MrsHughey.com

10 happy years

I've arrived safely in England and all is well. It's raining in Oxford (big surprise there!) and we left the umbrella in Andrew's room. So my husband is chivalrously walking back to get an umbrella so we can then walk to my favorite restaurant, Moonlight Tandoori, and have an nice, romantic dinner. I'm therefore killing time in the MCR computer lab.

Today, May 21, is our 10th anniversary as a couple. It's not our wedding anniversary. That'll be one month from today and we'll be married 6 years then. No, today is our 10th anniversary just being together. And it's always been a very special day for us. For the first three or four years we were together, we continued to celebrate our anniversary every month!

So, rather than give you the details of my trip so far, let me fill in what was going on 10 years ago today [in my patented Mrs. Hughey quick-and-dirty fashion].

I was finishing my freshman year of college at Northeast Missouri State University and had recently turned 19. A few weeks before my birthday, I had broken up with my [very sweet] first boyfriend. I was definitely not shopping for relationships. So after the school year ended, my sorority sister, Jen, accompanied me for the 20-something-hour drive from Missouri to Clearwater, Florida. We were to spend a week or two at my mom's house hanging out, then return to Missouri where both Jen and I were signed up for summer courses.

In high school, especially my senior year, I had been very involved with the drama department. I was a member of the cast of Clearwater High's first musical under the direction of Joy Roche, who started at Clearwater my freshman year, I think. So the CHS drama department was putting on Grease. Jen and I attended and I went backstage during the show and I greeted old friends. One of them was Andrew, who I actually got mixed up with another guy. Actually, I didn't know Andrew or the other guy very well, but after talking to Andrew I was definitely interested in knowing him better.

To make a rather long story short, we flirted. We went out in groups with friends and conveniently wound up sitting next to each other every time. That went on for about a week. The entire week I was excited to be hanging out with this great guy, and asking Jen for advice about whether I should date him. She said I should. So on this date, 10 years ago, I once again went out in a group and talked and flirted with Andrew. Then I made sure to drive Andrew home last. That was the night we had our first kiss, so we count it as our first day together.

It was only later I found out he was 16! But it was all very innocent and we just really had a great time hanging out and getting to know one another. Four years later we were married.

Now it's time for us to go have dinner. Cheers!

Posted by Erin at May 21, 2003 01:54 PM