15 Years Ago....

15 years ago. 15 years ago, I had just had my 19th birthday. It was the summer of 1995. I drove up to visit a good girl friend of mine. We met each other our freshman year of college. She knew of the special little crush that I had on a guy who we both knew from college. And she claimed that he had the same kind of special little crush on me. I did know this to be true. I could feel it each and every time he and I talked to one another. But to hear a friend of mine acknowledge it as well made it feel that much more real. When I got to her house, she convinced me that we should call him and drive the hour to see him. I was all for it. But I made her place the call. So she called him and he invited the two of us up to his parents house for the day. He said that he had a buddy over and that they would like to take us to lunch.

Beyond excited, we jumped in her car and drove up to his house. I had butterflies in my stomach. I thought that he was the cutest guy I had ever seen. I KNEW that he was the cutest guy I had ever seen. Every time I saw him on campus or sat next to him in a class, I was just drawn to him. His gentle nature. His energy. And of course, I loved sneaking peeks at him in class when I knew he wasn't looking. I had never felt this kind of a real, sincere and heartfelt crush before.

When we got to his house, he and his friend were very pleased that we were there and very welcoming. They asked if they could take us to lunch. So the four of us went to a loud, funky and artsy Mexican restaurant. I had just had my birthday so they all arranged for the Mariachi Band to come over and sing to me. I wore the sombrero, got my picture taken, the works. I just remember being so happy and still so shocked to be out to lunch with my favorite guy. It was no where near a date as we were all friends, but I could sense then that our friendship might turn into something more.

As we were leaving the restaurant, one of the Mariachi singers walked up to our group and began talking with us. He looked at me and then he looked at my 'crush' and said, "Hey you two, when you get married down the road......let us play Mariachi music at your wedding". We both turned bright red. We really didn't know what to say so we both just kind of laughed. I will always remember those words and will always wonder why he picked the two of us out. We were not even dating yet.

15 years later. Tonight on November 12th, 2010, I returned to this particular restaurant with my husband. And if you haven't already figured this out, my husband was the guy who had captured my heart at the same Mexican restaurant 15 years ago. My crush. This restaurant was our first place. Not our first date, but our first place that we ever went to together. And tonight, as I looked around the table and saw my husband, our two kids and my parents all fully enjoying one another's company, I couldn't help but just smile. Smile and remember. To think of that one day 15 years ago when my husband and I were so nervous just being around one another. Remembering the butterflies and how I thought that he was just the coolest and cutest guy ever.

And to be honest, I still feel that way. He is still the cutest guy that I have ever seen with the most gentle and loving soul. 15 years later and we have created a family together. I guess that Mariachi guy really knew what he was talking about when he struck up conversation with us so long ago. Unfortunately, he did not play at our wedding but the memory of his musical request will last a life time. I love my husband more than words can express and revisiting the same Mexican restaurant this evening with OUR family filled my heart and definitely took me down memory lane. I am blessed. And I truly know how blessed I am.