HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

To Gary and I! Today is our 5 year wedding anniversary. It seems like we have been together forever!

So since it is our Anniversary today I thought I would tell the story of how him and I became "We"!

So......oh 12 years ago I decided to apply for a second job in the bakery of a little IGA in the next town over. I was 19 at the time and amazingly (still not sure why) they hired me.

My first day on the job the other woman that worked there was showing me around and introducing me to everyone in the store. We were headed down the dog food isle (yes I remember) and there he was........the hottest freaking hottest hotty I had ever seen. Seriously, my first thought was "Wow he is freaking cute" and my second was "I'm gonna freaking marry him".

It was love (or should I say complete obsession) from there on out. He was the grocery manager at the store.....and 29. Yikes, I knew I didn't have a shot with me only being 19. I mean come'on now where we gonna go on our first date? McDonalds? I couldn't go to the bars or drink so how awkward would that be?

I decided to wait it out. This was a very calculated move on my part too by the way. I had it all planned out.

The next 2 years were spent doing EVERYTHING in my power to make him notice and (hopefully) want me! I even went so far as to pierce my tongue (yeah ouch) to get his attention......yah don't ask me what I was thinking, I honestly don't think I was. But I am pretty sure it worked.

I found out where he lived and drove by every single day. Sometimes twice a day. Sometimes three times a day. Can you say stalker? Hm.......

Finally after the 2 longest years of my life I was a couple months from turning 21 and went into work one morning only to have him tell me he gave his notice. Huh? I don't think I comprehended for the first few hours. He did WHAT? But he couldn't give his notice. I hadn't made my move yet! Well I mean I made my move, I made my intentions know, I know he knew I had a crush on him but man....this was not in my "master plan".

I had to act fast. Those last 2 weeks were a blur, somehow I got up the nerve to give him my number. He gave me his. And then he was gone.

The next couple of months sucked. That crappy grocery store just wasn't the same without him, I detested the owners and to be honest with you I only stayed to see him everyday. About a month after he quit I went into work one night and decided I was done. I walked out and never came back. Hey I was 21, I didn't care if I left them without a bakeshop girl. I was done with them!

A couple weeks later I was at my mom's work visiting her and she told me she had to go over to another one of the state buildings to buy tickets for a Christmas party her work was doing. So I decided to go along for the walk. When we got there we got buzzed in and to my surprise when I got inside Gary was standing there. He was working security at the building. I was speechless. I don't think I said anything except "wow you look hot in that uniform".....yeah. Good one Erin.

So that was that......finally a few days before Valentines Day Jackie and I decided to go out to Hops for a burger and some beers (because I was finally 21) I ended up drinking way more than I should have and got up some liquid courage to call him.

I honestly was praying he wouldn't answer. But he did. He was at Hops within 20 minutes. I was pretty buzzed at that point and knew this was my shot! I made my move. What was my move you ask? Well, I am pretty sure I told him he had nice lips and went in for the kiss! What man could resist some young 21 year old kissing him so the next thing I knew we were making out in the parking lot. Sick.

Looking back on it what the hell was a 31 year old man doing making out with a 21 year old girl anyway?? I mean obviously I wasn't complaining but he was a cradle robber that's for sure!

So we dated for a few years, moved in together, got engaged a year later and married the following year. 4 years of dealing with infertility later we have our little baby girls and couldn't be happier!

Do you know I woke up this morning and after being up for 20 minutes realized it was our Anniversary? I said "Hey! Happy Anniversary" and he said "No sir.....really...... already? We always joke because neither of us ever remember it. It slipped my mind even more this year having the girls!

So I came home from work this afternoon to a very sweet card and he brought me to the back deck to tell me " This year is a wood year, I looked it up, so I got you a dogwood tree"! What could I say, he sure is thoughtful and creative now isn't he?! Gotta love him!

So that is how it all started!