The Anniversary of Meeting My Husband

December 31, 1987 - My 21st Birthday and the night we got engaged.

Wednesday, February 21, was the anniversary of meeting my husband. We met on a blind date in 1983. In many ways it is one of my favorite dates. It was a turning point in my life, though I could not have known it at that time.

I had been a very outgoing student who was ultra-involved in school. It was the spring of my senior year and I had just broken up with the creep of a boyfriend I had that had the nerve to stand me up on Valentine's day. My husband was the tall, quiet guy behind the camera at a rival school. Though we seemed unlikely at the time, we make a great pair.

As I said, we met on a blind date. We had the day off from school. My friend and I were going to the top of a local mountain to fly kites. Since we were going in her convertible I did not do my usual, elaborate routine of getting ready. Instead, I wore plain grey sweats and tied my hair up. This was such a contrast to who I had been then. I usually worn dresses or skirts, often with a petticoat underneath it. I had high heeled cowboy boots with a delicate, lacy cut brass tip on the end of each boot toe. I matched everything I worn, my clothes, my hair adornment, my make-up and my nail polish. When I got in the car she informed me that Shawn was going along with us. Then, as we pulled up to his house, she informed me that I was to have a date, too. "Fine" I thought, still feeling a bit grumpy about the recent lack of romance. I would humor them. I didn't really care that I looked a bit like a slob. I was not in the market for romance. I was going to be boy free for a while. When we entered Shawn's house I saw a tall, thin blonde guy helping Shawn's mother with something. My attitude changed. The date was fun. I was twitterpated. He was so different from so many of the guys I had dated. He was quiet, shy, thoughtful. So many guys who I dated had an over inflated idea of their worth. As we were dropping the boys off he kissed the top of my hand and said he hoped to see me again. That was it, I was hooked that quickly. It took him a few days to get the guts up to call me. I had thought he was not interested. We continued to date. We were engaged to marry on my 21st birthday and married a few years later. We were both in college and would lose our scholarships if we married before we graduated. It was hard to have a multi-year engagement, but worth it. We even spent a year apart, writing letters (no email then - and actually I am thankful for that. I love the letters I have.) I am thankful for the day I met him. My husband is a person of integrity, honest and passion. Over they years we have both changed dramatically. I am no longer a high maintenance girl. I am more natural. I traded my high heeled cowboy boots for Birkenstocks and my petticoats with skirts for gauze skirts. My husband went from quiet and shy to intense and outgoing. Thankfully, we have been able to grow together, instead of apart. How lucky can a girl be?!