him & me

Today is thirteen years since I told Josh I wanted to be his girlfriend.  

It went a little something like this...

We had seen each other at school in sign language class, where he was the teachers' aid and I was just another junior.  After school I had driven to my weekly baby-sitting job.  Normally I was off at 5:00, but of course, that night the dad got home late to relieve me. The drive across town took decades...

We had been unofficially dating for a few weeks, but I was nervous to make the commitment of becoming an item because of my aforementioned issues with the church- mine, not his.

After a week of serious soul searching, praying and seeking the advice of all the wisest people I knew, I had decided that we were meant to be.  I arrived at his house and we went for a walk to the elementary school nearby. We walked until we found a bench, where we sat holding hands.  My heart was pounding in my throat. It's as if I knew in that moment that once I took the plunge, that would be it.

"So, I decided today that I want to be your girlfriend," I said shyly.

He smiled the biggest smile and gave my hand a squeeze.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

A little over two years later, we were engaged.

A year after that we wed.

{Ten years this August}

I once wrote our story for him. For an anniversary.

I called it April Showers.

So appropriate. 

Nothing, it seems, has come easy for us.

Yet, here we are among the flowers.

~~~~~

April Showers

by Sugarland

"I got time on my hands,

and hope in my heart.

We both understand,

we weren't meant to be apart.

April showers, bring May flowers.

...I have seen rain before."