Thursday, September 11, 2014

10 Years and Counting...

10 Years ago today, J asked me on told me we were going on our first date.

Now here's the back story for those of you who don't know it yet...

August ??, 2004 I was hired by a bank in town (I had been working for another bank for 2 years in a nearby town) and a few days later I went to the local Wal-Mart branch of the new bank to open my account. The male teller (J) opened my account for me. Now, while there was nothing overly special about this guy as far as appearance goes (a bit too skinny for my usual liking), he was nice.
The following week, I started my new job and resumed night classes at the local university. J was in a couple of my classes, as we were both Business Management majors. He tried showing off a few times of the next couple of weeks, but I didn't pay him much attention. But our co-worker Amy had different ideas...she thought J needed a date and the new girl at work seemed like just the right girl.

So she fired up her matchmaking skills, and on Saturday, September 11, 2004, while we were working a shift together at the bank, J gained up some nerve was told to just take a risk and ask me out. So while I was at lunch, he left a note on my computer that read; "We are going to that concert together tonight." (I already had plans to take myself to a close by town for a southern gospel concert of a group that I loved)
When I got back from lunch, he was already gone and taking his own lunch break, I found the note and started laughing. Amy chuckled too and we decided a date with J would be just what I needed.

After work, we each went home, changed and he picked me up. We attended the concert (he sang to me while we were there), ate dinner and then spent the rest of the night (until about 1:00 AM) talking about just about everything. Over the next few days, we saw each other as often as possible with church, work and school....

Fast forward 5 days (yes, you are reading this correctly) and J called me before work. We were scheduled for the same shift at the same branch that day and he was going to stop by my apartment and pick me up for work. Well, what happened next was the real surprise...when he got to my place, he PURPOSED!!! He had went and bought the ring that morning and decided I was the one...and more surprisingly, I said yes!
Now, I should mention here, that only a few people even knew we were dating and we hadn't really told people from work; but that all changed very quickly on that Thursday morning!

His parents thought he was crazy and hung up on him. My mom laughed and my dad told me to make sure I didn't start making him doubt my judgment over this. (My parents are clearly the laid back ones here) We met my mom and sister for dinner that night and picked a date, June 11, 2005. My mom informed she was NOT paying for Tulips in June (and since she owned a flower shop and was clearly paying for and designing the flowers, I had to listen) so we picked a new date, March 12, 2005. (J was mortified that I moved the wedding date for a flower. He clearly had NO idea just how stubborn I could be and clearly didn't realize the extent of which I had dreamed of tulips for my wedding and just how much I basically detest roses for myself (not as a flower in general).)

March 12, 2005 rolled around, we got married and then we started our Happily Ever After.......

9 1/2 Years of marriage later and we have accomplished and been through so much together.

Would I have liked a lot of it to have been easier...Yes
Would I go back and change any of it...No
It has been hard, trying, scary, and down right horrible at times, but the bad has never out weighed the good and with our continued faith that God will take care of everything; we will make it 10 more.

Happy First Date-aversary J. I love you!!!

MommyShelle