Looking back it doesn’t seem like my future husband and I courted for 2 years before our one year engagement. It was a slower start than it feels like now.  My first rose came Valentine’s day during my Junior year of high school. He “had an extra one” and asked if I wanted it. Umm…I guess so. He has since admitted that there was nothing extra about it.

The whole next year, from December to December, was when we built a friendship. Even though we grew up together we never really talked, and there was a lot to learn about each other. The notes from that time are filled with get-to-know-you party type of questions. What color do you like? Where do you want to travel? What is in your dream house?  The notes were folded in all kinds of crazy ways, taped, stapled, and one was even duct taped!

My first present from him was a 3 cell Maglite. Bear with me, it was more romantic than it sounds. The spring of my Junior year of high school was when I applied and was hired for my first job as a caverns tour guide. I had excitedly told him that they provided the uniform shirt, but I had to buy this certain flashlight. Soon it appeared in my school desk with a congratulatory note AND a belt holder for the flashlight. That belt holder was the envy of many a tour guide. Okay, maybe it still doesn’t sound romantic, but it was really special. I also have to admit that he knew what he was doing because I would use the flashlight almost every day and think of him. [Read more...]

From bought cards to bits of scrap papers.  From “Dear friend” to fiance.  From formal Happy Birthday to mushy wedding count downs.  Two shoeboxes full of letters and notes linger from the 3 years of our courtship.  We still remember the letter that started it all…

My husband is one year older than I am, but he graduated high school 2 years ahead of me because his birthday is in the beginning of September and mine is in the middle of December.  He left for college and I went back to my junior year of school thinking I was better off without him around.

Then a strange thing happened. I missed him. How could that be? He was a thorn in my side, the pain in my neck, the itch that wouldn’t go away.

He had always been there. Then he was gone. We had barely talked to each other for years, but if I really needed something he helped me. I remember one teen outing in particular that was a rough night for me. Some things were going on, and he seemed to sense that I was having a rough time. I still don’t remember actually talking to each other; just doors held, dropped things picked up, small chilvarous actions that helped me through a night that still stands out as one of the roughest of my life.

So now he was off at college where there were lots of girls. It surely wouldn’t hurt to write him. I remember that I thought about it for almost a week before I sent the letter.  I expected him to never write back and that would be that. In fact, I didn’t put my name on the envelope, only the address, just in case he saw my name and threw the letter out. When my letter turned up in his mailbox he was totally surprised. He thought that was my address, but never thought I would actually write to him. He remembers that he picked up his mail on the way to a class and had to wait to open it.  He wrote back! That started a flurry of letters that continued when he came home around Christmas time. Every time I wrote he would write back.  That is pretty incredible if you know my husband.  He just doesn’t have the card/letter writing gene.

Neither of us can remember what that first letter said.  My husband said that the letter itself was the amazing thing; the content was not important.  I dug out the boxes trying to find that first letter  [that was a job!] but didn’t see it. The notes revived some memories to share with you next time.

The links for the rest of the story are on My Romance page.