Time Flies!

What a difference a year makes!

This past year has flown by. It amazes me that the older I get, the faster time passes. It's a gentle reminder to slow down and enjoy life and not take anything for granted, and sometimes I need that.

I never would have imagined that I could be as happy as I am now. It's true when they say that you never know happiness until you find love. There is only one other time in my life that I thought I was in love, and after meeting Brian, it's not even comparable.

I love our story. It's something that doesn't seem real. It's random and crazy and I wouldn't change it for the world.

I was working at Minnesota Montessori as a Teacher's Assistant in Children's House A which was a Preschool classroom. I had previously worked for Tim and Saroja in their Eagan school a few years earlier and when I came back from San Diego, they offered me a position. It wasn't really something I had thought about doing long term but once I was there, I loved working with the kids and I began to take classes to better educate myself in the teachings of Montessori.

Jackie and I had a little inside joke about Brian. He was my "Hot Dad". I thought he was gorgeous! Everytime he would come into school to pick up Carter, I could not make eye-contact with him, especially if he tried to talk to me. I would blush like crazy and stutter and get so nervous around him. It was the running joke around school that I had a "crush" on him. To me that's all it was, an innocent crush - he was married!

It just so happens that Brian and Heather's good friend Nancy also does my hair. When she had mentioned to me that she was good friends with the two of them, I would always ask about Brian and Carter, especially after Carter stopped going to the Montessori. She would fill me in on how they were doing and eventually, she would tell me that he was getting divorced.

Last November, I came home unexpectedly for Thanksgiving and went to see Nancy while I was home. We talked and I mentioned to her that I was moving back here and the first thing she had said was "You should totally go on a date with Brian!" The first thing I said to her was "Don't you think I am too young for him?" I didn't really feel that way, but I also didn't figure that Brian would date someone nine years younger either. What if I wasn't even his type? What if he's not looking to date anybody? I really wasn't looking but when I left Nancy's that day I couldn't get Brian out of my head.

When I got back to Florida a few days later, I was still thinking about him and what Nancy had said. I casually looked at his Myspace and he had just added new pictures of himself and Carter - PERFECT! I left a comment and signed off.

The next day I signed on and I had a message from him. That started a week of emails, which turned into me asking for his number, which turned into a month of getting to know eachother through all day emails, texts, and phone calls. It was great that we were so far away because there were no expectations, just getting to know eachother. I was going to be coming home for two weeks at Christmas and Brian and I planned on seeing eachother right away. After a month of talking to him non-stop and not seeing him since the days at the Montessori I was very anxious to get here.

The day I came to town didn't start out how I had planned. My flight from Jacksonville to Atlanta was delayed which meant I missed my connecting flight and had to sit in Atlanta for FOUR hours by myself before another flight was coming to Minneapolis. I was so upset. By the time I finally got to town, it was almost two in the afternoon. My Mom picked me up and I went home to hang out, shower, and get ready for my date with Brian.

I drove to Shakopee to see my cousin and have a drink before I met up with Brian. I was so nervous that I thought a drink would calm me down. I should've had a few more! When Brian called to tell me he would be at her house soon, I had the most butterflies I have ever had.

When he called to tell me he was there I was shaking so bad. I walked into the garage and had to take a few deep breaths before I could open the door. Everything was leading up to this moment, I had envisioned it a million times in my head over the last four weeks. I opened the door and walked out. I couldn't hide the stupid grin on my face and when he stood out of the car and smiled at me, I almost ran to him and he gave me the biggest hug. It felt so good to finally touch him. This person that I had built this friendship and connection with was real! He even surprised me with a kiss....

Brian is the most amazing man I have ever met. He brings so much joy to my life. I have never been as happy as I am when I am with him. He supports me in everything that I do and I know that he'll always be there for me. We have so much fun together and I can't wait to see what our future holds!