Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Ah, Mid-February...

When my thoughts turn to love! NO, not because of Valentine's day. We really don't celebrate it. But because, around this time nine years ago, I happened to get pretty close to an awesome guy named Brian.

We met at work as I was being given a tour by my new boss, who was showing me around the parts department. I was single, twenty, and had decided to stop dating for a while. But because I was twenty, I still approached all circumstances with a critical eye to the male population in the room... "is there anyone here I would ever go out with?" And the workplace was no exception. Because what would work be for, other than finding me a guy to spend time with? Oh, the brilliant work ethic of a 20 year old girl. Anyway. When I met Brian in the parts department, I thought to myself, "huh, that parts guy is the ONLY guy in this whole dealership I'd consider going out with!" You can guess I was pretty full of myself in those days, obviously not taking into consideration if a guy would want to date ME.

Not too long after my grand tour, I was hanging out at the service desk with my co-worker Jean (who was awesome. She was my manager down the line at another dealership and we kind of fell out, but she was awesome and I would love to get back in touch with her.) Brian, the date-able guy from parts, came up to talk to us. Jean said, "Oh, that's Brian. You won't like him. He's an a-hole." I said, full of 20 year old bravado, and myself, "It's cool. He won't be an a-hole to me, 'cause if he is I'll kick his butt." Of course I didn't say butt, but ya know. Poor Brian. He was trying to come up there to talk to me because he thought I had beautiful, uh, eyes.

He said, "I'm not an a-hole! Hey, I heard you have some cool tattoos. Can I see 'em?" That's not exactly what he said, but it's close. It was more smooth than that, and at that moment, I thought, uh-oh... dating hiatus may come to an end. Over the next few weeks, we spent an inordinate amount of time together, with Brian leaving in the midst of conversations if I did, and with me wandering around parts making moony eyes at him. We pretended no one else could see what was going on, but everyone surely could. My mom could definitely tell. Once when I talked to her, and she asked what I was doing, and I casually said, "Oh, ya know, hanging out with that guy from work, Brian." She said, "Is he your boyfriend, or what?" Defensive, I said, "No! We're just good friends!" She commented on the obvious nature of our friendship, when everytime she talked to me I was hanging out with Brian.

Brian's favorite part of this story is when he tried to kiss me for the first time. We used to always hug goodbye, then talk some more, then hug some more, then talk some more, and then finally one of us would leave. We were going through this ritual when I noticed Brian leaning in. I thought, oh, how nice, another hug! It was late January/early February in Colorado, and COLD. So hugs are nice! I pulled him in close and put my head on his shoulder... realizing waaaay too late that he wasn't trying to hug me. Oh, no. He was going in for a kiss. Needless to say, he got out of there pretty quick and I felt like SUCH a loser. I really did have feelings for him then, and would have loved the kiss, but I blew it. The following night when we got together, I laid one on him, and told him I was sorry about missing his the night before. And pretty much from that point, we were together... although we still thought no one at work knew, and everyone did. Except the weirdo detail guy, who kept asking me out.

So, that has been around nine years ago. NINE years! That's about a third of my life. The BEST third of my life by far. We've shared ups and downs, good times and bad, two dogs, the death of one of those dogs, the loss of family, sickness and health, richer and poorer (although I can't quite pinpoint the richer), and the birth and life of our amazing son together. Twenty year old me definitely couldn't have seen this coming when she threatened to kick his butt, but Brian has been the best thing that has ever happened to me.

I know now that God gave him to me, for me, just as He gave me to Brian, for Brian. And how amazing a gift Brian is! He is a wonderful husband and an amazing father. It never ceases to warm my heart when I watch Brian with Gage. He is a hard worker and tireless provider for our little band of three. He does what needs to be done so I can stay home with our son and for that I will never cease being thankful. He turned around my wayward ways of spending and "forgetting" to pay my bills and helped me rebuild my credit. He made me want to be the person he saw in me.

The day we got married 3.5 years ago was one of the happiest of my life, when we said our vows and promised to love each other forever. I'd have done that even without those vows, but they meant everything to me.

I love you with all my heart, soul, and being, Brian. I am so blessed to not only have you as my husband, but as the father of our sweet little son. I can't imagine life without you, and I wouldn't want to. Happy nine year anniversary, whatever date it actually is.

4 comments:

  1. Actually, what I said was "Hey let me see your ink" as you were making copies back in the parts dept.

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  2. You apparently have a better memory than I do, Brian! In any case, it was a good conversation starter! :)

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  3. BTW, I love you lots too!!!! It's been a strange, long trip!!!!

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  4. Ooooh, yes it has! I wouldn't trade it for the world, our long strange trip. :)

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