This weekend Sean and I are celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary, so I thought this would be the perfect time to share our story, hope it doesn’t get too mushy for you đ I asked Sean to kick it off for me by telling you all about the first time we met. It was so fun for me to read what he wrote and go back in time a little and reminisce about the beginning stages of our relationship.
Here’s what he wrote:
I remember the first time I met Crystal was actually my Sophomore year of High school. I was hanging out with Brenda and a few of our mutual friends and we stopped by Brendaâs house for something. This beautiful girl was headed out the door with a guy. I remember thinking, âoh man, that girl is so hot! Too bad she’s headed out with some lucky guy.â I know that sounds pretty shallow, but keep in mind I was 16 at the time. Brenda briefly introduced us to her best friend from another school named Crystal, but Crystal seemed to be in a hurry so I didnât get to know her then. I never forgot her face though, its like it was permanently imprinted in my mind. I hoped that at some point in the near future I would bump into her again. That opportunity never really came. I know I probably could have asked Brenda to set me up or something, but I actually remember her heading out that night with an older guy and thinking, âprobably out of my league.â
Fast forward 7 years. I had been home from my Mission to Virginia for about 2.5 years. I was dating up a storm, keeping my options open, trying to be picky and making sure I knew exactly what I want in a spouse. I was burned out truthfully. The dating scene seemed brutal, not many girls really fit what I was looking for. I wanted a girl that was drop dead gorgeous, but was also down to earth and spiritual. I know I was asking a lot. That combination seemed to be scarce as I was playing the dating game. I went on soooooo many first dates. I figured why would I go out with them again and waste their time and mine if the spark isnât there, or if I sense something is off. Iâm not so conceded that I think I was the perfect match for anybody either. I know that many of those girls probably never wanted to go out with me again either, thatâs the dating game.
So I believe it was April 23rd, 2004. I was on a date with a girl that one of my best friends set me up with. I had been out with this girl once before and didnât see it going anywhere, but my friend convinced me to just hang out because I wasnât doing anything else. So we were at my house when my phone rings. I answer it and it’s my old friend way back from 9th grade, Brenda Drollinger. She said that she was in town from San Diego and wanted to drop by and say hello with her girlfriends. I asked, âwho is with you?â She said Erica, Jana, and Crystal. Well, when she said Crystal, for some reason I had it in my head that it was our mutual friend Chantelle, so I figured I knew all 3 of her friends coming over and was excited to reconnect since I hadnât seen them since High School. I canât imagine what my date at the time was thinking! Lol Sheâs probably thinking, âwhat a jerk, I canât believe he just told them to come over.â Like I said, I never saw that going anywhere, just being honest. After about 15 minutes the doorbell rings and I welcome my 4 friends. There is just one thing off, Chantelle is not the 4th girl to enter my house, it’s that girl that I remember being all ga ga for way back in Sophomore year of high school. I was like âOh Yea!!!!!â So we visited at my house for a while and I discover that Crystal is single, that Crystal is working in my industry of Network Marketing, that Crystal is a Return Missionary. In fact I do remember Brenda saying that Crystal just got home from a Mission to Germany and my response was, âYou were a Missionary!!!!â All of the girls erupted in laughter because I was so shocked and of course they could tell how much I admired that. So were are all visiting for about 30 minutes and my best friend and his date and my date decide they have seen enough! Lol They said to me, âhey weâre gonna go over to Nikiâs place and you can just pop over there when you are done here ok. â I was like, âyou bet, by all means!â We all visited for a while longer and then Brenda and the girls said they had to take off. As they were walking out of my driveway to take off, I wanted to make sure that this wasnât going to be the last time I was going see my dream girl for another 7 years! So I asked Crystal for her # and she gave it to me. When they drove off, I felt like I had just won the lottery! I was so glad that I had taken Brendaâs call, what if I hadnât! I also had a very amazing feeling, like I knew that God had just sent Crystal to my doorstep. See, finding my eternal companion was my #1 priority. I made it the highlight of every one of my prayers. I was trying to live a very honorable life so that when I met my soul mate she would also be attracted to me and I would be worthy of such a blessing. I remember feeling this sense of âwell that is how it was supposed to work out.â I know it sounds far fetched, but I knew I was going to Marry that girl. In fact, that night I called my friend Garrett, the one that had set me up on that date and I said something like, âDude, could you believe Crystal?â and his response was âI know! You are going to marry that girl.â and then I countered, âI know, I knew it right away too!â
Sure enough, it was meant to be. Within a matter of 3 dates or so Crystal and I were talking about our future plans to get married, it felt so right, more right that anything I had ever done in my life, felt so natural. I often think about how funny it must be for our mutual friend Brenda to think, âHow did that happen, I really didnât mean to set those two up. â lol Well I think she is really lucky, I canât think of anything better than to set two people up and have them fall in love and be as perfect for each other and make each other so happy as Crystal and I do. I really hope to do that someday, to play a role in a relationship like that.
What Can I say other than I am so grateful that God is in charge and listens to prayers. I am so happy and canât imagine my life without Crystal in it. Now we have these unbelievable children together and it just really sends things over the top for me. Itâs like every day I am reminded in some way that God did me this huge huge favor. I look in the eyes of Lily and Oliver and I know today, just like I did the day that we met, that it was meant to be.
-Sean
Aw, he makes me melt like a popsicle on the 4th or July đ Stay tuned for my version of the story, and some pictures.
