Remember When Wednesday: Our First Valentine's Day

With Valentine's Day around the corner, I thought I would share with you how J and I spent our first Valentine's Day together for this week's Remember When Wednesday and to make it even more fun, I thought I would write this post in the form of a love letter.

First, a little background so that the rest of the letter makes sense: J and I met the spring semester of our sophomore year when we had two classes together: Mass Media in American Politics and Theory of Law.   He asked me if I wanted to study with him for our first Theory of Law test and it all started from there.

Dearest J,

I still remember the first time I laid eyes on you.  I can't tell you what the news headlines of the day were but I do know you had a newspaper with you when we first saw each other.  I was talking before class with my friend Kristina and we were discussing some political topic when you leaned forward (we were sitting in front of you, sweetheart, remember?) and joined us.  I remember noticing your bright blue eyes and the dimples that appeared when you smiled.  A year earlier after a horrible breakup, I made a list for myself of things I wanted in a man.  Near the top of the list was someone I could discuss politics and the state of the world with in my underwear.  When I saw the newspaper and you shared your opinions with us, I had an idea that you were someone worth getting to know better!

Soon I began waiting for you outside the classroom door so you could walk me to my next class without realizing it, or maybe you did realize it and never let on.  What started as short conversations in the hallways turned into longer conversations in the Spillane room and over lunch at Irma's Bistro.  I think you made me late to class a few times, if I remember correctly.

Our first "date" was studying together for Theory of Law.  I remember it was a Wednesday evening (how appropriate that I am sharing this letter with you on a Wednesday) and you drove me back to my dorm afterward.  The next day came a Facebook message asking me out on our first official date.  Do you remember the movie, love?  It was Pink Panther although I bet you remember it well!  We went to Chili's beforehand and I don't think we ever ran out of things to talk about.

Valentine's Day was just a few short days after that and I still smile when I think about how we spent it going to two restaurants (one for lunch and one for dinner, each of us picking one to "treat" the other to) to celebrate together.  We even had the foresight to have someone take a picture of us at dinner that night, which in hindsight I am so grateful for.  It captures beautifully the beginning of our relationship, the promise of things to come!

At some point over those early days, I came to understand that you were even more perfect for me than I had initially realized.  A lover of country music and horses in high school, my best friend Anne and I had written a song called Romeo Cowboy in which we find a rugged yet sensitive country boy to love.  My favorite song at the time was Cowboy Take Me Away by the Dixie Chicks, which may have something to do with it.  You grew up partially on your dad's farm and could tell me everything there was to know about combines and farming.  You had grown up with horses just like I did and even had a Palomino pony like me if I recall (okay so Pal at 16 hands wasn't a pony but still).  A man who at once was comfortable on a farm or in a classroom debating the merits of presidential versus parlimentarian democratic systems--boy did I find the one for me!

Since then we have been through a lot: periods of long distance dating with me in California and you in Omaha and later St. Louis, a move to a new city together, planning our wedding, getting married and starting our married lives together and yet, there is no one I would rather be on this journey of life with than you.  I got everything I ever wanted and more.  Thank you for making my dreams come true!

I love you!

KT