Seven Years Ago Today...I turned into a Wife!

That's right folks, seven years ago today we got hitched. I remember the first time I saw Brad like it was yesterday. It was back in 1998. I worked in the Mall Management Office at Prien Lake Mall (Lake Charles) and he came in to inquire about leasing space. After he left, my boss and I were discussing how excited we were about Chick-fil-A coming in to the mall...I mentioned that I was pretty excited about the guy that was coming in along with it!! :) I'm still a big fan!! A mutual friend of ours (Lionel, the maintenance man) ended up playing match maker for us. Lionel called me one day to say that he hoped I didn't mind, but he passed my phone number to Brad....of course I didn't mind. I had already made plans for that night and ended up staying home to wait for Brad to call me....yeah, that's pretty lame!! He didn't even call either!!! A few days later, he was in my office and asked me out...finally!!!

A few months later my home office found out that we were dating. It was against their policy for salaried marketing or management employees to date tenants. ...conflict of interest...according to them I could have given Brad some confidential info about others leases and things that would have been beneficial to him! I wouldn't have done that though :) We were only dating and I HAD to have a job! Once I figured out that he was worth keeping around, I ended up switching jobs to manage an apartment compex.

....Here is where the good part starts...so on September 11, 2001 (THE 9/11), my home office came into town to announce that the entire apartment complex staff was being "laid off"!! Ummm, when you loose your job as a Property Manager, you also loose free rent, health insurance and a paycheck!! I was pretty stressed and upset about loosing my job and scared about the 9/11 events!!! I went to Brad's house to try and figure out what I was going to do. I mentioned that I should be more carefree like my twin sis that had just moved to Maine on a whim...hmmm maybe I could go stay with her!! He and I were going to head to my parents house to annouce that I would be moving back in with them...only option I could think of... until Brad reached into his duffle bag and pulled out an engagement ring. "wanna get married and stay here"? Yep, that is MY romantic man!! :) According to him, he had the ring for about six months and was just waiting for the perfect time to get engaged....I never imagined myself getting engaged sitting in the driveway of his house...but it was "perfect".

....Fast forward four months later and we had a very small (family only - so don't get upset if you weren't invited!!) ceremony where he and I committed ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives! Today begins year seven of it...

Sure, our marriage has been through a lot of rollar coaster moements and lots and lots of stress, but there is no one else that I would rather run home too, cry with, tell my deepest secrets too, laugh and be silly with or have sitting by my side for the rest of my life than Brad...He is the most generous, caring, attractive, good hearted family man and I am super lucky to be able to call him my husband!

Not only do I get to call him husband, but he is also my baby daddy and boy is he a great daddy! I could not have picked a better leader for the frat house!