Five Years

It is hard to believe it has been five years since I waved at the guy looking at me across the bar and much to my surprise he walked over. That night instead of offering to buy me a drink he offered me water, thankfully my friend pushed me to give him my phone number and invite him back to line dance with us on Thursday.

 Two days later my best friend called me out for dressing up when I knew he was meeting us out. Exactly eight days later, after dragging him to all sorts of little outings with me and my 6 best friends (and getting their complete approval) I knew I would marry that man. We had had our first kiss earlier and spent four hours standing next to his truck talking about any and everything, and hoping for another kiss.

 Our relationship was a whirlwind, in two weeks we went from being total strangers to meant to be together. We spent most of our time together hanging out with the "Nyoh's Group" but I still vividly remember our first "just us" date. We went put putting and would have been tied except the course was not fully repaired for summer and Jim was able to knock a stroke off by taking advantage of a broken net. He quickly met my best friend Erin and my parents and sister during a trip to visit me in Columbus. We went to weddings together and were already discussing what ours would be like by August.

 Much to my surprise after just four months together Jim was planning a trip to take me home to Chicago to meet his mom and sister. We spent a wonderful weekend going to a to the Shed Aquarium, checking out down town Chicago, and hanging out with his family, and I got the opportunity to meet his Grandpa Bop and Grandma Sweetheart. (This was also the time I realized that Jim was the male cheerleader I had my eye on from my HIMS 500 class winter quarter freshman year.)

We then had our first holiday season and Jim got to meet my very large extended family.

 Then it was down to business and finishing school for both of us. We spent so much of our time together in Ohio studying and eating Chinese food. During that time I learned that Jim was a very talented omelet maker (I can barely fry and egg with out turning it into scrambled eggs). Jim promised me that in 50 years he would still be making me omelets, so I put in my order for a ham and cheese omelet 50 years in advance (I saved the order ticket he wrote it down on too, just to remind him).

 After my graduation and Jim finished paramedic school we made a giant leap and moved 12 hours away from everyone we knew and loved so Jim could be a full time firefighter. There were a lot of people that doubted us and it was a roller coaster. Getting to know new people, Jim's hectic schedule, me trying to find a job, sharing an apartment.

 But just like everything else we made it through and can look back and smile at how trivial some of those fights were. Shortly after we got engaged and little did we know a wedding would be even more stressful than recruit school. :)

 On the day we got married I remember thinking back to the other brides I had seen have a last minute freak out just before walking down the aisle. Patiently I waited for that moment when I would share those feelings but it never came. My work was done and I was finally going to be Jim's wife, that pastor (Jim's cousin) couldn't talk fast enough for me.

 It is a strange feeling to be with someone and feel like your relationship is still brand new but at the same time be unable to remember your life before them. I have been so blessed to have met someone who shares so many of the same hobbies, values, and opinions. I am so looking forward to the years to come and 45 years of omelets.