An Unlikey Love Story. Happiest Ending Ever. (subtitled - damn I'm lucky!)

(a celebratory post, marking my 13th wedding anniversary - I have always wanted to write up a "how we met" post, but never actually gotten around to doing it...)

A little more than 14 years ago, I was still unsure as to where, exactly, life was going to take me.

Just a few years prior to that, I had gone through a pretty ugly (although uncomplicated - the ugly was entirely due to hurt feelings and bruised egos) divorce. Being the giant chicken that I was at the time, instead of facing my friends and family, most of whom did NOT understand my reasons for leaving, I ran. I ran to Illinois, where I'd done my last year of school, and where I'd remembered who I was again. It made sense to me to start fresh here. It was far enough away, but still close enough to Minnesota.

After settling in and finding a job, I picked out my "rebound guy." We dated, but it was a strange relationship. We never really gelled. He liked to push my buttons. We fought an insane amount. It grew old after a time, but neither of us was willing to call a spade a spade and move on to something better.

It was September of 1997. I got drug out with the rebound guy to a local Fall festival. We were working the beer tent with his sister and brother in law. I positioned myself at the tap next to his sister (which HAPPENED to be as far from rebound guy as possible) and started pouring hard cider and laughing and joking with people. It was a lot of fun.

Before long, 2 crazy (and obviously intoxicated) guys began running up to my line, cups in each hand. They were smiley and silly, one would ask me a question, and the other would declare that, "enough!" and drag him back away. Then they'd reappear again, louder than before. It was only a little obnoxious - more funny and flattering. He asked my name. Later he asked for my number. I politely declined, pointing out my "boyfriend." RG's sister was laughing too.

When my shift was up and we were cleaning up, he found me again and handed me his business card, saying, "You won't give me YOUR number, but I can give you mine." I took it, laughing and shaking my head. He was cute. And funny. I stuck his card in my pocket.

The next day, RG was heading to a wedding with a friend. A girl. Not me. I knew where this was going. I headed to the Bears vs. Vikings game with friends (who were bound and determined to find me a NEW guy). They were obnoxious while we tailgated, but it was hilarious. The game was a great time - it was a noon game, so I got back to my apartment rather early. I was still steamed at RG's whole "wedding with a friend" thing (seriously, who does that?) and fueled by the beers of the day, I drunk-dialed John. I left some rambling ridiculous message on his answering machine, but not my number. (I am WAY smart, yo.)

Monday after work, I was frankly embarrassed. I couldn't remember exactly what I'd said on John's machine. So I used that as an excuse to call him to apologize. We talked for a long time. We totally clicked.

A couple days later, I called it off with RG. He was not happy. In retrospect, I'm not sure why he put up such a fuss, since he ended up marrying wedding chick (who is way cool, and a much better fit for him than I ever was) but whatever. I had my first official date with John (yes there may have been unofficial dates first. we don't need to go there. this is a PG blog and I already established that I was LESS than smart).

I called my mom and told her I was going to marry him.

I heard her rolling her eyes at me through the phone.

The following May, we went out to dinner. During dinner, he stuck a jewelry box on the table and pushed it towards me. We were flat out broke, and I was confused. I kept asking him, "What's that??"

He kept telling me to open it.

When I did, I found the most perfectly beautiful ring I'd ever seen. That I'd had absolutely nothing to do with just made it even more special. I still consider it the best present I ever received. He asked me to marry him, and of course I said yes. Dinner was on the house, along with a bottle of bubbly. Best day ever.

It was John's first marriage, so I let him choose the logistics. We got married in Vegas and used the money we'd saved on a huge wedding to buy a new to us house. We closed in June, lived in sin for a few months, and got married in September. Somehow we found the money to swing a package deal and honeymooned in Maui. Which, for the record, is still the most beautiful place I've ever been. I can't wait to go back some day.

Throughout everything in our lives, he remains my rock. He is my best friend. My partner in crime. The one person I can ALWAYS count on. He supports every hair brained scheme I can come up with. He is my biggest fan. He is an amazing father, and has never once looked at any houshold chore as "not a man's job."

We are a team.

I am blessed to have him in my life. I am blessed that he ran up to my beer line that day (an aside, I am STILL "beer chick" in our football pool). I can't imagine anyone better by my side.

So. Lucky.