How I Met Your Father...

The following post is very smaltzy.  I apologize profusely.  Read at your own peril.

Every child asks his/her parents, "How did you guys meet?"  So, for posterity's sake, (and Jack & future children) here it is:

Friday, March 9, 2001:  

I'm a senior in college.  My friend & Old Navy coworker Karen is bugging me about going out that night.  I'd been single for 8 months (having ended a crummy 3 year relationship back in August) and was thinking about grad school after graduation.  I was not at all interested in prowling for guys - not really my thing anyway.  But Karen had a crush on this guy - let's call him Fred - and wanted a wing-woman that night at Cool Beans.  She didn't want to show up and not have back up in case Fred brought friends.  So after much whining (on my part) I threw my hair in a ponytail, put on jeans and boots, and a turtleneck sweater.  Not exactly "going out" clothes but tonight was about Karen & Fred & I could've cared less.  Besides, I was hoping my "I don't wanna be here" wardrobe would make Karen leave early.  

We arrive at Cool Beans & Karen doesn't see Fred.  She does spot a group of guys that she knows over in the front at the pool tables.  So we stake out a couple of bar stools around this random collection of people, patiently wait for Fred to show, & watch about 7 guys play pool.  And then I spot him.  He's drinking a beer, playing pool, & smoking a cigarette (Jack & future kids - yes, your father smoked.  And now that you're reading this, we will pause here while he quickly lectures you on how gross and horrible this filthy habit was & how grateful he was to quit that habit so many years ago. :)  

If this was a 1980 John Hughes movie, this is how I'd describe the next few seconds...  Bar haze & smoke parts, revealing a skinny, clean cut, cute as anything blond with a crooked smile and cute Southern accent.  He was the cutest thing I'd ever seen & I immediately asked Karen who he was since he was with some of her friends.  She was useless - so much for a wing-woman.  Andy's holding a pool stick in his hands but instead of using it to score more points, he is playing "air guitar" with it and singing along with his good friend Justin to "Don't Feed Me No Lies."  And as cheesy as it sounds, I was smitten.  Apparently Andy was too.  Granted it took him 30 minutes to work up the courage to come over and talk to me, but it worked. (Note to our children:  You do not have to dress like a skank to attract the man of your dreams! I landed your father in a turtleneck sweater - true story.)  He put down his pool stick, offered to buy me a drink, & we spent the rest of the night talking.  He got my home number - yes people, this was before I had a cell phone- & asked me out for the following Wednesday.  Not exactly "date night" but he was leaving for a golf tournament the next day and didn't get back til Tuesday night.  

On Wednesday, Andy took me to a very romantic showing of the movie Hannibal (his suggestion).  Halfway through the movie, I started to get chills.  And it wasn't from the disemboweled man in the movie.  I came down with the flu during our date and bless his heart, Andy offered to come by the next day to bring me hot soup.  We dated for 3 years, broke up for 2 years of much needed growing up and maturing, found each other again & were married less than a year after getting back together.     

It's been 10 years since we met & today we are celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary.  So Jack (and future kids) that is the story of how I met your father.  Not the most original (granted, it was in a bar) but one of the top 5 best days of my life. :)   

Thank you Andy for being the most amazing father and husband ever.  Happy Anniversary! 

p.s. In case you were wondering, Fred never showed up that night.  But I'm eternally grateful that he stood Karen up b/c had it not been for him, this may never have happened :) Thank you Fred!