Since Valentine's Day is around the corner I guess I will give you all something to read that is more personal than my shopping habits or my canine companion. I'll tell you about how I met the love of my life, Brent.
During college I dated... several people but none of them ever felt right. There were always struggles, arguments and serious drama. I always tried to force things to work. When it didn't I would feel like something was wrong with me. Boy was I wrong- The BOYS were all wrong. (If you're reading this and have felt that way just trust me, it's not you, it's THEM!) Well fast forward to 2007. I'd graduated college in May but did not have my first big girl job lined up yet. I'd been on several interviews and actually thought I was about to receive an offer from a pharmaceutical company in Nashville. It was June and I was sick of working at the Aquatic Center. I'd just started seeing someone but really felt like I needed to get out of Alabama. Just for a while, explore a new place and I'd always loved Nashville and had a good time when I was there. A few days before a 3rd interview with the company in Nashville I applied for a job with a company called Aerotek. It was an Admin position which I felt I was over qualified for but applied because I knew my family was starting to wonder why I hadn't found anything yet. Aerotek called the next day. I remember doing my phone interview in the car in the parking lot at an apartment complex swimming pool. I'm sure I was focused then... I literally threw on my cover up and went to the car five minutes before the recruiter was supposed to call. During that same week I got a delivery from FedEx: A letter from the Nashville company explaining how they had decided to go with the other candidate. I was crushed. That was a "dream" first job. I think the title was like project coordinator or something along those lines. It was a job with an office, not a front counter with a main office line. It was a new city. But it wasn't meant to be. Little did I know that the same week I would meet my future husband. I went to interview at Aerotek at the end of June. They called me in immediately for a half day and that's when I actually accepted the position. During that half day several of the girls took me to lunch. One of their first questions was "Did you think any of the guys at the office were cute?" I remember explaining to them that I was dating someone and how I still lived in Tuscaloosa and would have to commute for the next year because my best friend and I had got an apartment because I refused to move back to my hometown and didn't want to find some place on my own in a city without having a full-time job. Well fast forward a few months. Aerotek was completely boring. My job was so easy but the people were really great. Especially one guy named Brent who spent a lot of time at the front desk. I mean sure he had to walk in and out of there every day but he didn't have to come up just for mental breaks. I think people in the office started catching on. Several of the girls hinted around that he had a crush on me. This I thought was unbelievable. Here he is a successful older guy (he was 28 at the time) and I'm some drama filled 22 year old spending the majority of my time at work online shopping! It all started falling into place at the end of that September. I went to Jacksonville, Florida for the Alabama/ FSU game. Brent & his friend Darm went as well. Brent had asked for my number prior to heading that way and I did not think he would call. Well he did...several times! Our conversations never made much sense and most of the time I didn't answer because I couldn't hear my phone or couldn't hear him on the other friend. It was bad enough that Darm said "Dude, she's not worth it..don't waste your time" (thanks Darm! you could have ruined a relationship before it began...Kidding) We make it back to Alabama and the next month I gladly swing by his tailgate and hang out before going off to be with my friends and the guy I was still seeing. Fast forward to November.. Brent finally talked me in to going to have dinner with him after work. It was top secret. I had a boyfriend and we worked together... to most of you this may sound like a recipe for disaster. It wasn't. I had the best time with him that night. I ate chili cheese fries and to this day he kids me about how unladylike I was. I guess that shows that when it's meant to be you are automatically completely comfortable around each other. The next week we were inseparable. After a few long late drives back to Tuscaloosa I resorted to shacking up at my good friend Melissa's house because I did not want to be away from Birmingham & Brent. I would get off work and go pick up dinner so we could eat at his house. . I was living a lie! I finally told the big "it's not you, it's me" speech to the nice guy I'd been hanging out with because I was completely smitten with Brent. I think that was the first day of the rest of my life. Since then I've never felt insecure or nervous about the future of a relationship. I think I've always known that Brent was the one. Even when we weren't together because a sense of calm always came over me when he was around. We took our first trip as a couple that New Year's. We went to Charleston. I think our co-workers realized we were seeing each other because I was given the "It's you or him and he's more valuable so you need to find a new job fast" speech a few days after returning from our trip. Luckily I found a job (upgrade as well!) and our first year as a couple was bliss. Fast forward again to December 2008. One year after officially becoming a couple he proposed. You can read that story by clicking our wedding website link. We got married on August 29, 2009. It was the best day of my life. Married life isn't what I thought it would be. I've expressed this to Brent before. I'd imagined it to be more glamorous. It's actually simple: pj pants, no makeup and glasses. I'd describe it as being with your best friend all day. You don't always have to be your best just be yourself. Sure we argue over silly stuff like me being to glued to the TV or him wanting to spend too much time reading a book but when the day is over and I count my blessings I know that my life was not meant to be spent with any other person. I'm so thankful and blessed for each day I get to spend with this amazing man, my husband- Brent.
I love it!!!!
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