as we approach our 10th wedding anniversary next month, i thought it would be fun to document our love story. enjoy...
The Beginning
(aka: stalking & catching your prey)
let me set the scene for you...summer of 2000.
a devilishly handsome boy racing motocross. his naturally dark brown hair has been bleached blond (not your best look, Jar). he is all muscle & tan skin - this is what a full summer of working hay does to a young man. i went to every single race that summer. not to watch jarrett, that was just an added bonus. i went because a) i love racing - still to this day, b) all my friends were going, & c) what else are you going to do on a sunday afternoon? working a part-time job that was not open on sundays, i had plenty of time to hang out with my friends & do absolutely nothing. so we went to wapella to the motocross track.
here's a little fun fact: i was video taping a race my friend stephen was in - and i very noticeably followed jarrett walking by with the camera. so when you watch the tape it is stephen riding & doing quite well in the race then cut to jarrett walking shirtless to the concession stand. one of my finer moments.
jarrett & i went to different high schools. our paths crossed
occasionally on the square in clinton. i met his younger brother kyle & contributed to the delinquency of a minor by purchasing him a pack of cigarettes (sorry vanessa). i remember very clearly, i spoke to jarrett a total of 4 times at the race track the entire summer. it was always super clever & witty things like "what's up" or "man, it's hot out here isn't it". you know, i was just the coolest, i still cannot believe it.
then....then, my stalker like tendencies showed through when i spotted him at wal-mart after the race season was over. i was with my brother (hi timmy-so-cool). i may or may not have followed him. not closely, or noticeably. i'm not that weird. but i definitely did follow him. he bought lawn fertilizer & dog food. why i remember that, i have no idea.
the fall came. i didn't see him around town at all. (insert sad face) his absence on the square is explained by his new & very long houred job as a grain hauler during harvest. in january, there was an indoor arenacross in springfield. i went to cheer on my friends, secretly hoping to catch a peek at the handsome totten boy. after a race, i went down into the pit area to find my friends and i ran into jarrett. literally, ran right into him. bounced off his chest. he had to grab my arms to keep me from falling. a little dazed & confused (i may have participated in some under-age drinking. so sorry, mom.)
i looked up into those gorgeous blue eyes and he said "careful now, you got it?" i giggled like a school girl. we talked a little bit about how i'm a clutz by nature. and i told him he did really good in the race. he pointed out that he crashed & ran off the track. then i felt like a total ass. i said, "well up until that point, you did good". he laughed. oh his laugh. i love it. it warmed my heart. i think i fell in love right there, friends. his laugh is infectious. my friend mandy came & grabbed my arm & said are you just going to stand here like an idiot are you going to leave with us. i left with them said "see ya around". and walked away. i snuck a glimpse back at him & he was watching me walk away...
it was the thick of high school basketball season. my brother & his youngest brother both played. i went to games to watch tim. he went to games to watch ryan. or so he claims. after a game, our paths crossed again...i purposely left before one of the games was over. i quickly walked down the bleachers. you know, just to see if he would follow me. and he did, like a little lost puppy.
we spent a very cold 3 hours outside in the high school parking lot talking about everything under the sun, or moon, since it was very dark. finally at like 11:30 he says, "could i maybe call you up & take you on a date some time?" i stutter like a fool. i finally get out the word "absolutely" & give him my phone number. he called the next day, friends. (mission accomplished)
first date: Saturday, February 3, 2001. i have forgiven him for being a half hour late, he couldn't find our house. and he left my phone number at his house. when he was late, i called my mom's cell phone & told her not to be surprised that if he didn't show at all that i would most likely be drunk & wallowing in self-pity when she arrived back home. but as luck would have it, he did arrive. we went & killed some time walking around the mall. he asked me who i had voted for in the previous year's presidential election (should have been a red flag - the man loves politics). we went to see hannibal - i still have the very faded ticket stub. (for those who said that is not a very good first date movie, i believe we have proved you all wrong now. so you can go suck an egg.) we ate at steak n shake afterwards. and when he drove me home, he asked if he could kiss me. always the gentleman. it was one hell of a first kiss - i will spare you the details.
dates. dates. & more dates. i introduced him to my family. he introduced me to his family. he told me he loved me on May 19, 2001. in june he went to new jersey to visit & work hay. i rode out east with his parents & brother kyle in july. i spent a week with him in jersey at his gram's house. he took me to see the ocean for my very first time. we had a blast. i went with him to each & every single race that summer. the long drives to taylorville or casey to & from the races were perfect. he heard me sing horribly & still wanted to be around me. we laughed all the time together.
i took him with my family to 6 flags. he went on his very first big roller coaster with me & screamed "MOMMY" - i laughed so hard. who am i kidding, my whole family laughed so hard. we had so much fun getting to know each other. and we were absolutely head-over-heels in love with each other.
we were inseparable. we were young & in love. we were probably pretty sickening to be around. i knew by august that i was going to marry him. i wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. we never went & looked at rings. we never talked about an engagement or wedding. i just knew he was the one for me. after a series of unfortunate events: i was in a minor car accident - i called jarrett crying. i was sick & hospitalized. these 2 things, although completely not planned or enjoyable for any party involved, possibly pushed him towards a quicker proposal than he had planned.
[to be continued...]
