-celebrating 7 Years With Jeff

It was 7 years ago today that I had my first date with Jeff.

It was 7 years, two months and some odd days that I first met him.

I was working at Chili's during the night and selling light fixtures by day. Jeff had just moved from California after breaking up with his long time girlfriend.
I hold the ex-girlfriend in high esteem because she let him go. Does that make sense? Don't worry it makes sense to me.

His brother was my manager at work and also friend. I spent endless hours laughing and cutting up with his brother. We were good friends. He was like a brother to me. In fact, he and another manager are the ones who told me to dump my loser ex-boyfriend. And in his own words he said, "You can do better than that." And little did I know I was about to do just that.

The first time I saw Jeff, he was sitting at the bar watching television. We often have regulars who are lonely come into the bar and become friends with all of the waitstaff. I asked Matt "Whose the old guy sitting at the bar?" And Matt says, "That would be my brother, do you want to meet him?" I agreed only because I needed to befriend the regulars because they were always good tippers. Seriously that was the reason. We still laugh about it to this day.

My day job was hosting a Christmas party at Texas De Brazil, December 7th and I was encouraged by my boss and his wife to bring a date. This family were so influential during this time in my life. They too were the ones who encouraged me to lose the loser boyfriend. I had done just that four months or more before the holidays. I was very scared to get back out there again. You don't want to know the details but really, he was not good for me. It was bad. One night at work I was telling Matt what my boss said about me bringing a date to this party. He said, "Do you want me to ask my brother?" I sat there for a moment remembering the first time I had hung out with him. Let's just say I was not on my best behavior and was a little mean. I felt like I had nothing to lose though, "Oh sure, what the heck. Why don't you ask him."

If you know Jeff, you know that he is very quiet until he gets to know you. If you know me, you know I am the total opposite. Bosses' wife calls me the day of the party asking me to gather up some supplies to bring to the restaurant that night because we were going to play a game. I being the nosey one that I am asked, "What game are we going to play?" She knowing I was bringing a "new friend" as she called him told me it was the favorites game and suggested I brush up on some of Jeff's favorites on the ride to the restaurant. This game served as the perfect ice breaker for Jeff and I. We had to dig deep to find out what our favorite movie, actor, actress etc, etc in a ten minute drive. I will have you know we came in 2nd place.

After we were married Jeff said, "That was proof that God wanted us to be together. That game enabled me to see you for who you were and not for the person you were when you were waiting tables." Friends (and family) I was not myself while working at that place. Even I didn't like the person I had become.

So after dinner, Jeff asked me to get coffee with him at Barnes & Noble before we headed home. I said yes because I love B & N, it is my favorite place in all the world. Jeff later told me that he felt that if I said no to B & N then he would have ended it right then and there. Who would say no to Starbucks and B & N? Are you nuts? But we talked non-stop for the next few minutes. We kept playing the favorites game and talked about our nieces (Hayley was 3 and Faith was 2). I knew he was someone that I wanted to see again when he told me about Hayley.

I also knew I liked him because he did not try to kiss me that night. He walked me to the door, hugged me and said he would call when he got back from California, picking up Hayley.

He did better than call, he FED EX'ed me a note and a metal tin full of sand to my day job. The note said, "Since I can't bring you to the beach, I thought I would send a piece of the beach to you." He also sent me a thank you note for inviting him to wonderful evening. He was still in California when he sent it. He called when he got home too.

Oh and we went to this same beach on our honeymoon in California.

"Is this THE beach Jeff?"

"Yes, dear that's the one."

Now seven years later, I am proud of the woman I have become. I am also proud of the person Jeff has become. But more than anything, I am proud of the people we have become together. I am so thankful to have Jeff as a part of my life. And I praise God for working out all the details in our lives to bring us together at just the right time.

If you made it to the end, your sweet and should get a medal.