myself.
Today we celebrate 14 years of wedded bliss. Which is pretty outstanding for anyone, but pretty good for us. You know, since I actually had friends tell me I was losing my mind by marrying someone I barely knew. I'm kinda glad I ignored them, and I'm sure our 4 boys are very glad!
I met the Major in the fall of 1998, when I was working as a barista at a coffee shop that he frequented daily. He was simply the Army guy who ordered an Americano. Nothing more, nothing less. Then at the end of February of 1999 things turned upside down. Being the friendly, outspoken and outgoing person I am---I mentioned to him that I had seen him at Target the night before. He asked if I had been shopping as well and I explained that no, I also worked at Target. The fact that I had 2 jobs seemed to intrigue him (later he told me lighbulbs surrounding the word "industrious!" were flashing in his head). Somehow I also mentioned that I didn't own a car and walked to both jobs. I think that was probably what sealed the deal.
A few days later the owner's mother mentioned that one of the Army guys had a crush on me. Really? Which one? Oh wait---the Old one? Yes. The OLD one. Because I knew he was much older. At the time he was 40 and I was 22. I think that was probably the start of the scandal that surrounded our dating relationship. We went on our first date on March 5th. We were engaged at the end of April. He met my parents for the first time at the end of May, in the middle of Missouri, at a Cracker Barrel where we kindly gave them my cat because we had no idea where we would be living (his new orders had been cut, but housing not arranged). On June 10th I met my in-laws for the first time, the day before our rehearsal dinner. Yes, seriously. We were married on June 12th at the Presidio of Monterrey. We had actually tried to get married secretly in Kansas to get a better spot on the military housing list, but the Justice of the Peace was not comfortable with our dating so little and our desire to get a better spot on the housing list. Pssshhhh, whatever!
I'm sure people probably assumed I had either lost my mind or was with child. But it was none of those things. You know how everyone tells you, "you just Know". Well, I just knew.
And 14 years later, I still know.
Joe says
You knew I was the guy when I bought you new Nike shoes to walk to your 2 jobs, and you saw my brand new Ford pick-up truck and "giant" 3 bedroom house. Admit it. Or maybe it was the book of quotes I gave you on our first date pretending to be romantic!
Allie Gower says
Awwww, Happy Anniversary you two, I'm a sucker for a love story!