7 Years With You

7 years ago, I met Chuck during the month of November, we started exclusively dating in December, and he proposed in February.

The National Christmas Tree in DC, our first date.

He surprised me over Christmas, visiting me at my parent’s house in North Eastern Pennsylvania. That was only one week after we had started dating! He also invited me to go on a trip to Virginia Beach with him and some of his siblings for New Years. After the Christmas festivities were over, we hopped in our separate cars and drove five hours down to Northern Virginia where we were both living at the time. We went to our houses, and packed our bags in record speed for the New Years trip. Chuck picked me up somewhere around 10pm, and we drove several more hours together down to VA Beach. When we arrived, we parked the car at the house where the family was staying, and headed straight to the dark, night time beach. We walked a short distance just to step onto the sand and feel the (freezing!) ocean breeze. I LOVE THE BEACH! That night we continued talking until the sun came up. The next night we did the same thing. Talked and talked and talked and talked.

Christmas Surprise.

After New Years, when we drove back to NOVA, I was starting to feel sad that our vacation-always-together-24-7-time was ending. But, during that car ride, the unexpected happened. Chuck asked me the bold question, “How do you think you know when you’re in love with someone?” (This was less than two weeks after we had started dating!) I knew then that he loved me, and I knew  I loved him. In my mind, I assumed he was going to take me home, and we’d go our separate ways for the evening. Instead, he asked if I wanted to get dinner, pick up a movie, and hang at his place. I was ELATED. He wanted to keep spending time with me, as much as I wanted to keep spending time with him.

 

While we were browsing around this place called, “Blockbuster” (hee hee) looking for a movie, again he brought up the topic of love. Chuck explained to me the difference between the two different words for love in German. Again, I knew he loved me already. I was giddy. I was sick to my stomach. I might as well have been floating. I was crazy in love with him. In case you’re wondering, for some odd reason, we rented, “The Phantom of the Opera”. You know I was in love, because I can’t stand musicals! Of course we ended up making out for most of the movie, so it didn’t matter anyway.

I yearn for those early days sometimes. The times when Chuck and I were inseparable. Back then he would come over while I was nannying, or visit while I was working at Starbucks. It was just the two of us in our own little world. It was glorious. We had so much fun, so much of the time. Life with him was a fast-paced, exciting adventure!

He was gorgeous! He was tall! He had super cool, dyed hair! He had piercings! He was a Youth Pastor! He had the most amazing lips! He was amazingly creative! And sexy? You better believe it- whew!

Right after he proposed!

Happy 7 Year Anniversary, Babe. I’m still crazy over you. I’d stay up all night with you all over again, if we weren’t so completely exhausted all the time.  ;) You are the blueberries to my pancakes, the strawberries to my milkshake. I love you. Here’s to 70 more!

Jamaica!