Lots of stories. Mostly ridiculous tales of things that should have never in a million years worked out.
But did.
Like the story of our first date. In the Vineyard Town, I had been working at the Juvenile Justice Center supervising a Guardian Ad Litem program, which is all dependency / foster care / civil law. Shoes took over the criminal juvenile caseload a few months after I started my GAL responsibilities.
And from the moment he stepped on to the JJC field, two very strong willed co-workers / friends were convinced Shoes and I should go on a date. Never mind we had never uttered a word to each other. So I drug my feet like only I can drag my feet. And resisted. And went out with somebody else. Because good looking, ambitious, young men in the Vineyard Town just aren't single (with a few exceptions, of course). The Vineyard Town is a family town.
By December of 2008, I wore down and agreed to go on a double date with Shoes and one of my co-workers, who had begun to date one of Shoes' co workers. I have no idea why I thought this was a good idea, but we went on this double date ... to our Juvenile Justice Center's Office Christmas Party at the home of the Detention Manager.
Really? Seriously? Who in their right mind thinks this is a good idea? I would never do that again: put your first date on display for all of your professional colleagues to gawk at. And the date?
Terrible. Absolutely terrible.
Awful.
Shoes spent most of the night outside talking to his co worker and I spent most of the night inside talking to my old Detention friends. The rest of the night included: extremely icy streets and a car accident because of it; a very heated argument between Shoes and HIS co worker about Catholicism; and the icing on the cake?
It took Shoes a year to tell me he initially thought he was agreeing to go on a date with someone else.
Really. Truly.
Of course, the flip side of that story is that once I walked in the door, according to Shoes, the entire game changed and he was paralyzed with intimidation.
If he didn't say that, I might have to step on his foot.
I walked myself home that evening thinking, "Well. He's a good looking guy. And one who ignored me for the entire night. So that's that."
And then a few days later we went out on a different double date, which went a little better. He actually took my phone number at that date.
And then a few days later we went out on a different double date. And then again. (We went out on a ridiculous number of double dates.) And then, miracle of miracles, we met at a cellar downtown for a glass of wine. By ourselves. We took things casually and slowly for a couple of months, and then at the end of January / beginning of February, we went to the Judge's retirement dinner together.
And that retirement dinner was the official beginning of Shoes and Lisa, the Couple. Not the casually dating couple, but the official couple.
And the things I love about Shoes are amazing and wonderful and quirky and largely private in the way that they would only make sense to us. But I'll give you the Readers Digest Version. Sure. Shoes is: gentle, kind, supremely loving, only 30 times more intelligent than I am, witty, hilarious, humble, giving to a fault, the same type of political ideology that I am (and for us, who have made our entire lives about people, this is a very big thing which is inherently tied up in my religious beliefs). That's probably the biggest thing. I know that Shoes and I partner together, as a couple, to fight social injustice. (And don't get all caught up in the fact that he's a deputy prosecuting attorney. This guy gets kids and family interactions better than I do sometimes. I enjoy telling that part of the story.)
I love the fact that I have these stories to tell. And I love hearing other people's stories about how they met their significant others. If you'd like to share, I'd love to hear it ...
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Well I think you know how I met Aaron, but in case you forgot...it was through Match.com. Yes people that website really does match people...or sort of. He wasn't my "match" but I found him in the list of single guys who were in my area. Turns out his nephew's mom was my co-worker at the time we started talking. Then we found out that we only lived a block from each other. It was a quick match up that seemed to me like it was going to last forever. Dated for three months and then moved in together. Lived together for two years before getting married...celebrated 5 years...but been together for seven years total. Best ride of my life and clearly you and shoes are on the best ride of your lives. Love you!!
Thank you, thank you for sharing how you and Shoes got together. ;) Now I don't have to ask you a million questions the next time we happen to meet in person. XOXOX
I don't know why but when you said that shoes "finally TOOK" your number, I pictured you trying to shove it in his face, and him denying it. hahah I was laughing so hard.
ANYWAYS, I love this story and I am so excited to hear the MANY more to come. LOVE YOU