The Story of Us

One year ago today, my life was flipped upside down. I had just moved into my apartment downtown after a looooong breakup and was convinced to grab a drink at the BBC with a few girlfriends from work to get my mind off of everything. I had been unpacking and painting all day and was wearing a Vail hoodie, jeans, and a camo hat. No makeup. Gross. After a few casuals, I received a bbm from Ryan McLean, asking me to meet him out for a drink after his basketball game.



Ryan and I had reconnected at our high school reunion the weekend before, and he had asked me out, but was also WASTED throughout the night and hitting on everyone. Sorry, Ry, had to do it. The funny thing was, I had gone to the reunion after-party with a good friend of Ryan's (who is in our wedding party!) and he somehow pulled a robbery and stole me away. Someone actually said, "you guys would make a cute couple," and we rolled our eyes and laughed it off. I knew there was definitely some chemistry between us, but didn't want to date again so soon after my breakup. He, too, had broken up with a longtime girlfriend a few months prior and wasn't looking for anything serious.



"We'll see what happens" was the famous line.



So...December 1, 2010, I hugged and kissed my girlfriends goodbye and decided to trek over to The Net to meet the 6'7" jock that I had known for years and years. I was so nervous. Was this kid for real? Are we going to have anything in common? Do I really want to get involved with someone already?



The conversation was so natural from the get-go. I had major butterflies and Ryan told one of his buddies that I was "someone you could take home to mom." We talked about Brady and how I loved and was so devoted to being a Mom. Conversations about our prior relationships, what went wrong, and what we learned from them came up. Even from the get-go, our communication was flawless and I never felt like I had to hide anything from him. It was the first time in a long time that I could really be myself.



The lights came on---last call already? He walked me back to my car. No kiss this time; we had already done that the week before. I breathed out, pulled away, and received a text instantly. We talked until 4 am the next morning, both of us not wanting to get off the phone, both agreeing to "take it slow," and both knowing that was our last first date ever.



I couldn't eat or sleep for months...I remember describing it as being "high on life," and telling my mom and best friends that this REALLY was IT. We were in constant contact, went on dates (the 2nd one, he introduced me as his 'girlfriend'), and I even took him to my work Christmas party after only "dating" for a few weeks. He told me he loved me on December 16, and I honestly felt like we should have been saying it for so much longer. Ryan met Brady a few weeks later and that is when everything was solidified. I guess it's true that when you know, you know.



Our life together has been a whirlwind so far. We planned on "taking it slow" and "going with the flow," and now here we are; just the way it's supposed to be. Our year has been jam-packed with almost every major event in life: moving in together, leaving the country, losing a job, getting pregnant, getting engaged, finding a career...I wouldn't want anyone else by my side through it all. I am so excited that I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend (who still, by the way, gives me the same butterflies).