Our Short and Condensed Story.

I know I mentioned my wedding briefly in my last post...I am indeed newly married.  My husband and I dated for 8 years until we decided to make the big commitment of marriage to one another.  It did not take us so long because we were hesitant. We knew we wanted to get married.  We also knew we needed God to grow us from the inside until we were ready to grow together. Let me tell you - there is not a better feeling in the world like when you get to marry your best friend and love of your life. 

So a little of our story - We met in the summer of 2005 after I graduated high school - Carlos played in a local Houston ska band and knew my brother from playing at the same shows.  I was in a very lost state like most at that age - I just graduated high school, ended a high school relationship, and enrolled for college at UTSA for fall.  I was NOT trying to make anything permanent.  I was just in Houston for the summer visiting and the plan was to go back to SA in August.  That was the plan.

Carlos contacted me first via MySpace (remember 2005 - Facebook was only for college students - shocking I know!).  I had been helping his band book a show in SA and that is how he found me.  It actually took me 2 weeks to respond back.  He, of course, responded back the same day, and it took me ANOTHER 2 weeks to respond to his second attempt.  I probably crushed all hope he had inside.  Anyways, after about 2 months of corresponding, we finally went on our first date. 

It was horrible. 

Were you expecting something different? 

He showed up to pick me up - He argues to this day that before I ever said "Hi" when opening the door, my first words to him were "Oh, you look nothing like your MySpace picture.”  There is probably some truth to that.  What he did not let me explain was that what I did see, I liked.  It was better than any picture.  

We went to dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant Mai's, where he hardly talked to me and then to a local show at Fitz'.  At some point throughout the night, we ran into two of my brother’s best friend – (coincidence or not?!).  While I was in the bathroom, they proceeded to tell Carlos not to date me because I was crazy – okay so that is only partially true, but he has learned to accept it.  Then, some girl who Carlos was friends with, interrupted our date and whisked Carlos away to watch some band play upstairs.  I was not going to chase after him.  I thought he had abandoned me, but he showed up not even 5 minutes later apologizing profusely.  I gave him the benefit of a doubt and accepted his apology.  

We ended our night with me introducing him to a Wendy’s frosty and French fries concoction.  He dropped me off at a reasonable time and he did not try to kiss me.  (I was horrified at first but realized it was worth it to wait in the end.)  He called me as soon as he left, and we talked on the phone ‘till about 5 am.  Okay, so maybe our first date was not so horrible after all...

Flash forward 3 months later – I am still living in Houston.  I did not attend UTSA like planned. Rita hits Texas and Carlos went to Mexico for about 2 weeks like majority of Houstonians.  Carlos asked me to be his girlfriend when he came back – time away makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Flash forward to today – I am still living in Houston.  I am attending the University of Houston.  I am married.  That is exactly where I should be.  Plans change.  My plan changed – the past 8 years were nothing I could have predicted or planned. As much as I plan the next 8 years of my life, maybe half of it will not happen.  That is okay.  However, no matter how much my plans changed and continue to change, my goals have always remained the same.  I am exactly where I want to be even if it went a little off the path or it took a little longer.  I plan to graduate college, start a family, buy a house, and take as many trips as I can with my husband, just to name a few. In what order and how long it will take,  I do not know - and that is okay!

I did not want someone just to love me – God had a better plan for me - I have unconditional love.  We have our share of ups and downs.  Life is not always roses and sweet gestures, but I am lucky to have someone by my side willing to adapt with me as we figure it out together.  I have someone who is willing to put up with the good and the bad. We laugh together (A LOT!) and we cry together - I love that my husband is not afraid to show any of his feelings.  It shows that he is human.  We finish each other’s sentences and we read each other's mind...that is actually more scary than normal at times.  We share each other’s passions and dreams, and we lift one another to reach them.  We want to become the best we can together and want to love as much as we can.  I know he will continue to bless those around him as he has blessed my life. I am lucky to have a man who has such a strong faith in God and is passionate about living up to that faith. 

So I leave you with this, whether you are have been married for years, recent newlyweds, engaged or not even thinking about marriage.  May this serve as a reminder or as a manifesto for the future.