It was in a corner booth at Applebees, 13 years ago on November 18, that I first met my husband. My expectations for the date were pretty low. I planned to meet him, a stranger, at a restaurant, have some awkward conversation, and then return home without getting murdered.
It was a blind date. I had never been on one before. I don't really know why I agreed to go. But I did. And despite the people who set us up showing up and joining us on the date and sitting in between us, my date(a former bartender) trying to order me(a teetotaler) a drink, and a car breaking down before the evening was over, we kind of hit it off. After the third date, despite holidays, final exams, and jobs, we saw each other every day and it was love.
Remember that feeling you get when you first start dating someone? Your stomach kind of gets nervous to see them, you can't wait to talk on the phone(what was texting?) and you spend all of your spare time trying to figure out ways to spend more time together. The months leading up to our engagement and wedding were constantly up and down, but mostly fun. We officially broke up twice, and an engagement ring may have been hurled across the room at one point. I blame the Ripped Fuel I was all hopped up on. But even with all the aches and pains and jitters that come with meeting future in laws, learning the weird habits of the other person, and being completely freaked out by how many options there are when picking out a tuxedo, we pressed on. A new life loomed ahead of us, filled with the prospect of wedding cake, new towels, and an all inclusive trip to Jamaica.
Fast forward to now. We have been married 11 1/2 years. We have 3 kids. And there are very few times where it is just us. Between work and rugrats and grocery shopping and all the things that take up a day, things can fall into a pattern. We had a date night a few weeks ago. All three kids spend the night at places other than our home. We ate dinner at a fancy steakhouse. And then, we were both asleep by 9:30. Right now, sleep is a hot commodity. And honestly, I miss the first date jitters. I think all girls do. The unknown possibility of a guy being your dream guy(or maybe a complete jerk) is kind of exciting. Various sources say the initial "butterflies" of a relationship only last about 18 months. After that, it's gone. But last night, I started thinking about our relationship. It has survived moves, babies, job changes, and a horrible haircut(I accidentally got a mullet. And he called Valerie, my favorite hairstress ever in another state and got me an appointment ASAP, to get it fixed). Last night, as I was washing bottles, I could hear Larry in the other room, putting the kids to bed. And although we were not spending the evening at a fancy restaurant eating carbs by candlelight, there is something very deep and touching about working side by side with a partner. Teamwork. I can't run a house by myself. Neither can he. But we agreed, on our wedding day, to be a team. And I can't imagine wanting to work side by side with anyone else.
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