Our Story: Five Years in the Making

Today marks the 5 year anniversary of being an official, exclusive couple. So I don't forget any more details, I thought I would share our full story. Enjoy!

Joseph and I met officially in November of 2001. I don't have much memory of this, only blurry scenes. It was region band auditions, how cool are we, and I decided to ride the bust with the high schoolers, as opposed to ride with my mom. Joe says he remembers me at this point. "You were wearing glasses " he says. We didn't speak until after my auditions. I was very focused on my playing and goal of first chair, which I achieved. After my audition, I do remember the HCHS trumpet guy, coming up and asking me how it went. I think I tried to act all cool, and just said "oh...fine", not wanting to show my excitement of the attention I had received. So, that is a recount of our real first meeting, if you would have told me then. A year and a half later, we met again, on the first day of school, at the pep rally. I think Joe was irritated with me, I couldn't play my part, and I had quite the reputation. Joe was even afraid I was going to take his chair...that never happened. Joe is a fairly personable guy, so it didn't take long before we were fairly good "band friends". We didn't really get to know each other until the band trip to Winter Park, Colorado. Shortly before this, I had begun praying for Joe regularly in my journal. I new he came from a christian family, and I would always correct him when a curse word would slip etc. I so wanted him to be the man at HCHS he was supposed to be. Something deep inside of me was drawn to me. I did't know why, but going through those prayer journals one year later would absolutely solidify my feelings for Joe. Nothing really happened with our relationship until the next fall. In september the guy I had been causally dating, ended things. This would send me into a time of heartache, but also a time of growth. Some of my darkest days ever, were during this time. I don't usually talk about this part of our, my story often, but it is significant. I was in a Jazz Band class with Joe and that would be the catalyst for the huge growth that occurred in our friendship between August and March. Joe saw me at my absolute worst and was still my friend. This could only be said of maybe four people. Our interest, romantically, in eachother started at a high school football game. I was standing on the track with the band, and Joe was just exiting the field in his cute little football uniform. We just happened to make eye contact, and Joe winked the cutest, most sincere wink EVER. I was caught way off guard. I had butterflies in my stomach for the first time in a while, I found myself really shocked at my own reaction. I was still caught up in my heart ache, and never even considered Joe as anything but my friend. Joe, playing war in CO at the age of 17, speaking in weird accents, funny Joe. I remember my mom totally blowing it off, she said something to the effect of 'oh he was just all riled up from playing', none the less, my interest began to surface. The spring semester would bring much desired relief and plain happiness. Our friendship continued to grow, and Solo and Ensemble would be Joe's excuse for offering to drive me somewhere for the first time. He did this lots before we started dating, you people think I made the first move... I didn't. Things changed drastically when we went to Disneyworld. Disneyworld changed everything, if you will. We were pretty much inseparable, where I was, Joe was and visa versa. He would even just put his arm around me randomly, I couldn't get enough. At this point, I hit my knees. I had been in the wrong relationship before, and I so wanted to do God's will in this situation. It became more and more evident that Joe was romantically interested, driving me home etc. but he was going to have to go summer school, I thought that was my answer. I was wrong. Joe had become my best friend, and he had a plan in mind. The week of the musical, Singing in the Rain, he invited me over. This is probably one of my funniest stories. Joe had to change for the musical, so I was sitting downstairs in the front room of the couch, when I hear a car drive up. I was freaking out, I had never met Joe's dad before, and I knew an awkward interaction was about to occur. The door opened, and Jim began walking into the house, apparently I turned my head really quickly and said "You don't know me...." and that's all Jim heard. He proceeded to back out of the door. I guess he figured I wasn't going to murder him or something, and came in and asked if Joe was here. I'm sure I was some bright shade of red, barely getting out 'um yeah, up stairs'. Jim loves this story, he was really creeped out, woops. Joe asked me to prom the next day, with the sweetest bouquet of flowers, that his mother bought I believe, and a card. Friday, he took me home so I could change, and asked me to be his girlfriend, while watching Swiss Family Robinson on April 22, 2005. Whew, that was long, sorry. Of course the month that followed went all to fast, and before we knew it we were in a long distance relationship. Of course, memories from 'the beginning' fill my head: watching the Love Bug, and having Terry come in and tell us to turn the light on in the family room, our first kiss while finishing the love bug, our first dinner with just my parents at Skeeters, Jim not letting us share a blanket, camping with the Weinbergers with Terry sleeping in between us, Joe telling me he loved me and apparently I didn't hear him, three plus hour phone calls daily... I could go on and on. We got serious really fast, but I don't think we had a choice. We knew what we wanted out of the relationship. There were some really hard, hard times. Times when we both thought we wouldn't make it, but we just stuck through it, for whatever reason. I knew when I moved to College Station, the real test would come. What if we hated eachother? Obviously, we didn't. Our relationship really began to grow at this point, and it didn't take long for marriage plans to start being discussed. We knew when we wanted to get married, and I even reserved the church before we were engaged. Finally, on December 16, 2008 he asked me. So, here we are. The first, almost four months of marriage has really been fantastic. It is so much more than I could have ever hoped for.

Here are some pictures from our journey thus far.

April '04: This is the first picture we ever took together. We had been stuck on a ski lift together in a blizzard for over an hour.

Disney World, Spring Break '05. This picture cracks me up. We were not dating, so why are we standing there cuddled up. I didn't start it.

In every picture from this trip we are next to eachother. Later Joe told me that when ever we would pose for a pic. he would make sure he was next to me...aww.

Again.

A lot happened in between this pics. but this is April 23, 2005 after the Musical.

Joe's senior prom.

Joe's HS graduation.

My Junior prom.

Joe's first trip to LV, July '06

This game changed my life. Really.

My Senior prom.

My HS graduation.

Jump way ahead to one of my favorite days, December 16, 2008

Joe's Fighten' Texas Aggie Ring Day! WH09P!

One of our many engagement pics.

The most wonderful day of our lives. January 2, 2010.

Easter '10 at Aunt Karens.