October 20th, 2000....The Day That Our World Changed Forever.

Ten Years.....10 Years! Diez Anos!!

Exactly 10 years ago tonight, I met my Emmy. It is hardly believable how chance and luck can change your life in an instant....and it did for us, and most certainly for the better.

It's really awe striking to think that I've known Emmy now for 10 years. What an amazing 10 years it has been. From the fun of being a couple in college, to taking that unbelievable step and moving together...to Colorado...where we knew no one, to living together for the first time in Colorado, to our engagement in City Center Park under the night lights of the Denver skyline, to moving to St. Louis, getting married in Cincinnati, having our first love of our lives together (that would be Allie the Dachshund), to new jobs and a new house, to numerous vacations and fun events together as a twosome, to the just unspeakable excitement of having Aidan, to the amazing baby fun that he was, to the remarkable ease of having Ethan and the multiplying (not dividing) of love that he brought us......to now.

"Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it's the moments that take your breath away."

That night was the first night that I ever had my breath taken away. It's always taboo to say "love at first sight" or whatever, but there was something very special about Emmy, and I KNEW it.

Here's my story:

After a rousing start to the day; my roommate Brad and I had driven clear up to the Fairfield area out in the middle of nowhere to an Army/Navy surplus store to get authentic flight suits to be Maverick and Goose, we rushed back, through on some patches that I had printed and got ready for our annual Halloween party at our house, which was named "The Igloo". After a few hours of grilling out and "light partying", the tiki torches came out, the music was turned on and the keg was tapped. People started trickling in, including oddly enough, or friend Nick (who was some sort of female nurse, complete with lipstick and two apples for breasts) and three girls, two of which were doctors and one Blue M&M. As the night progressed, I did my normal mingling, asking if everyone was having fun, and of course, having fun myself. I then came across a very lonely looking Blue M&M. She was standing outside, all by herself. So I introduced myself, asked her if she was having fun, if she needed another beer (because it was MY house, I'd go right to the front of the line for her). We chit-chatted for a bit, about the house, who she was with, our tastes in music.

So for the rest of the night, we had fun together, doing the typical party things; dancing, talking, drinking, and laughing. It wasn't very late (probably around 1130) when she and her friends left our party, and I will admit I was sad to see her go. We were having a great time (but I think her friends were not), and I was really enjoying her company (dancing of course). Thank goodness that John and Peggy (Grandpa John and Grammy P) named her such a unique name, because I was able to go up to my room and look her up in the University of Cincinnati email registry and find her. Call it cyberstalking, call it weird, call it whatever...this was my chance and I nailed it.

And it wasn't too long later that I got a call and the rest as they say...was history.

Here's what we looked like on the night of the party....it is amazing how life can change for so so much for the better in an instant! I love you Emmylou!!

"Goose" and the Blue M&M

Have a great night everyone.

Goose and the Blue M&M