Happy Anniversary my love....

It's my 3 year wedding anniversary today...T and I were together for 10.5 years before getting married, so we don't really celebrate our wedding anniversary too much, a card and dinner, done...Our "real" anniversary is in January, our first date...that's when we fell in love....I know I know totally cheesy! But it is the truth, we really do love each other still...

Let me tell you the story of how we met...

I was 17 years old and in the beginning of my Senior Year of High School. I had been through a bad break up with my boyfriend of about a year or more (he was sleeping with a few of my friends...nice friends huh?), anyway a friend of mine took me to this Open Mic night at a local coffee house, to grab some joe and listen to music.

Through out the night I was writing in my journal (I was a HUGE journal keeper when I was in high school and really into writing poetry) and then this guy, this MAN, got up on the stage and sang a song..."Not So Lonely" was the title. Well I was "so lonely" the song brought me to tears, not because it was sad, but because it made me realize a lot about myself. I immediately wrote down a few thoughts and the night continued on...

Later that week the song, the performance, the guy was still heavy on my mind, so I began writing. I wrote a few things that were inspired by that night. A few weeks later one of my English teachers encouraged me to submit some poems to the a national magazine that published and rewarded student writing, so I did. One of the pieces was about the guy from the open mic....
Well a couple of months passed, I returned to the open mic a few more times, was even introduced to him a couple of times by friends we had that were mutual, but one day I had to approach him myself...I had heard back from the magazine, I was being published and had earned myself a small amount of money in the form of a scholarship all for the little poem I wrote about him!

Utterly embarrassed I approached him, re-introduced myself, and told him that "a few months ago I was going through a really hard time emotionally and you inspired me to express myself through words. I submitted some of those words to a magazine and won a scholarship, and well I really wanted to share that with you and thank you for the inspiration". I gave him a copy of the poem, said thanks again and walked away.

He played the song for me that night...I didn't cry though, but it meant so much to me, and clearly meant a lot to him. Later he asked me to meet him another night that week at a different open mic..."and bring your writing, I'd really like to read more"......

Well until that point in my life, the only person other than myself that ever read my journals was my English teacher! But I was smitten with this guy, so I did it! The night I met him, we drank coffee, listened to music, read my poetry, talked.....after a couple of hours he excused himself to the bathroom....well I really had to get home...I did have school the next day! So while he was in the loo I wrote my name and number on a napkin, stuck it in his coat pocket, and left....

The VERY NEXT DAY he called me (not typical for a guy). I was ecstatic! We set up a first date for that weekend, Sat night at his house. He lived with his folks but they would be away for the weekend, so he wanted t have me over for dinner and playing some pool...

I was SO excited, but also very nervous. I had never been on a date with someone I did not know. I told my best friend the address where I was going, his name, etc...basically in case I never returned she knew where I was headed (like he was an ax murder). The reason I was so scared was because here I was this 17 year old High School Senior, going to some Guys house who is clearly in his mid 20's. I mean what kind of a perv hooks up with a teenager? (My perv!)
Well when I arrived and knocked on the door, this sweet little old lady answers.....his MOM! They didn't go away after all....so my very first date ever with T was dinner with his parents...I guess it was meant to be.

I slept there that night, and we have spent almost every night together ever since that cold January night in 1995......

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I heard a great line at a wedding last week during the toast....."May today be the day that you love each other the least".

T ~ I love you more each day that we are blessed to have together.......