I was challenged by a friend to do the Facebook "Love Your Spouse" 7 day challenge.  It got me thinking that I am not sure I have done a post really introducing ourselves.  I thought I might share our story.  Sit tight y'all, it's a little complicated.

Brett and I met when we were in middle school.  I am about a year and a half older than he is but only a year ahead of him in school.  We attended the same church and had a mutual friend.  While at church camp over the summer, Brett asked our friend Doug to introduce us and that's when I met this shy, skinny blonde boy who was actually a little shorter than me at the time.  :)  We hung out at church activities but seldom had the opportunity outside of church to see each other at the ages of 12 and 14. He officially asked me out on Sept 20, 1995.  I remember because when my parents were moving a couple years ago they found this calendar.

Oh, middle school love  :)

We dated, and by dated I mean we held hands at church (gasp I know) and only saw each other on Sunday and Wednesday nights, for about a year.  At this point, I was heading to high school and I didn't feel like there would be many opportunities to see each other anymore.  At our church, the middle schoolers went to one service and the high school went to another and we had different Wednesday night activities too.  As much as it hurt me to do it, I stood in a Sunday School room and broke my sweet little blonde boys heart.  I left crying and so wanted to go back in and tell him that I changed my mind.  About 6 months later he moved to McKinney, TX and I thought I would never see him again.

Well, he stayed in touch with our friend Doug and 3 years later he came back for the summer to go to camp.  It was the summer of 1999.  I remember walking to get on the bus and seeing this tall (he had gone from being like 5'2 to 6'0), handsome, blonde boy and having to do a double take because I could not believe it was him.  I was crazy nervous that he hated me for what I had done but we ended up having an amazing conversation one night and I knew I wanted to marry him.  I know, crazy for a 17 year old but I just knew.  We got to spend some time together that summer and when I went with Doug to drop him off at the airport, I did not want to let go of him.

We kept in touch through phone calls, e-mail and AIM, there was no texting or cell phones back then.  We discussed him coming down for my prom and a few other things but he was not allowed to.  We decided to take a break because it was frustrating wanting to be together but not being able to.  Then in August 2000, a few weeks before I left for college, I was followed home from a late party and shot at in an attempt to steal my car.  I escaped but at that point I knew that no matter how far apart we were, I wanted to be with Brett, even if it could only be through phone calls and e-mail.

I went to Sam Houston State my first year to major in Dance but halfway through my first year I got really sick and had to withdraw.  I moved back home and had to reevaluate what I was going to now.  I went up to see Brett in McKinney about 4 times that year.  At this point in our relationship, it didn't feel like family really understood why we wanted to be together.

This was MORP at McKinney High School

I decided to transfer to McLennon Community College in Waco the next year while Brett started his first year at Baylor University.  I was doing theatre and the next year transferred into the theatre program at Baylor.  We spent the next 4 years enjoying our alma mater together.  I joined Kappa Delta Sorority and he work for Apple as a Campus Rep.  I graduated from Baylor in 2006 with a degree in Fashion Merchandising and Brett graduated in 2007 with a degree in Entrepreneurship.  I am so glad that we share a love for Baylor and got to spend our years there together.

Frat Party 2001

Halloween 2001

Kappa Delta formal 2004

(you like that ancient camera I'm holding?!)

One of many Baylor football games together

When Baylor beat the Aggies in 2005, Brett went down and helped tear down the goal post and carried it to campus.  He sawed off a piece for us to keep.

Kappa Delta Crush event in 2005.  We had a ton of water activities - so fun!

Christmas on 5th Street - one of our favorite Baylor events

Baylor ring ceremony together in 2006

Homecoming bonfire 2006

We would have gotten married the second year in Waco together but were told that if we did we would have to get loans to pay for Brett's Baylor tuition.  We were already going to have loans for my tuition so we decided to wait.  It is hard wanting to be together and being told to wait.

Brett's family invited me to go to Taos, NM for a New Year's ski trip in 2005.  Brett carried around my ring the whole trip.  We had gone to dinner at a really nice restaurant to celebrate New Year's and everyone thought he was going to do it there.

If you don't know anything about Brett, I should tell you that he is a super private person.  He wanted the moment to be special between the two of us and not with all his family around.  We left dinner and went back to his room to watch the fireworks on tv.  At midnight, as the fireworks started and we celebrated ...

... he got up and excused himself and left the room.  I was really confused because he had made a big deal about staying up and watching the fireworks together.  He came back seconds later with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him.  I fell to my knees and I'm not sure I actually answered him, lol, I think I just nodded.  :)

Proposal

A couple of our engagement pics

We got married January 6, 2007 and it has been an adventure every day since!

This year we are celebrating our 10 year anniversary and need some ideas of places to go.  We very rarely go somewhere just the 2 of us and would like to make our 10 year special!

The next couple of days I am going dedicate to our 2 beautiful blessings, Luke and Lily.