Happy Anniversary

Today marks 11 years of being with Brian. 

We orginally met at a party 14 years ago.  I had just starting dating a guy who I ended up dating for 3 years.  Brian was single.  He expressed some interest in me to a mutual friend but she told him that I was not the kind of girl who cheated so he should just move on.  The guy I was with was a very new boyfriend and I wasn't sure at that time if it was going anywhere.  I was 19 years old and wanted to keep my options open.  I was interested in Brian but he ignored me so I didn't pursue him.

Then 3 years later I broke up with that guy and ran into that mutual friend from the party.  I think the last time I saw her was at the party.  She asked how things were going and I told her fine.  She asked about my boyfriend and I told her we had just broken up.  She invited me to come out to the bar the following evening with her and a bunch of her friends.  I thought, what the heck and agreed to go.  The next night I got ready to go and waited to be picked up.  When we arrived at the bar I was introduced to her friends.  I felt very uncomfortable and wanted to go home.  Nobody was really talking to me and the only person who was had a girlfriend and she was looking less than pleased about her boyfriend talking to me.  I got up to go call my parents for a ride when the group announced they were going next door to the other bar.  This bar was a little more like a dance club so I decided to give it another hour.  I was likely to run into some other people I knew so if the people in this group didn't want to talk to me then I could find people how did.  Once we were at the other bar one of the guys in the group came up to me and started talking.  That guy was Brian.  He asked me a bunch of questions about myself.  He was so awkward.  I didn't mind that he didn't seem to have much game.  A good friend of mine had once told me that you will never find a nice guy at the bar.  She said the only way to find a nice guy at the bar is to look past the guy hitting on you at his buddy who's holding the flirts beer and go talk to him instead.  Brian made me think of the "buddy" in that situation.  I remember we danced to some Britney Spears and NSync songs.  He seemed like a really sweet guy.  At the end of the night he asked me if I was free to go for a ride on his motorcycle.  I told him I had plans with my mother.  I could tell from the look on his face that he didn't believe me.  I reassured him that I really did have plans with my mom.  She had asked me to go to some place called Sarnia and look at some Tall Ships.  He instantly looked relieved.  He said he was from Sarnia and he's just bailed on his mom that weekend so he could come out tonight.  I told him to get my number from our mutual friend and give me a call sometime.

The next day I went out with my mom and saw the ships.  When we got back I was watching some tv and the doorbell ran.  I answered the door and it was the mutual friend with Brian and another guy from the previous night.  They wanted me to go rollerblading.  Uhhhhhh, I don't rollerblade but, for this guy I'd make an exception.   I am so clumsy and uncoordinated and that day was no different.  I stumbled and fumbled my way around the block.  Brian was so sweet, he held my hand and asked all kinds of get to know me questions.  I could tell this guy was different.  He was someone very special.

That was early August.  We continued to see each other almost every day for a few weeks and at the end of August Brian asked me if I wanted to be exclusive.  I, of course, agreed.

That was the start of a beautiful relationship and friendship.

Happy Anniversary Brian!  I love you.  You have been an amazing partner.  You are truly my best friend.  Life is a rollercoaster and I can't think of anyone else I rather take the ride with.