Make Me Smile, Make Me Happy

Ive seen on a couple other blogs 

that they are telling the story 

of how they met their other halves...

Well here's mine :)

{This picture was taken on St. Patrick's Day 2005... 2 days after we started dating}

OK... where to begin?

Hmmm...

Well, lets just put it out there... I was married before.

So Rob is my second husband. 

I got married to my first husband right before I turned 21...

it wasn't the best decision I made, but I don't regret it.

Shortly after I married my 1st I knew it wasn't forever... I knew it before that but was to young and naive to know what I was feeling. I left to go live with my sister and her husband in North Carolina about 6 months into out marriage and stayed for about 5 months... we were only married 1 year and 23 days... I don't know why I remember that?

OK, onto the good stuff!

When I left for North Carolina I had no friends... only my sister and her husband, they both worked so I was left on my own... I was BORED!!! 

So I signed up for one of those awful dating sites at the urging of a friend back home. I thought this is silly and ridiculous! Real love and commitment is not on here!

So I met a few of the guys that contacted me from there... there was NOTHING!

No connection, no feeling, not even the thought of talking to them after our "date" ended!

So in the meantime I moved back home to Ohio.

Tried to rebuild my life... I even tried to "fix" my marriage (which I was still in!! I know... judge me if you want!) But I quickly realized there is no amount of fixing that would fix that! So I told my ex husband that I was young and had a chance at happiness and I was going to take it... he should too!

I filed for a divorce... one of the hardest things I ever did... surprisingly.

Remember that website I signed up for...the one where you cant find true love on... well I had forgotten about it... and one night I was bored, so I thought "Hey why not!"

I was browsing through all the guys... there was really weird guys, OK guys, not so OK guys... and then there was Rob. 

He had a picture of himself with one of his friends (the best man in our wedding)

I remember his profile... it was different and to me seemed true and real! 

True and real was something I didn't seem to find on there.

So I contacted him.

He was the only one I ever contacted.

We talked online for a bit.

And he sent me his phone number.

He told me that he didn't think I would ever call him... but I did!!!

We talked for HOURS!!!! 

We wanted to meet... but lets not forget I was still married! 

I refused to meet him until I was officially separated from my ex.

It seemed important to me! Like a fresh start... where I have nothing "tainting" my new relationships.

So 3 days after I got divorced we meet for a movie ( Good Company) and then went to dinner (Denny's! LOL!) I remember the first time I saw him and what he was wearing!!! 

My first thought was "He's tall!" (He's 6'5)

So we watched the movie, and went to Denny's... we laughed and had an amazing time!

Rob has told me that he knew that night that I was gonna be special! :)

We talked every night. Saw each almost every night!

But I didn't want to rush into anything... I mean come on I just ended a serious relationship... I was damaged goods! But he didn't give up!!

We had plans to go to an 80's night at a bar with a bunch of his friends, but first we went to some recital for a co-workers daughter (random I know!) on the way there he kept drawing a heart and  then dotting it in the middle on m leg... I thought it was the cutest thing I have ever seen a guy do!

I knew then he loved me!!

And because I, like him, make jokes... I remember saying something along the lines of "You love me! You wanna have babies with me! You wanna marry me!" hahahh... so mature!

He laughed and smiled at me.

So the night went on... we went to the 80's night and he started to introduce me to friends I had not meet 

"This is my FRIEND Ashleigh."

I thought... hey I want to be more then friend, I want to be your girlfriend!! So I said it to him! And he said... well I don't remember what he said specifically! But it was probably something like FINALLY! 

We have been together ever since... we have never broken up, we have been stable and sure!

He's my bff ... lol!!!

Honestly... he's everything to me!

......

THAT I did always love,

I bring thee proof: That till I loved

I did not love enough.

That I shall love alway,

I offer thee

That love is life,

And life hath immortality.

This, dost thou doubt, sweet?

Then have I

Nothing to show

But Calvary.

-Emily Dickinson-