Where it all began.

I can still remember the day we met like it was yesterday. We had been talking online and on the phone, thanks to a mutual friend who thought we'd like each other. I remember the nervousness in his mannerisms. We decided to go out and see a local band called Wax On Radio play, and he was going to pick me up. My best friend Erin also liked the band, so I made her come with. I was too nervous to meet him on my own. He was shy, quiet, and anxious. I was peaceful. "I have a friend Mikey that we can meet up with before the show", he said. Erin grilled him, like the usual best friend would. "I was nervous that you'd be a serial killer", she said, playfully. This made him even more nervous. When we arrived in DeKalb, we met up with Mikey just as we had planned. We also met up with a friend of mine who also happened to go to Northern Illinois University. I can still feel the crisp fall weather, as if I were standing in it now. Leaves were on the ground, it was cool enough for a light jacket, in early to mid October of 2006. Looking back, I would have never guessed this boy would one day become my husband. He was incredibly gentle, kind, and sweet. Not the typical boy I was used to at 19 years old. We were young, drinking any alcohol that we were able to get from those who are of age. Being as tiny as I was, the alcohol hit me quickly. We arrived at the show, and I remember going to the bathroom with Erin. "What do you think of him?", I said, waiting for her approval. I can still see him sitting in the chair toward the back of the room as I walked out of the bathroom. I will never forget the way he looked at me, because nobody has ever looked at me like that before. I walked straight across the room and sat on his lap, more confident due to the alcohol. I don't think we paid much attention to the band playing that night. We were all over one another, making out like junior high school kids. After the show, we went to McDonald's and then we decided we were going to stay in DeKalb over night because we had been drinking. Erin stayed with our other best friend Brittany who was attending school there. I don't know why Brittany wasn't also out with us this night. I decided to stay with Brad and his friend. We slept on his cold dorm room floor, snuggled up, kissing all night. Mikey's roommate repetitively told us to be quiet, "you guys kiss so loud!" We were so young, neither one of us knew what to expect out of this night, we just wanted it to last forever. I truly believe it's possible to kiss somebody, even for the first time, and know that you could really love them. I remember feeling that and it scared me. His band played a Halloween show that year. He dressed up as a penquin and I was a lady bug. There were over a dozen people in the room and the only one he noticed was me. The way that he looked at me was every girls dream. The guy on stage, playing his guitar, eyes locked on you. We dated for about a month or two that year, getting to know one another. We weren't ready for the type of relationship that was going to come of us being together. When you're 19, it's more important to do whatever your friends are doing, whatever party they're going to. We didn't know who we were or who we wanted to be. It's amazing what you can remember when all you have left are memories. I love you was never specifically said by either of us, but I remember feeling it. Have you ever just known that someone loves you? That's how I felt every day since I met him. Even when we weren't together, I knew he would always love me. I knew that this boy was in this world, and I knew that we could really be something incredible. It just wasn't quite our time yet...