The sort of short and very sweet story of us...

Just so you all know, I'm intentionally leaving out all of the sour parts (the phone bills, the lying, etc...) for the sake of keeping this version shorter and much, much sweeter. I don't need to stir up those vinegary feelings anyway. Especially for the ones that witnessed the whole story.

December 5th 1996. I was 18 and at my aunts house using the computer to meet people in the chat rooms of America Online. The Internet chat rooms were relatively new and it made it easier to meet people. It also made it easier to allow people to think that you were a mind-blowing hottie from the south. It was in the evening and while browsing the seemingly endless amounts of chat rooms, I happened across someone with the screen name luvburro (I learned what luvburro meant years later, it's not what you think and it's not pretty). After reading his profile I decided to send this person an instant message. Gosh, what I would give to have a transcript of that conversation. We talked for a while but it was getting late. He was too interesting to me and I couldn't just let him disappear out into the never world of cyberspace! I had to talk to him. I had to hear his voice. I gave him my phone number. Yes, I gave my phone number to a complete stranger, who I had never met in person or even seen a picture of. I know that he could've been a predator but so could any of the guys in the grimy bars (hear my justification?), so what's the difference? Nevertheless, I told him that I would be home in about an hour and to call me then. Unfortunately, I only remember the exhilarating feelings I had, and nothing about our conversation. My memory is filled with that first love feeling. If I remember correctly, we talked for 6 hours. After that first night, we talked every single day. His voice was deep and soothing and made you feel instantly secure. Even now, when I think of his voice, my stomach flutters a little. He was (and still is, even more so now) intelligent, funny, inspiring, witty, and he knew exactly what to say at exactly the right time. I loved how he made me feel and I liked who I was when I talked to him. And he lived in SAN DIEGO! The funny thing is that being young and naive, I had no idea where San Diego was. It was so new and thrilling it felt like electricity was surging through my body. Waiting by the phone for him to call each day was absolutely excruciating! This was before cell phones were attainable for everyone. We decided to meet and he was kind enough to buy plane tickets for me. I flew out to meet him on January 1st, 1997. New Years Day. My memory of that day and night are vague because of the lack of sleep from the night before. I have no recollection of the plane ride and a very foggy one of dinner with his mom and Ron. His mom took a picture of us that night at dinner. I flew home on January 5th and he flew out to meet my family and pick me up to move back with him on January 18th. We lived happily together for a while and unhappily for a little longer. Chalk it up to being young and foolish, but it was definately a learning experience I could not have obtained any other way. I moved back home and tied up some personal loose ends I had been putting off for a while. A few years go by, and we date other people. Then blah, blah, blah, car accident, blah blah, Beaumont, Texas, B-blah married in Vegas, blah blah, blah blah, move to San Diego, pop out a couple of kids and Abra-Cadabbra, Happy Family!

Not very many people have a photo documenting the momentous night that they first encountered their soul mate. I cherish the picture she took that night. He gave me a framed copy of it for our 5th wedding anniversary and it now I proudly display it in my office by my desk. It reminds me after every valley, there is a bigger mountain to climb. And at the top of each new mountain, the view gets better.