Anniversary

Today just so happens to be Friday the 13th. Today also just so happens to be 8 months (and a day) until our wedding. On top of all that madness, today is our three year anniversary. I'm gonna sound like an old fart right now and go with the expression that "time really does fly".

Three years and a day ago I was single. Alone. Not sure what I was going to do with myself. I had pretty recently just gotten out of a not-serious relationship and was still working as a Page making eight dollars an hour. I had just moved home from my first apartment because I couldn't make the rent anymore. Life was in a slump.

But then on a very cold and rainy Saturday night (the first day it rained in something like 4 months) I went to a little Italian restaurant with my best friend Cassie, her family, her boyfriend John (now husband) and her boyfriends brother (my Mike). It was after a wedding. I had gotten my hair done, had a dress and heels on and I. Looked. HOT!

I had met Mike a few times before. When I moved into my very first apartment Mike came over and helped and commented on how many shoes I had (he appreciated the DQ shoes the most), and how dirty my room was. Um, hello. I had just moved in. Like hours before he got there. I didn't think much about him. I was in a relationship at the time, and he was dating some people. That didn't keep my eyes from wandering over to his long blond hair that almost covered his eyes, and his bright baby blue eyes.

But on that cold March night, I started to notice. Not only the eyes, and the hair, but the infectious laugh. His love of life, of family and skateboarding. He had been in the cold rain all day but still was happy to be at dinner, watching me down glass after glass of Merlot. I was nervous. I felt something that wasn't there in my previous relationships, and I knew this guy for all of ten seconds. I shook my head at the thought. It must have been the red wine, I thought, It was making me fuzzy.

We blocked ourselves off from the other 5 people we were with. We talked alone. For hours. We didn't want the night to end. But the restaurant closed, and when I stood up to put my coat on and head out the door I realized there would be no way I could drive home. He offered to drive me back to my old apartment, where Cassie still lived. I remember him driving fast, really fast through the pouring rain. When we arrived we sat under a covered deck for hours, talking and drinking more wine. Every time he smiled at me, or laughed at my joke or we accidentally brushed my hand I blushed. God, I must have been sooooo obvious. But it was time to go. And that's what he did people... he just went. He said goodbye, but that was it. Didn't ask for my number or a date. He was gorgeous, I was available, but nothin.


The weekend ended. I hadn't heard anything from him. Monday rolled around. Another tedious work day. I was fighting my way through traffic on the 10. My phone rang. It was a number I didn't know. I reluctantly answered. It was him. He wanted to go out...that night! I agreed. We met in Tempe, a five minute drive for me, a 45 minute drive for him. We saw a movie. I wore my hideous green Aeropostle sweatshirt, my sexy jeans and GREEN tennis shoes. Yeah. What in the balls what I thinking? We had great time regardless of my yucky fashion no-no. As the date ended we made a plan to see each other on his side of town three days later.

The rest is history. That date to the movie was three years ago today. Ups and downs, four apartments later and a little puppy dog added to the mix, here we are. Eight months away from the biggest day of our lives. More in love everyday and feeling good about our future.

Happy Anniversary to Michael. I love you.