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The story of how we came to be a family.
Despite the fact that seeing my husband today triggers a feeling of love and warmth, I can hardly call our first meeting "love at first sight." It was an unusually hot spring day, and I was on my way to do laundry at the barracks laundry room. Due to an extreme sunburn I had suffered two weeks prior, I was wearing a very light and comfortable sun dress. Usually I would do my laundry in whatever Army workout clothes I had left over, but perhaps that day may never had come if I had looked like a sunburn in uniform. So I was just strolling across the lawn with my basket when I heard a rather handsome voice say, "What are you doing all dressed up?" When I turned around, there he was. The man who would one day become the love of my life. I answered, "Nothing," and continued on my way. To my surprise the handsome fella followed me into the laundry room. We started talking, a.k.a. flirting, and decided to watch a movie together later.
For the next few months we just hung out like normal friends. It always seemed like more but we had never said anything to each other about it. Then one day when Mike came over to my barracks room he told me he didn't want me to see any other guys. I was so happy. I never thought he was that into me. We were very different people at that time, and I thought I was too much of a goody two shoe for him. That proved to be one of the many times I was wrong about him. We continued dating for another few months, and it soon became time for us to take our first road trip together. A baseball game in Atlanta seemed the perfect getaway.
I was really nervous about the whole trip. We had never spent that long of a time together and I desperately wanted to impress him by how mature and fun I was. That persona was immediately thrashed when thirty minutes into our trip we realized I had forgotten the tickets at home. Way to go Jamie. Little did I know then how treasured of a memory my silly mishap would become.
Our arrival in Atlanta was followed by another "Jamie blunder." We had decided to stop at the mall so Mike could look for some swim trunks. We didn't find anything so we headed back to the car. I sat down and decided to take a drink of my soda. Big mistake, as soon as I opened it, the soda exploded all over me. So, of course I got to arrive at our luxury hotel covered in soda. I tried to cover it up as best I could, but I'm sure everyone got see my incredibly handsome boyfriend with his less than admirable, sticky gal. At least the rest of the trip was great.
The baseball game itself was somewhat disappointing. We really wanted the braves to lose! After the game was over we walked back to the car and decided it was best to wait a while for traffic to clear up. We were standing beside the car, "snuggle-hugging" in the cold when I heard something I never thought would come from Mike's mouth. Especially after being such a clumsy, forgetful dodo. He said, "I don't know if I'm ever going to get married, but if I do it will be to you." For some that may not seem very romantic, but for my manly man it was. I think that is the very moment I truly fell in love with him.
We dated for about another year before getting married. Most women dream of a big fancy wedding with just the right dress, and hundreds of eyes gazing upon them. I guess I'm a little different. Who needs all that attention? I think marriage is a special moment that should be shared sacredly with your loved one. Luckily Mike and I were on the same page. We woke up one day, bought our rings, and just headed to the justice of the peace. I remember that it was raining outside. I've always heard that if it rains on a special day then it will bring good fortune.
So far, that's been true.
Not much later came our wonderful son. If anything will test a marriage, it's the arrival of your first baby followed by three cross-country moves in two years. But still, here we are. I still believe that Mike is the best thing to ever happen to me, and I can't imagine life without him. Sometimes I feel like I didn't do anything to deserve the wonderful life I have, and it just gets better all the time. I thank my Heavenly Father for all the blessings in my life and for the new blessing coming this summer.
