"We're Just Friends..."

 

I've seen a few other people post about how they met their husbands. I love hearing (reading) these stories, so I figured I'd post my own.

Let me start by saying that growing up I was always the "guy's girl." I always ended up being the friend...guys would say that they thought of me as their little sister...or that we were "just good friends." I had lots of boys who were friends, but never had boyfriends.

When I started college (Fall 2001) I lived on a floor with a group of ladies who were all single as well. Shortly after the first of the year, the big news on the floor was that someone had a boyfriend. That boyfriend was Jeromy (not mine, yet....). I remember seeing him around, and meeting him. He was really quiet, and kind of distant. I remember thinking he was nice...but not much more than that yet.

The first time I remember him really getting my attention, and realizing how special he was was on Valentine's Day that year (February 2002). Let's be honest. We were a floor of bitter, single women. We were not thrilled about Valentine's Day. But then Jeromy showed up with homemade candles (that he made with his mom) and little boxes of chocolate for ALL of the girls. WHAT?! Who does that? Answer: my amazing hubby.

So he had my attention. But not at all in a romantic way, because he was someone else's boyfriend. But after that, we did become friends. I started to realize that even though he was quiet he was very sweet and incredibly kind. Our friendship grew through the end of the school year.

I don't even remember if we stayed in touch that summer...but when we returned for our sophomore year (Fall 2002), Jeromy was single. I still wasn't thinking about him romantically, but we did start to spend a lot more time together. Ironically, he started to take on a bit of the "big brother" role for me and my friends. He was a protector...a confidant...a friend. We knew he had our back, and we had a lot of fun together.

As the calendar year came to a close, I found myself getting closer to Jeromy than my other friends were. Suddenly, we were sitting together on the couch. When we were watching movies as a group of friends, Jeromy and I were laying together (the way we "did movies" in my group of friends was to pull the mattresses off the beds and lounge together - or cuddle together if you were me and Jeromy - while we watched the movie). He would play with my hair. We tickled each other hands. When I hung out in his dorm, I would ask to lounge around in one of his shirts (which ended up being my Christmas gift from him that year - given before we became a couple). But we were "just friends."

Looking back at it, I can't believe the denial I was in. I just wasn't used to this - how could a guy - who was one of my best friends - actually like me "that way?" Countless people - close friends and acquaintances - asked me in those last weeks of 2002 what was going on between Jeromy and I. "We're just friends..." I would say, believing it less and less myself. They'd scoff at it too, because it was clearly not the case.

At some point near the end of 2002, Jeromy asked me out. I honestly don't remember a lot about it, other than than I turned him down. I was scared. I didn't want to ruin our friendship, and I felt certain I would.

And then we found ourselves at the end of the Fall quarter. Jeromy was done with finals, and had already returned home for the holidays. I was still studying, wrapping up my last exams. During a late night cram session, we started an AIM chat - hello, early 2000s! The conversation eventually turned to "what was going on between us." With a pep talk from my awesome roomie Kirstyn, I had the courage to admit that there was something wonderful between Jeromy and I. Without even ever having gone on a "date," Jeromy and I were officially dating on December 18, 2002. It was perfect. While we were definitely more that "just friends," we started firmly as friends, which has been a cornerstone of our relationship from the beginning.

Look at these babies! I'm pretty sure this was one of our first pictures as a couple...in a frame that I made him...

About three months into our relationship, we had a big fight. I don't remember what it was about, but I remember that I was panicked. Things were going so well. I was really falling in love with Jeromy, which scared me. I wasn't "supposed" to fall in love with my first boyfriend. He wasn't quite "my type." My reaction was to panic, and push him away.

In the days after our break-up, I traveled to Jamaica for a mission trip. I missed him every second of that trip. I thought about the amazing relationship we had started. I thought about how silly I was being. I realized that I didn't want us to end.


When I came back from that trip, Jeromy and I met up. We threw a football around (no joke) for an hour or two. Throughout the conversation, we got closer and closer together, finally ending up sitting together under a tree, and deciding that we didn't want to give up on us.

We dated for the rest of college, our relationship growing stronger than ever. We graduated in 2005, and had some time "apart" - living with friends and establishing ourselves. Engaged in 2006. Married in 2007.

And the rest, as they say, is history...

And now, I get a little carried away with pictures. I LOVE pictures, and I have a lot of them of me and Jeromy!

An all-time favorite picture of us. I think this was 2003/2004ish? Not openly smiling for the camera, but I love how it shows that level of comfort and content between us.

 

Where it all began... :-)

 

Again...babies! School dance, senior year (2004/2005) at Luther (and yes, I was too lazy to scan all of these, so I just took pictures of pictures...)

 

 

Late college...Spring 2005 I think

The next three are shots from various travels...

Bayfield, WI

Boston (Spring Break 2005)

Holden Village, WA - Summer 2006

 

At our friends' wedding, 2006

One of my favorite shots from our wedding, October 2007

 

A favorite shot from our honeymoon, 2007

Another favorite, simply because it shows the kind of straight-up FUN we have with each other. Cutting down our first Christmas tree, 2007


And baby makes three... September 2011 (Linnea was about 6 weeks old)



A new favorite of the three of us...how far we've come!!