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Or "The greatest story ever told..." according to Geoff....(that's what he wanted the title to be...)
Tomorrow is our 3 year wedding anniversary. So in honor of that....I thought I'd tell the story of how we met. At first- I thought this was a brilliant idea thinking it was a story nobody knew...but after thinking it over...I realize that most everyone that reads this probably already knows this story. But then I talked myself back into writing it thinking that it will be good to have it in writing and remember it this way...rather than the alterations my memory could possibly make to the story 20 years from now. So here goes.....
It was way back in 2003...summertime...or spring...or fall (see- my memory already fails me) when my sister's friend, Daniel, decided to set her up on a blind date with his friend Geoff. I (Marla) was still living in Waco at the time...I had just graduated from Baylor....with a degree in psychology, none theless..... and was trying to figure out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life (funny how 6 years later I am still in that process...but oh well....). So Kristin (aka Aunt Sister) agreed.
So this guy named Geoff picked up my sister named Kristin and they went on a date to a restaurant named Blue Goose (this is totally irrelavent...). I think they had an "ok" time....but obviously not too good of a time....because the next day Geoff called my sister and said that he had a good time...yada yada yada.....but (you know...the inevitable but.....) he didn't feel right about continuing to date her because of who her dad was. Her dad was, coincidentally, his boss (in a roundabout way). So that was that......no more Geoff.
So for the next year, I continued to try to figure out what I was doing with my life. Geoff continued to work and date (I guess...). And Kristin....I don't know what she did...I guess she worked a lot....
So then August of 2004 comes and I move home...and when I say "home"...I mean Home (with a capital H)...in with my mom and stepdad. Still distraught over what to do with my life (can we all see how this has been an overriding theme in my life??) I began applying for a job as a teacher. A few weeks later, I was blessed to find out that I did get a job at a local elementary school (where, in fact, I also found some of my best friends there) teaching in a special education classroom. So la-ti-da....I am now living at home...I DO have a good job...but then I start whining to Kristin about how I will never meet anyone now. I work at a school...with women....and I wasn't a big fan of the bar scene or meeting guys there, for that fact.
So after listening to me whine for about 2 months, she says to me..."Hey....do you remember that guy Geoff that I went on a date with last year? Well...I think I am going to set you up on a date with him." My response, ".....umm....ok...." (I think...I can't remember exactly... I did think it was weird that she had gone a date with him...it didn't work out...and then she wanted to set him up with me...but I trusted her and was willing to give it a shot).
So I guess Kristin contacts Daniel (the guy who had initially set her up with Geoff) and tells him the idea and he contacts Geoff. Geoff, unlike me, was a little skeptical. He initially thought (and this is a true story) that Kristin was actually trying to set him up...to get back at him...for not wanting to go out with her anymore. So after Daniel set him straight (I guess)...he agreed and was given my telephone number.
It was Thursday, November 4th that we first spoke to each other on the phone. We talked for about an hour or so. It's funny because Geoff and I have talked of this first conversation, and while I remember it to be a good conversation...he remembers it to be not good. During this conversation we did not set up a date because our schedules were kind of wacky then, but I think we did agree to eventually meet.
That Friday...my friends, Emily and Kelley, loaded up a car...drove to Waco...where we rented a U-haul...and packed up the rest of my stuff from the house I had lived in there (after all...I had just moved home 2 months before)....and drove to Paris, Texas...where our old "farm house" was (man...I miss that place....that will have to be a different story for a different day though....).
So all the while we are moving and grooving....a group of friends, including Kristin and Geoff, decide to go out. Kristin proceeds to show Geoff pictures of me....ones like this....
(in this picture...me, my brother, Brian, and Kristin)
EXACTLY. I mean- what was she trying to do?? Get him to not go out with me??? She showed him some other pictures...that we are currently having trouble finding at the time. But still!!
So Sunday I return home from the farm. Kristin calls me around 8 or so and tells me that Geoff was hurt at work. My stomach sank. And I can remember this feeling so vividly. It wasn't a feeling that you just felt for a stranger that you had never met and only talked to once in your life. It was more than that. And that's all I am going to say about it because it is so hard to explain....and I am not trying to say it was "love before first sight"--that would be ridiculous. I am just saying that I remember thinking what I felt was odd...and then dismissed it because the feelings were weird to be feeling for a stranger, essentially.
But Geoff was fine. He did stay home from work the next day, Monday, November 8, 2004.... since he was on some pain medication. And to my surprise....he called me when I got home from work to see if I wanted to go to dinner. And me...wanting to play hard to get...immediately said, "Yes!"
I called Kristin...and I think she had just gotten off of work... and told her she had to come over immediately to help me find something to wear because I was meeting him in about an hour.
So she came. One of the first things she said to me was that she was glad that I had worn my hair straight that day....something I rarely do due to time...I usually just wear it curly (or rather...I think it's more on the wavy side...).
To wrap up this already long story....I met him at his apartment. He lived on the second floor and just as I was getting out of the car...he was coming out of his apartment. On his way down.... and as he got a closer look at me, he said, "Your pictures don't do you justice!" (ummm...ya think??)
So we went to Snuffer's in Dallas...where we did not get the "must-have" cheddar fries because it was the first date and I, of course, would never ever think of eating that much. Never. I got the spicy battered chicken strips instead. Hey- at least it wasn't a salad! I wanted to show him that I was a real woman. Whatever that means...haha...
Fast forward 3 weeks. We go out for his 26th birthday...and before the night was over he said to me, "I love you...one day I'm going to marry you... and one day you'll be the mother of my children."
So the rest is really history....and we've been together ever since.....
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UPDATE: A picture of the 2 of us from our maternity/family pictures last month (March 2013)...
9 comments:
Awwww!!! Great story! I think I was smiling the whole way through it. You did a great job writing it all.
Snuffers must have sucked w/o fries!! I would have been the same way...now I just yell at Aaron for eating them too fast and not giving me my share of them.
Kristin,
I can picture you showing Geoff the pictures and it is making me laugh so hard!
I don't know why I showed him the pictures that I showed him?? And I really can't remember why I had them in my purse too show him?? He liked them enough to go and meet you!! haha..... hopefully tomorrow you can look through my pictures again and find the ones I showed him.
Happy Anniversary!! Glad that I could be a part and helping 2 people find true love!! (sounds corny... but you get what I'm saying...) Love you guys!!!
I did know this story, but there's something different about reading it. Major cheers to Kristin on this one for the hook-up! And I love how Geoff told you how he loved you so close to the beginning... I like it even more because Matt used to tell me the same basic premise and I always just laughed...do you remember when I called you in the summer to try and figure out if I was wrong for NOT liking him!!!???!!! Oh, wow, how things change. Thanks for writing this one...I really liked it, a lot. And I loved your wedding. I loved everything about it. :)
Happy Anniversary to you both! Great story, Remember the first time I met him at the farm and thinking here he is with the love of his life, Celebrating a weekend with two of his major bosses, Cotton and Rohde. He handled it so well and stole all of our hearts! Knew then that he was here to stay and would take care of you forever! (and vice-versa)
Happy Anniversary. You have a great story!
Great story!! Hope you guys had a great anniverary! I love reading how other's met!!
That was awfully generous of your friend to set you up with a guy that didn't work out for her. It definitely worked out for the two of you! And just letting you know, I'm stopping by from Kelly's Korner
what a sweet story! I got chill bumps at what he said at your 26th birthday... how romantic! Thanks for linking up!
Sweet! Happy anniversary and look luck with #3! Just found you through the Marriage Series. Looking forward to reading more!
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