This day 18 years ago, I was up as nervous as a bug under a magnifying glass...
I got no sleep the night before. I was an excited bride anxious for my wedding day.
Someone asked me how me & Ricky met.
Its really a neat story - kinda long... so I'll actually try to shorten it. My romantic movie reel probably wouldn't entertain everyone. Though I do think it would make an EXCELLENT movie. Where's Rob Reiner when you need him?
Ricky & I have actually crossed paths our whole lives... its true. Its like one of those corny things you hear about, but it really happened.
When I was young, I was a roller skating FOOL. So every Sunday, one of my parents would take me & my friend Julie who lived down the street up to Champs Rollerdrome. It was always on a Sunday... only for a few hours. Not the whole session. I was probably between the age of 6-8...
Well, Ricky is 10 years older then me.... gasp... I know... he doesn't look it... doesn't act it either... so Ricky was probably around 16-18 & he was the skate guard then. How do I know for sure? He was good friends with a guy who also worked at the skating rink that knew my brother.... so Ricky was probably one of those people who yelled at me to SLOW DOWN! ... no actually, probably telling me to GO FASTER!!! I've never been the dare devil.
.....
Fast forward a few years. I'm now 16 & working in the local grocery store. The one right down the street from my house... & turns out, right down from his house. Yep, we lived a few streets apart our young lives....
I can remember someone coming through my line every time that had been through an accident. Would be wearing the jobst gloves & mask. I can remember making conversation with this person, trying to show that different doesn't bother me... come to find out, that person was Ricky. That was the time of his accident where he was in a trailer fire. He said he can remember going to places & if someone made him feel comfortable, he would always make a point to return back to that place - to that person...
Its weird because I honestly remember him then... I mean, you don't see many people who have been through a horrible accident come through the grocery line...
He remembers someone always being kind & friendly to him...
Fate was stepping in...
.....
Fast forward about another 5 years - I was always with my best friend Stephanie & she was dating a guy (now her husband) Brian. He had the most incredible Camaro. Beautiful car... the car everyone knew when it was driven around town. We always loved to ride in it... & then one day he sold it. Guess who he sold it too? Yep... we saw it around town a few weeks later & there was the guy I remembered from the grocery story! I knew that guy... he bought my friends car...
......
Fast forward another 2-3 years & I am dating someone & their family is going to Champs rollerdrome to go skating together. We pull up & what do I see? The Camaro in the parking lot... This guy is going to be in there... I saw him but didn't say anything...
Fast forward a few months... I'm dating another guy who works at the skating rink. I had been laid off of my other job, so I end up getting a job at the roller rink. Well, there's that guy... he works there as well... part time. His best friend is the guy who owned & ran the rink...
Found out his name... Ricky Vincent...
Next thing you know, the guy I'm dating - we end up spending a lot of time with Ricky... the 3 of us were always together...
It takes a weird turn because this guy I was dating was the WORST.. I mean the worst... I don't even like to think about him... but if it wasn't for him, it wouldn't have brought me & Ricky together...
Ricky ended up getting me out of this horrible relationship...
& as they say, the rest is history...
Ricky told me how he felt about me... & I knew the feeling had already started for me as well... & we instantly started dating...
though it didn't feel like "instant"... it felt like we were together for so long anyways...
& we kind of were...
If I sat down & really wrote out the details of everything, I'm telling you, producers would be knocking on my door...
A love story in the making..
So we've been together 21 years... married 18 years today...
Our story keeps on going... lots of chapters, lots of stories... all headed to the Happily Ever After
Oh my goodness....I loved this!! Thank you for sharing this part of your life, today!
ReplyDeleteHAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Much love to you both! :)
What a lovely story... sigh...
ReplyDeleteHappy happy anniversary!
So beautiful!!! Love reading your story!! Happy Anniversary and may the Lord bless you with many more years together!!
ReplyDeleteAww... Happy Anniversary girl!
ReplyDeleteLove your love story.....
ReplyDeleteHAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!
What a sweet, sweet love story. Happy anniversary!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great movie to me! Happy Anniversary : )
ReplyDeleteI loved, loved this! Thanks for sharing :) I hope you and Ricky had a fantastic anniversary day! <3
ReplyDeletePS...I spent a LOT of time at Champs too! And now that I read this, I think I might remember Ricky! I always thought the guards were so cool with their speed skates and moves ;)
I LOVE this story!!! It is so very very sweet.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are so very very sweet.
I don't think I realized he was that much older than you.
Although I do think you mentioned his age not to long ago, and I thought REALLY?!! Just never really put it together.
Again I will say it..... Your dress was absolutely AMAZING!! Y'all looked so great and happy.
Love you friend ~~ dawn