With our 16th wedding anniversary approaching this month I have been reminded of how we first met (both times)... I'll explain.
The first time was Halloween of 1994. I was a few months into my senior year of high school and working at the local grocery store. After work I was introduced to her through my friend as we walked around the neighborhood. Soon after I got her phone number and we talked on and off for the next month or so. Soon after we lost touch for whatever reason.
Fast forward to the end of the school year. I was a week away from graduation and already planning my future college life. I had plans to go back to Houston and meet up with my former girlfriend who I've been writing letters to back and forth for several months now. Yes, these were actually hand written letters sent via mail... not this new age email, text messing stuff. One day I found myself in the weight room during gym class (a class I never miss) and I felt like leaving for whatever odd reason. So I got dressed and walked right out of the gym door and there in front of me sitting on the hallway bench was my future wife. I made eye contact as she motioned for me to sit next to her. We talked for a few moments to catch up and I told her I tried to call once but it was disconnected. She quickly gave me her new phone # as it had been changed. Not even a day later I got a call from her asking if I'd go with her to meet a few friends after school and that was that. Within a few days we started dating and by the summer I had made up my mind to stay in Missouri to go to college.
All it took was that one chance encounter to change my life forever. Who knows where I would be at right now if I never walked out of that gym class when I did. Most likely I would have moved back to Houston and gone a completely different direction. Even if we would to have somehow met again years down the road we wouldn't have had our same kids we have now and who knows probably wouldn't be living in LA either. That just boggles my mind and is enough to make me believe that destiny does exist.
Looking back I am so happy how things have turned out for us and there is not one other directions that I wish my life would have taken. My kids and my wife mean the world to me and everything I have ever gone through in life has brought me to where I am today. That is why there is absolutely nothing I would change if given the chance.
Some people can't understand how we have been able to stay together for 16 straight years (17 1/2 if you count dating). Most people can't even fathom how we did it at such a young age (me 19 and my wife 17 years old when we got married). Even I don't understand it at times. All I can say is we were blessed to have found each other the way we did and blessed with two great kids that crack us up to this day. Even if that was all we had, I still would consider myself a very fortunately person.
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