My Bestfriend, My Boyfriend

Every couple has a love story, ours just began a long time ago...

We met in September of 2009 at the Liberty vs. Lexington football game. I think we spoke maybe 4 or 5 sentences to one another, if that. Seems like it was pretty casual from then until a night in January. I was at Stacye's house and she had been some what talking to Aaron for about a week or so. Aaron and Joey came over and from then, I guess you could say I had a crush on him. I felt instantly close to him... So close, I asked him to go pee with me/take me to pee. We added each other on MySpace and flirted a little back and forth until the next time we hung out. That next time we hung out is when I knew I had something for this boy.

We left Stacye's and I remember him complaining about having to wear his glasses. I thought they were pretty cute, one of those quirky cute accessories. We made casual conversation all the way into Lexington, then we stopped at the red light. I look over at him, he is looking at me with this grin on his face. I remember thinking "What is his deal?" Then, I'm laughing my butt off because he has come across the seat and is tickling me like crazy. Ever since then, I could not pass that red light with out thinking about that. Even when I was with other people, as soon as we pulled up, I began to smile. It was kinda like my little secret I shared with him, and only him.

The Tickle Light

 The rest of the night we rode around, had an amazing time, but most important of all, we began to fall... We hung out a few more times after that. We shared some amazing moments just holding each other while staring out into the lake. I think the night air, wild life, and beautiful stars make people fall in love. Seems like I just love being anywhere at night when its calm and peaceful, but it truly is amazing when I'm with him.

Then we come to night that changed my life... Figured it would be a routine night where we hung out and gave hugs to see each other the next weekend or whatever. Gosh, I was wrong. It was the night he told me he was moving to New Orleans. That was the first time I shed as many tears as I did in front of any guy... I had quite a few emotions running through my head and didn't know how to express them except to just hold on to him as tight as I could.  At this point in our relationship, we were still "friends," yet I felt like I was losing so much more than just my friend. We decided to go on with the night as normal, but I made him promise me we would hang one more time before he left which brings me to his last night in Tennessee...

Our First Picture, taken on the last night in TN.

As sad as the last night was, it was one of our greatest. After a wonderful Mexican birthday surprise filled with whip cream, we decided to end the night in a parking lot by my old house. We playfully argued over a small toy truck which resulted in me gaining possession of the while Hurley had I'm wearing in the picture. I shed a fear more tears in front of him, but even more that night as I laid down to go to sleep. I remember so vividly crying myself to sleep that night... He wasn't "mine," nor did we have any type of commitment laid down, yet I already missed him dearly.

Things have always been back and forth with us... Scratch that. Things have always been back and forth with me. I was always the one that had a boyfriend and could never fully let myself fall for him. He was the one ALWAYS there for me. I remember nights where I'd call him well after I knew he had been asleep and surprisingly, he'd answer, we'd talk, and I would feel better. He never got mad to my knowledge, never seemed angry that I'd interrupted his sleep knowing he had to get up early in the morning. Just always willing to listen and pick up the pieces to my broken heart.

Here is where it gets good... About 4 months ago (October 2011), we began to talk again. This time I knew I was mentally ready to give him what he deserved. My entire attention, me not to hold anything back, and for me not to second guess him. He came to Tennessee and I had the biggest butterflies I'd ever felt. Yeah, we'd seen each other here and there for 20 or so minutes since his last night there, but it'd been almost 2 years since we'd hung out. Like me and him, only us. I stayed awake with him the entire night and talked to him his entire drive up here. Gosh, I was so giddy. I knew I loved this boy, but I did not know that this one weekend would forever change my life. It was absolutely perfect.

I had class that morning and wanted so bad to skip it to see him sooner. I think that was the longest hour and half of my whole life. Class was finally over and we were about to meet him at the hotel. Nanny and I were in Wal*Mart and I remember her telling me I looked like I was high on crack I was smiling so hard. Finally the big moment came, and there he was. He hugged me, and my heart stopped. I had missed him more than I even knew. We took my stuff up to the hotel and then began to try and make plans on what the weekend would have in store. It was Halloween weekend and I mentioned carving pumpkins. He had never carved a pumpkin before, so instantly that was at the top of the list. We were going to carve his first pumpkin. We searched multiple stores for pumpkins, but with it being so close to Halloween almost all of them were either sold out or didn't have a good selection. Aaron and Stacye came to the hotel and after a large pumpkin and shaving cream fight, we had a masterpiece....and a fairly LARGE mess!

Aren't we great carvers?

 The amazing night came to an end and we snuggled up for the last time. I was already beginning to miss him and almost immediately realized this weekend back and forth deal wouldn't last, but didn't want to think about all that and dampen the mood. After a wonderful nights rest, we awoke just as we had fell asleep, all snuggled up. We hit up Olive Garden, one of mine and his favorites that we had been wanting to go to for a while. I remember sitting there dreading the next few hours... I knew he would have to leave soon, but I just kept trying to avoid those thoughts.

My favorite of the 20 or so "random&ridiculous" pictures we took.

It came time for him to leave and go back home. Nanny met us at Wal*Mart after he and I had taken a numerous amount of pictures that were random and ridiculous to say the least... I put my stuff in her truck and preceded to say my goodbyes. I held it together until we put the truck into drive and began to drive away. It was like somebody had turned on a faucet. I cried, cried, and cried some more. It was even harder to watch him get on the interstate not knowing exactly when the next time I would see him was....

Our relationship only grew stronger for the next three months. I was ready to take a risk not many people would be courageous enough to actually follow through with. I wanted to be with him, no matter what it took. I wanted to move to New Orleans to be with my best friend who had grown into becoming so much more... I proposed the idea to my family and they supported me as much as a loving family could support one of their own moving 500 or so miles away. We set a date and began to wait it out. Lord, those days couldn't go by fast enough, yet the were passing so quickly. Then, it was the day!

Joey arrived in Tennessee so early in the morning, but I was so happy to see him it didn't even phase me. I already had my stuff packed for the majority. After resting, exchanging Christmas presents, and talking with Nanny and Poppy, we loaded everything up and hit the road to go meet my Dad. I wasn't nervous at all about this, because I knew he would approve of someone who treated me as well as Joey does. Joey and Dad met and hit it off well. We exchanged Christmas presents and by this time, 8 hours of driving was surely catching up to him. We awoke, and got ready to head out. Next stop, Jackson to get a hotel for the night so we could meet the rest of my family the next day. We decided on seeing my Mom and Matt that night, but my little sister was at my Aunt's and I couldn't leave without saying by to her. The next day came and we finished up meeting everyone and exchanging the last few presents....

Surprisingly, over the course of the past 2 days, I had shed a very minimum amount of tears and made it the whole drive into New Orleans without tears and without sleeping. I was confident in my decision and am still to this day, a month later. Yes, I miss my family dearly and some times I want to go back, but at the end of the day, I know this is where I want to be. With my best friend, my boyfriend. :)

 I love you, Babe.