Seventeen Years of Discovering the World Together.

Seventeen years ago today, my husband and I went on our first date. He had called that morning, out of the blue, to see if I might be free, then sheepishly admitted I'd have to pick him up—his car was out of commission.

Giggling, I agreed, not quite believing the turn my life was taking. I'd certainly never imagined Brian would ask me out. He was just the funny (but attached) guy who sat next to me in class every day, cracking me up for the whole two hour period.

I couldn't tell you exactly what I wore, but I know I agonized over my outfit for hours. I'm sure my jeans were pegged to perfection, and that my lipstick was applied crookedly (I still hadn't gotten the hang of the whole makeup thing).

It was a cold winter's night, much like this one, and I shivered as I waited in his driveway, strangely jittery. After all, this was Brian—someone I already considered a dear friend. There was no reason to be nervous!

The proof that he already knew me well was in the movie he picked. We went to see Aladdin, the newest Disney flick (I did and still do enjoy a good Disney romp). Afterward, we enjoyed a romantic dinner at Burger King, where I sipped on a strawberry shake and munched on french fries long after they had gone cold and clammy.

We talked and laughed for hours— ignoring the nasty stares the staff gave us as they swept around our table, clearly trying to close for the night. I vividly remember the feeling of wonder that overtook me about halfway through the evening when I realized I really liked this guy. As in, liked him liked him.

At long last, curfew grew close and so we headed for home. I think we had our first kiss that night (although, since we went out four nights in a row, my memory's a little foggy as to which one it was). I know I arrived home with a smile in my heart and laughter in my eyes, suddenly excited to see what the rest of my senior year would bring.

And if you had told me then that I'd found my soul mate on that cold February night? Although I wouldn't have admitted it, somewhere way down deep inside I would have known you were telling the truth.



Here's to a lifetime spent discovering how wonderful the world can be when you have someone to share it with.