Valentines Day or the Begining of our Love Story

Brooks and I met on Valentine's Day. How cliché!

In The Beginning

On Valentine's Day, I showed up at an apartment for a Valentine's Day Single's Party. This decision turned out to be significant to the rest of my life.

I had just ended (Yes, on Valentine's Day. I am such a romantic) the worst relationship of my dating history.

One of my life long best friends had drawn the line in the sand a few weeks earlier. Many had told me the relationship was toxic, but I had to come to it on my own. I learned a lot about myself during that time. Some things I learned about myself I didn't like. Others, helped me realize who I wanted to be.

I didn't mean to break up with the guy on Valentine's, it just happened to be the day I had the courage to stand on my own. Be me. The me I wanted to be. The me I respected and was proud to look in the mirror and see.

So, I called my friend who said my phone call wasn't welcome until the relationship was over. I have never been so excited to make a phone call. I felt liberated from the lies I had told myself. From the person I had become. I was able to start the new me. . .and the rest of my life.

A few girl friends and I loaded up in cars and headed to a party filled with pizza and singles.

When we walked into the apartment we were very politely introduced to 5 or 6 guys who each stood to shake our hands and introduce themselves to us. A few offered their seats, so all who wished to sit we able to do so. What gentlemen. Their mom's should be proud.

The night was filled with laughter, games, dancing and new friendships. . .and a nice, good looking young man named Brooks.

It would be story book to say, we fell in love that night, started our wonderful relationship and lived happily ever after, but that's not life.

Brooks "claims" he was interested in me starting that night. I like to use the word smitten. Yes, he was smitten with me.

And patient.

Instead of dating Brooks straight away, I made a detour with none other than his best friend.

So for a few months, he waited for an opportunity and as fate would have it, the opportunity came in early summer.

The night his best friend and I decided to go our separate ways, Brooks was asking if it would be alright to call me the next day. And he did. Did he violate "Bro Code," maybe. But he knew what he wanted.

Remember, he was smitten.

Over the summer we dated on and off.

Before I went back to school, I called my sister and told her. . ."I've met the man I'm going to marry!"

But I hadn't even told Brooks I loved him.

I had asked my sister years earlier "How do you know when you have met the man you are going to marry?" "How do you know someone else better isn't out there?" Her reply, "You just know."

She was right.

I knew. I knew, because I quit asking the questions. I quit looking.

But I'm stubborn and I was not about to let Brooks know this!

So, I went back to school at the end of the summer and miles came between us, but he was persistent and patient and I was secretly in love.

He knew he wanted to marry me. He asked me three times to spend the rest of my life with him. The third time, he asked my parents first and had a ring. He meant business.

I finally said, yes.

I always knew I wanted to marry him. . .And marry him I did.

Little did he know what he was getting into! Guess we are all "blinded by love."

Happy Day-I-Met-You Day!