In honor of my ninth wedding anniversary I thought I would retell a very romantic story about how Jeremy and I came to be…
It all started one beautiful Spring morning, blossoms were just starting to grace the cherry trees and…crap. I can’t keep this up! Jer’s and my story is really anything but romantic but perhaps a lesson in that age-old saying, “The grass is always greener…” or in our case “isn’t” greener. Jer and I had a few different telling moments in our history that could have been a flashing neon sign saying “You are meant to be,” but at different points in time neither one of us paid much attention to it.
Moment 1 – Jer and I met through my twin brother, Chris, who also happened to be his best friend. It was 1992 andthe summer before my Junior andJer’s Senior year in High School. Chris was schlepping ice cream at the local Dairy Queen and worked with Jer’s girlfriend (lovingly referred to as WonTon Fanucci – a real gem.) Some of the crew from Dairy Queen were going bowling one night and Chris invited me along. Of course Jer went along, although his WonTon was actually out of town for a few weeks on vacation. Here’s where I learned what would become an integral part of Jer’s personality…he was a flirt. And I was smitten. It might have been Calvin Klein’s Eternity or his Vanilla Ice-esque hairdo, or maybe even his slightly tapered leg jeans (or, and I’m not proud of this,the fact that he already had a girlfriend) but I was drawn to him like a mosquito toa bug zapper! We actually had a really good time that few weeks that WonTon was out of town. We spent quite a bit of time together and I will honestly say that I was lead to believe Jeremy was going to break up with ol’ WonTon. That is until one fateful morning when he came by the house to see my brother and brought her with him. And he then proceeded to have her sit on his lap while they waited for Chris. I know, nice. Right? Needless to say, heartbreak ensued and then I proceeded to get over it.
Moment 2 – Flash forward about 2 years to the summer of 1994 – the year I graduated high school. A lot had happened during those two years. Jer was still around and in fact had been engaged and then broken off his engagement to WonTon. I like to say that he smartened up a lot that year. We actually were pretty good friends, Jer and I, and spent a lot of time together with a big group of friends. As I said before, Jer was a big flirt and so was I so we worked pretty well together. And flirting isall it was, honestly, until he planted one on me while my best friend and I were housesitting at her Grandma’s. My friend had left for a few minutes to rent a movie at Blockbuster (this was way before RedBox or Netflix…I know, can you imagine?) and well, Jer saw an opportunity and took a hold! Literally. So I guess you could say we started exclusivley dating after that night…natural progression. Orso I thought. Well at least about the exclusive part. Anyhoo…heartbroken, again.
Moment 3 – Flash forward another year (approximately the amount of time it took me to start talking to Jer again). Eventually we did become friends again but the flirting was over. I was dating a guy (who my mom hated) and I actually was pretty serious about him butIwas still hanging around with Jer (who my mom loved) and a group of other friends. Apparently, there was something about my lack of availability that caused Jer to realize that he was, in fact, in love with me. Great timing, right? Jer asked me to the movies, presumably as friends, about every other day for two weeks when I finally agreed. My boyfriend was out of town and I thought, “What the hell? We’re friends.” Talk about the most uncomfortable moment of my life. About halfway through the movie Jer made his moveand put his hand on my leg. Well, there it stayed, all by itself for what felt like hours. I couldn’t move except for inch away slightly. Apparently he got the hint and resigned to remove his hand. After the movie he drove me home, in silence, and that Toyota barely came to a stop before I bounded out the door and ran up the stairs to my apartment. (Probably one of the only times in my life when I purposed to RUN up stairs – that’s just how bad it was.) We kind of pretended it never happened and continued on with our friendship.
Moment 4 – A few months later I broke up with my boyfriend, dated another guy for a short amount of time and then broke up with him. Jer was there through all of that. My mom still loved him and reminded me on a daily basis how he was the man of my future. I ignored her. Until one night. Jer was over at my parent’s house doing some laundry when I stopped over to pick up some mail. We got to talking and laughing. It really reminded me of our friendship from long ago. The electricity in the air was almost palpable and I knew we both could feel it. I just wasn’t sure I could trust Jer and didn’t know if I wanted to really put myself out there again. Jer got up to leave and headed out the door to his truck. Mom said some very wise words to me. She said, “Mindy, what would you do if some day you checked your mail and there was a wedding invitation in there for Jer and some other girl? How would that make you feel?” I looked at her for a minute and then stood up and went right out the front door. Jer had gotten to his truck and was in the process of unlocking the door when I yelled his name, “Jeremy!” He looked up and saw me standing in the driveway. You guys, it was just like a movie! He came around the side of his Toyota and up the driveway to stand right in front of me. I looked at him for a split second and then moved in for a kiss! And that’s where we stayed. We both knew there was no purpose in the “get to know each other” stage and immediately called ourselves a “couple.”
As of today we have been married for 9 wonderful years. Our story is quite involved but I wouldn’t change a word of it. There have definitely been peaks and valleys but I can say with entire certainty that Jer and I were truly meant to be and all the stumbles along the way have only strengthened who we are as individuals and who we are as “us.”
Happy Anniversary Jer (and I forgive you for the Vanilla Ice hairdo!)
Love to you, Mindy
Brandy says
Looking back on all that now, does he realize how lucky he is? I sure hope so!!
Mindy says
I remind him all the time! =)
Valerie says
What a great love story Mindy! Glad you two worked everthing out.Happy Anniversary! ~Val
Mindy says
Thank you Val!
Lisa says
Happy Anniversary!!
Mindy says
Thank you!
Nurse Sara says
So happy you’re around as a couple. Game or pizza night would have never been the same with WonTon and Jer and you and the big cusser.