Like I have said in a previous post,
I am WAYYYYY behind on posts.
So here is the start of some posts that are a month or two late!
This story is ultimately about a fish story that started our relationship.
Jeff and I have been together for 9 years now.
That blows my mind!
We started dating when we were 14 and 15 years old ( He was a few days shy of 15).
We were Freshman in high school.
We had met in Junior High during a leadership training, the summer before 8th grade.
We were going to be helping incoming 7th graders adjust to a new school.
I remember he had these ridiculous green and yellow skater shoes, basketball shorts, a baseball tee that had red sleeves, braces and puka shells (they were in back then, ok?)
I know, he sounds adorable right??
Well I was obsessed*
*Not in the creepy stalker way, but I kind of loved him from the minute I saw him.
He was quiet and so cute.
I tried talking to him, and of course was trying to impress him so I was doing cart wheels, naturally.
We became friends, but he wasn't interested in bring my boyfriend.
And Boyfriend in that stage of life, as in the cheesy young " I'll be your boyfriend and we will talk basically never, and I'll break up with you in 6 days because we don't talk"
So we were just friends.
I "dated" a few guys.
Most of them broke up for silly reasons.
One even broke up with me the night before homecoming.
But I'm thankful :)
On March 25th 2006,
My best friend at the time, Sam (Whose wedding I just shared a few posts back :) ), and I wanted to got to the movies.
I really wanted to invite Jeff because I still really liked him, so we called him and we made plans to see The Shaggy Dog.
The three of us and the boy Sam was dating (her now husband) went to that movie.
Then 2 days later, on March 27th,
The 4 of us went to another movie, 16th Blocks.
This is when I was told the fish story <3
Jeff started telling me a story about this fish he caught.
He started with,
"So I was fishing, and I caught a fish, right?, but it wasn't very big, so I threw it back.
Then I caught another one and it was this big (showed me and measurement with his hands),
but it still wasn't big enough, so I threw it back.
Finally, I caught another fish and it was thiiiiissss big (his arms were so wide that he then put his arm around me)."
And it was the cutest thing ever, and I was obsessed** even more.
* again, not in the creepy stalker kind of obsessed
After the movie was over, he asked me to be his girlfriend, and we have been inseparable ever since (even if there was physical separation, we were inseparable.)
In these 9 years,
We have gone to multiple Homecoming, Morp, and Prom dances.
Started first jobs.
He joined the Army.
We graduated High school,
Were separated during Basic and AIT.
Moved 3 hours away from family.
Started college.
Driven to vegas in the middle of the night for tattoos.
Lived in multiple different apartments separately and then together,
We have taken College classes together.
We went on the trip of a lifetime to Italy which started with a proposal,
Planned a wedding and got married,
Became pregnant and created the most incredible tiny human in the world,
We became parents.
We have gone to Country Thunder, Concerts, Chicago, Vegas.
We went through a deployment to Afghanistan,
Multiple trips to the hospital and a sick baby.
Jeff started a career,
We bought a house,
Jeff re-uped his military contract.
We have been to weddings,
celebrated multiple birthdays,
grew from barely teenagers, to adults and parents.
I have loved every part of these 9 years together.
Even the rough parts which tested everything we were.
We have grown, we have sacrificed, we have conquered so much, and we have so much left to experience.
I love you Jeffrey.
You are everything I ever wanted and ever needed.
Warning: There are a lot of pictures coming your way! :)
First day of 8th grade. This is what I feel in love with <3
first picture once we started dating.
Sophomore Homecoming
Picking Jeff up from AIT and Basic
College
T-REX
Chicago!
Black and white party
Army Banquet
Typical night Cooking
Jumping off mountains into creek
Hiking the Lava Tubes
21st birthday
NYE 2012
Italy proposal
Engagement ring
Rehearsal Dinner
Wedding day!
This is how big our baby is! We are pregnant! - Cooper Announcement
Skyping with Daddy while in Pre-Mob
already started deployment process, this was the few days he was home before deployment to Afghanistan,
Surgeries
Cuddling with Daddy
Afghanistan
"Date night" while he was deployed. Night time for him, morning for me.
We were sending each other texts of funny lines :)
Searching for IED's
Care packages!
My husband, the "Army Soldier " from Toy Story.
"No one likes the Mine Sweeper"
He sent me flowers from Afghanistan
Breakfast with Daddy
One of our christmas cards from Deployment year <3
this picture was in USA weekly
HOME <3 <3
First family trip! Zoo time!
Cooper's first birthday!
Birthday Boy!
Country Thunder
Blake Shelton concert
4th of July
Him. We made him. <3
We bought a house!
Re-enlisting
At Sam and James' wedding. The couple who helped us start everything!
<3
