Sunday, January 27, 2013

BAJL Day 27: So, This Is Love.

             Today I am going to blog about my wonderful wife and tell the story of how we met. Our first meeting was in  the summer of 2003. We were both at a church summer camp at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. I had a very creepy roommate during the time I was up there, he was a juggalo and practiced witchcraft. He may be the creepiest, stinkiest, weirdest human being I have ever met. You know what? He is! So my wife, Alex, was also in our group and at night we would escort the ladies in our group to dinner. My creepy roommate was about to escort her when I stepped in and saved her. Granted, I wasn't much better than creepy guy at this point in my life. I had long, greasy hair, wore spikey belts and wrist bands, had serious acne issues, and probably smelled like the inside of an open sewer. Alex was so happy not to have to go with the creeper that night. We started talking and discovered that we both really enjoyed the same classic SNL sketches. I spent the remainder of the night doing impressions for her (I thought that would somehow get me ladies. What a loser!). After that night we continued to talk when we were in group situations and I got her phone number before we left.
              We began talking on a fairly frequent basis until I found out something that at the time was very scandalous. At this time I was 17 and she was 14. I assumed she was at least 16 as she was in our group. What had actually happened was that there were no more spots in the 14-15 year old girl group so her dad filled out her application as a 16 year old boy. He thought that once she got there they would have to fix the mistake and just stick her in the 14-15 girl group. Instead, they stuck her in the 16-17 girl group. Don't worry folks, to catch a predator is not involved in this story! I was pretty upset that she had omitted to tell me this. So we stopped talking for a while. Over the next several years we kept in touch sporadically and became good friends. That all ended in 2006.
              At this point I was living in Mesa and she was living in Idaho. We started talking everyday, I had just gotten out of a long term relationship and she was dealing with being far away from all her friends and family. We would just talk about what was going on in our lives and give each other advice on what to do. Over a period of months I began to develop feelings for her. She was unlike any girl I had ever met. She made me feel more comfortable than I even felt when alone. There was something indescribable about her. I didn't know what to do or how to tell her. In 2007 she came out to Arizona to visit family and we went on our first date. We went to the movies, I don't remember much of the movie because there was a woman sitting next to us who brought her infant to the theatre and was breastfeeding him throughout most of the film. (Side tangent: I know it is natural and blah blah blah but NO ONE, especially me wants to see anybody breastfeeding their child! Yuck!)
             Besides the breastfeeding the date went well and we decided that we wanted to try a relationship, even though it would be very long distance with her living in Orange County (Buena Park to be specific) and me living in Arizona. This is probably the best decision I have ever made. The next two years were very rough for us as we struggled with our inability to see each other on a regular basis like a normal couple. We beat the odds however, by staying together, and moved in together in 2009.
            Our first place was in Huntington Beach renting a room in a house with two brothers. Just so you know how uncomfortable this place was, we found the listing on craigslist, you know the kind of weirdos that post on their. I'm  surprised we weren't chopped up or raped while living their. I do, however, miss living in a beach community. The nights were always cool, it was close to my job (within walking distance), and we could get to the beach in about ten minutes. But, as bad luck would have it we have moved farther and farther away from the coast over the past three years. We currently live in Anaheim ( or Ana-crime, as I like to call it), were just recently married, and are expecting a baby boy in April.
            It is crazy to look back on that day almost a decade ago when we first met. It is even crazier to think about how we made it for two whole years in a long distance relationship. Alex is the best thing that has ever happened to me. She makes me want to be a better person and accepts me for the huge dork that I am. She is my best friend, my biggest cheerleader, and the only person who has ever made me feel like I can do anything. For me, that is what love is. Plus, she likes Star Wars, Disney, Lord of the Rings, and can have a conversation with me using movie quotes. How awesome is that?
                                                               Our first trip to Disneyland

                                                         Disneyland after we got married

4 comments:

  1. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this! You two are so cute together and will be the BEST parents! Thanks for sharing that sweet and funny story of how you met! I can just imagine creepy boy as I know some people like that! :) I bet she's SO glad you walked her home that night. Cute pictures, too!

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    1. Thank you Lana! I know Alex will be an amazing mother but I am terrified of being a terrible dad.

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  2. I loved this post, it made me cry because I too married my best friend even when I want to kill him he is still my #1! And because you worry about being a terrible dad means you will be a terrific one! Love ya!

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  3. I love you both so much! I am so glad you have each other, because you are perfect in every way. I am so happy you are starting a happy little family. You will be such amazing parents and I can't wait to be an aunt!! XO

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