When I Least Expected It...

I was comfortable with the fact that I probably wouldn't meet someone. I was fine being alone, and I was doing ok. There were moments when I wished that I had someone by me for certain things, but I couldn't risk being hurt again, and this time also subjecting my girls to possibly being hurt.

A friend approached me over 2 years ago and said she wanted to "hook" me up with Corey, a guy that I had gone through all of Junior High and High School with. Corey and I didn't have much to do with each other, but knew of each other. I didn't think much of it and told her it was fine to give him my number.

I remember the first time we talked, June 23rd 2010. The ONLY reason I can remember that date, is that I was at a hotel with Danaka and 5 of her friends for her surprise birthday party, so when he called I gladly accepted the break from the madness. We talked for such  a long time that night, just got re-acquainted, I guess you could say.

We met for lunch that following week. I walked away thinking he was nice, but immediately started to try and find every excuse I could why I shouldn't like him, but looking back now, I think the reason why I did that was because, that date was easy. Even though Corey probably only said 10 words because of how shy he is, it was comfortable.

The next weekend we went out with JR and Mindy (friend responsible :) ) to dinner and then back to their house to play games. Once again nothing out over the top, and same feelings as when I left lunch.

For about a year and half, we would go on a couple of dates, talk a lot, and then he would seriously just disappear (I blame it on solely on him, but in reality I had my magic disappearing moments).  Every few months or so he would pop back in and again the journey started and again it was reason after reason why I couldn't like him!

In January, I was talking to Mindy and mentioned that we had just talked on Christmas for a few minutes, but nothing else  and that I missed him. I finally admitted to myself that I liked him, but that the ball was in his court. I was not going to be the instigator (fear taking over again). About 2 weeks later, out of the blue I got a text. Things just kinda took off from there. No more disappearing :), we talked everyday, went on dates. I was not going to admit to him or anyone that I liked him. I was pretty sure he didnt' really like me, he was still shy as shy could be, nothing to indicate that he liked me, and I mean NOTHING!

In May right before my finals we went out to dinner and for the first time, face to face, we just talked about everything. After he left that night with the sweetest, most simple kiss, I started listing all the reasons why I really liked him. He was genuine, there is nothing fake. You get what you see. The October before that in one of our "dating periods" he dropped his plans of driving 2 hours to his family's cabin to go to the Highland football game to watch Danaka cheer. He was sweet. He always asked me how the girls were doing, how I was doing. The best part is, Corey knew me and my past and had/has accepted every part of it.

His family's cabin is up past Evanston. We were talking about it one night and he had mentioned about us going up. I brushed it off as nothing. Well we then had a trip planned for memorial day weekend, and like any sappy love story it was a turning moment :)

I saw a side of Corey up there, that I didn't know existed. He was finally in an element of comfort and it showed. We spent the weekend riding for wheelers, talking, watching movies, just relaxing. He treated me like a queen. He did everything from the shopping to the cooking. He drove me an hour several times that weekend to talk to my girls. He let me have a weekend with no responsibilities to just enjoy being up there.

I have truly never met someone like Corey. I always tell him that I keep waiting for him to change in to a frog.  The way he treats me and my girls is beyond my comprehension. I didn't think it was possible to feel this way about someone again. He brings out the better sides of me. He calms me, he makes me laugh when that is the last thing that I want to do. He loves me and my girls. He always goes out of his way to make sure I know how he feels.

Where ever this journey takes us, I am going to enjoy the ride. This is the long version of the shortened version...stay tuned! I hope there is a lot more to share.