We always seem to get asked how we met and how long we've been together. The most frequently asked questions when you're meeting and making new friends. I'd like to say out story is like a romance movie, and in many ways it is, but not everything has fallen into place or been perfect for us in the 13 years we've known each other and been a part of each other's lives.
We met when we were both 15 at a YMCA sponsored teen leadership program. We rode the same van to the little college in Pennsylvania, where we spent a week getting to know each other and following each other around like love sick teenagers. If you've never met James, he has the charisma about him that everyone loves and adores. He's not necessarily intending to flirt, but he is quite charmer. And his smile just lights up his entire face. When he smiles your heart can't help but race. We spent a wonderful 6 months together, before the distance got to be too much. He lived an hour away from me and let's face it, at a time when cell phones were not economical at all, and when you're relying on your parents for you main transportation, trying to keep up a long distance relationship was hard. However, we remained very close, talking frequently online and getting together when we were in the same area.
In the summer of 1999, we went to Australia where we spent 3 weeks traveling together as part of a group of high school students with People to People. At that time we were both 16 and able to drive to see each other, so we thought we would make another go of it. Upon arriving back from the trip, I learned that my family would be moving to Texas in December. We were both heartbroken, but made the best of the remaining 4 months we had together. I officially moved January 23rd of 2000 and James and I decided that we'd stay in touch and see how things paned out over the next few years of our lives.
In 2001, I came to visit James in Delaware and despite the 2 years apart, it was as if nothing had changed between us. We briefly joked about marriage before realizing that although we wanted to be together, I wanted to finish college and he wasn't ready for that kind of commitment at such a young age.
Over the course of the next 5 years, James and I spoke often. Offering advice on relationships, friendships, life, careers, and lending support in rough times. In December of 2005 however, we stopped talking for about 5 months because I needed my space to work on some personal issues I was having. It was a very rough time in my life, full of adjusting to post college and married life to my first husband. Truth be told, it was a time I needed my best friend, but felt the way our past had worked needed to be left out. After 5 months, I'd had enough and it was like a weight had been lifted off my chest to be able to talk to James again.
In 2007, my marriage ended, and I moved back to Delaware. I truly missed the area and it was where some of my best friends still resided. James and I reconnected and eventually moved in together. In September 2008, we bought our first home and in October of that year he asked me to marry him.
I would be lying if I said that things are always great and we never fight, but we are both passionate people and we are both very opinionated, so fights are frequent, but we love each other and grow more and more in love with each other everyday.
So here we are, over 13 years after meeting. Finally, getting married this year, really trying to get a family started (more on that another time) and excited for what the future holds for us.
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