Eleven Years Ago

It doesn't seem like a big number. Its one plus ten. Its one more than the number of fingers and toes. It never seemed like a special number, until now.

Eleven years ago, almost to the day, I met a young blue eyed boy through a mutual friend. I was a freshman in high school. I was freckle faced and metal mouthed. I was shy and unsure. I was ready for new life and ready to jump into life full force. I was fourteen! Three weeks later I went on a group outing with that blue eyed boy, to Hooters of all places.

We're not perfect and neither is our relationship, but its ours and we work hard to have it and we love each other unconditionally for the time, effort, sweat and tears that have gone into US. For 13 months out of that eleven years I didn't have Dave by my side. I lived a completely different life and learned a lot during those 13 months. I learned that you don't know what you have until its gone. I learned that you don't always get second chances, so when you do be VERY grateful for them. I learned that true love never dies and can't be hidden or tossed away. I learned that forgiveness is one of the most precious things God allowed us to do and I'm thankful beyond words for that. Not everyone knows that part of my marriage/relationship, because I don't share it often. But sometimes life seems perfect when looking in from the outside and I want to make sure that I'm real and I'm not perfect and neither is my life.

Its been a wild ride and though there have been some trials and tribulations we have loved every minute of it. We were young, we were dumb, but oh my, we were in love! I thank God daily for making that shy blue eyed boy my husband.

We've been through cancer, surgeries, broken hearts, failed classes, losing loved ones, English homework, driver's license exams, college baseball games, bar fights, proms, fishing trips, graduations, new cars, building houses, engagements, new puppies, and tying the knot. I couldn't think of anyone else in this entire world I would have rather shared those memories with, the good and the bad.

Eleven years ago I was taking daily and extremely long bathroom breaks from Mrs. Cable's English class to meet my sweetheart in the hall for a kiss.

Eleven years ago I was crying in my room because my Dad wasn't going to let me go to prom with a 'senior' boy!

Eleven years ago I was smitten and hooked on the boy who gave me butterflies in my stomach by just glancing my way.

Eleven years ago I told my Mom I had met the man I would marry, but ensured her it would be many many years before I did so.

Eleven years later, I'm sitting here, in OUR home, with OUR puppy, totally loving and enjoying every minute of OUR life that WE made TOGETHER. And I can't wait for what is yet to come.

Its funny how things work out in the end. Its funny that my Mom got to tell me, "You were right" on my wedding day. I love her for being protective over me and I love her even more for trusting me at such a young age to learn to love and grow in love with the man I now call my husband.

I hear often that teenagers are not capable of finding true love. I have a lot to say about that, but I wont. I don't have to. I know the truth, because I've lived it and I get to live it every day.

So, now that I've been insanely mushy and completely lovey dovey with this post there is only one thing left to say.
Happy Friday! :)