Brian & I: How We Met & Became Us

{{May 19, 2006}}

I thought it was about time I write down about how Brian and I became "Us". So you know how two people can experience the same situation and remember it differently. Well that is kind of what happened with Brian and I. Curious?

If you were to ask Brian about when we first met he would tell you about how we met at Outback Steakhouse when we were 16 years old. I was visiting my best friend and she introduced us.

The funny things is...

If you were to ask me about when we first met I would tell you about how we met working together at C.R. Chicks when we were 18 years old.

This has been held over my head a running joke for over six and a half years. We've talked about it for so long that I actually started thinking I remembered meeting him at Outback because I can now picture it in my head vividly.

I only worked at C.R. Chicks for four months. Coincidently, I started working at Chicks because the same best friend from Outback worked at Chicks. That was August of 2003. My best friend started dating one of Brian's friends. Our paths crossed occasionally for the next two and a half years. We actually even took a few college classes including Intro to Sociology and Speech.

Fast-forward to March of 2006. I was newly single and the same best friend of mine invited me to come out for Brian's best friend's 21st birthday. I honestly cannot believe I even remember this but we went to a bar called 88 Keys. I remember having a lot of fun. I also remember Brian doing dance moves like The Sprinkler. We actually even spent Brian's 21st birthday hanging out in Abacoa on March 30, 2006. There were Irish Car Bombs ordered. All I can say is yuck! I swear, the details I remember. I cannot remember what I ate for dinner tonight. I have a weird memory. Over the next month my best friend and I would go out and run into our mutual friends, including Brian. In late April of 2006, I remember contacting Brian on Myspace about hanging out. I think it was May 6th that I was invited to go bowling. My best friend and her boyfriend decided not to go and it was the first time I was hanging out with Brian and all his friends without my best friend by my side. I was nervous. I cannot believe I remember all this! Of course, I had a great time. Two days later Brian moved into a house with his best friend and two other guys. On May 9, 2006 Brian and I had our first kiss.

 {{May 26, 2006}}

Brian and I's first date was out for sushi at a place called Hayashi and then a movie, Scary Movie 4. I was head over heels. I had never felt so comfortable with someone. Maybe it was because we had been familiar with each other for a couple of years. All I know is that the feelings came fast and I fell hard.

I should probably preface these details with the fact that when Brian and I started hanging out I already had a one way plane ticket to Oregon. My Dad moved out to Oregon when I was in high school and I had the opportunity to live out there and finish college. This was the most inconvenient time to start a new relationship but that didn't stop us!

Brian and I officially began dating on May 21, 2006. I actually asked Brian out. For that matter, I actually asked Brian if he wanted to get married. Somewhere in our conversations I had said that I had never asked anybody out before. Apparently, Brian wanted to change that. Long story short...I told Brian we had a couple of options: we could be friends, we could date, we could get married or nothing at all. The way Brian says it, I put heavy emphasis on "daaating." I don't want to spoil the end of the story for y'all but we started dating. :)

Brian was actually the first one to say those three little words. It was May 27th. Like I said, we fell hard. We had so much fun that May. We were 21 and Brian had a house with his friends. I think there were a group of people at the house every single night. It was definitely the place to be. We spent every minute we weren't working with each other.

Picture #1: Ashley (Maid of Honor) and I.

Picture #2: Brian, Wes (Best Man) and I.

They've been with us through our whole relationship!

{{May 28, 2006}}

{{May 19, 2006}}

June 2006 came all too soon. Somewhere along the way I introduced Brian to a jewelry company called Tiffany's...the rest is history! LOL I told him about this $95 ring that I really wanted. A day or two before I left for Oregon, Brian surprised me by taking me to Tiffany's and bought me the ring. Something to take with me to Oregon that would remind me of him. Something that signified our relationship. Oh yeah, the ring was like double what I thought it was. Brian bought it anyways. I think he still thinks I knew the real price. I swear, I didn't! And to think...a few weeks earlier he had no clue what Tiffany's was. He should have run for the hills when he saw me wearing my "I only accept little blue boxes" shirt. Yes, I actually owned a shirt that said that. I was 21. LOL I wore that ring till the day we got engaged. Now it sits safe and protected in my jewelry tray.

June 5th came and I had to leave my hometown of 21 years, my mom, all my friends and Brian. That was one of the hardest days of my life.

On that note, I think that is a good stopping point for now.

I want to write it all down for us to remember so I will be continuing our love story over time. We've done a lot in six and a half years so it may take awhile.

xo

Mrs. Kozell