10 Years Later

So July is a special month for me. Not only is it my birthday month (ummm...helllo?!?! If you know me, then you know that's a big deal to me!) but it's also the month that my husband and I met... this year marks 10 years that we've been together. Who would've know that this is where we would be 10 years later...this place we call life.

It's beautiful, isn't it??

10 years ago, I was working at TGIFridays on July 1st. Ron and his 2 friends showed up. They usually sat at the bar, but it was crowded so they had to get a table. No, it wasn't in my section. But the were right next to the kitchen, so I had to walk by them every time I was coming and going. Well, apparently, I was "staring" at him every time I walked by. I mean, I guess I believe that because I am pretty obvious with my feelings in general, so I'm sure it's no different when I see a cute guy. haha.

My friend was working the section and she knew the guys so she pulled me over to meet them. But then they all got up and left. Oh well. Another table of cute guys come and gone. Nothing new.  Then one of them came back in. He asked for my number for Ron. haha. So lame. As a waitress, I never gave out my number, but for some reason, I did this time. I even told KiKi that (that's who came back in to get my number for Ron)... I even said something to the effect that it was lame that Ron didn't come in and ask himself, but whatever. I'll give it anyway.

That was the 1st.

***correction from my husband after he read this post -  ha!

"hey... the story is..... You kept staring at me every time you walked by... Kiki and Mario noticed this. They told me to get your number, but I told them it was a lame idea. Kiki took it upon himself to get the number for me.. I never actually asked him to do it. They figured that someone who would stare that hard had to be interested. .lol. If it weren't for him, who knows were we would be at this point in life."

He called on the 3rd.  He was at work. When I learned that he was a firefighter, but heart got even more excited. haha. Men in uniforms. They always do it, don't they?

Our first date was on the 5th.

We went to dinner to Chili's. Then he invited me to go bowling with his friends afterwards. That was pretty quick to introduce me to his friends, but I went with it.

He worked on the 6th.

Our next date was on the 7th.  That was our first kiss too.  So weird that I know this still, right?

Then, on my birthday, the 29th, that was our first "I Love You." Yep. I remember the whole scene like it just happened.

We moved pretty fast. But it was 3 years later that we got married...so that wasn't fast, was it!? haha!

But 10 years later from our first day...and this is where we are.

We have "our" house, we've traveled, renovated, been through a rollercoaster of events in life... and have three beautiful, silly girls.  He is such a great father to these girls. I can't even capture the moments. He loves them like a father should. He plays with them, he coddles them when they are hurt, he disciplines them....now if only he would get on board with my need for routines and a clean room! haha! He's getting there...lol.

He has really just made my heart explode with how he has helped make my house dreams come true. He didn't really need a pool, but that has been my only wish to do to this house... well, not really. The kitchen and floors and more I guess. lol.   But he has been working so hard making my dreams come to life.

The kitchen... (click {HERE} if you want to see before and after photos!)

and the backyard...which he's still working on!  He has put up the fence, laid sod, now he's doing the planters areas (and we're still not finished with the kitchen or the floors!)

Being together this long isn't easy.  A relationship is not a walk in the park. There are ups and downs, but in the end, it just comes down to how much you are willing to work to make it work.

Here is a picture of us a year after we met. I can't seem to find any of our first year. That's what you get when there wasn't social media back then, I guess! ha!

Look at us...so young and in love.   I'd like to think I haven't changed a bit...and Ron agrees, with some eye rolling. haha!

When we got married, we had a wedding party when we got back (we "eloped" to Jamaica) and of course we had to have Kiki and Mario there! (they are the 2 in the middle)