I think that it is time for yet another LOVE story installment.

(You're so excited. I am not)

I am sitting here wondering how to write this one out.

As in every relationship, there can be many bumps along the road.

One big bump we met with was Matt having to leave our university after our very first semester.

LONG DISTANCE.

bam.

If you know long distance, you know the challenges.

There are many.

I believe its time to tell you that I was not perfect (hard to believe. I know).
I was very conflicted on what I thought I wanted from life, what I wanted to do & who I wanted to be.
The only way I knew how to deal with problems was to run. 

I was a bit of a jumbled mess.

Now throw that in the mix with a long distance relationship and you get...a lot. of. hardship.

This brings us to our first break-up. 

Yes, I did say first.

Yikes.

Matt had a way of getting me back though
...& quickly!
I think this break-up lasted approximately 1.5 seconds.


Hmm. This is super hard to unravel all of this.
I think I will stop here and give you a moment to digest, because it gets much more interesting.

Ehhhhh.
I love this man. So much.

Happy Monday, lovies!

the LOVE story: "I love you"

Those three words.

To me they were the almost untouchable, unreachable...shouldn't be said until you've had at least ONE fight words.

Yeh, I had this "play book" on how relationships should go.

Mav did not.

He went with the flow and expressed himself freely. All. of. the. time.

When I saw him standing there solo in the middle of the courtyard in the dark, all spiffy in his button-up shirt and khakis,  holding a single rose...

my heart jumped. It was only two months into our dating relationship. 

What could he possibly be doing?!

He grabbed my hand, hugged me and whispered, "I love you".

The crazy, control freak part of me wanted to check that "play book" to see if this was out of line, but...

too late.

I heard myself saying, "I love you too"...and I was shocked because I knew I felt it & meant it.

I had this huge and almost impenetrable wall up around my heart for the longest time that Matt was managing to slowly chip away at.

I thought I knew how I wanted everything to happen in my life, but Oooo I was quickly coming to realize that you can't control every little thing.

Mav got me.

He broke all of the "rules" too.

& I am so glad he did.

:)

............

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1st. Ever.

Send me a line if you'd like more info.

the LOVE story: "So I think we are dating..."

Yes, I would fall after that.

Anyways, back to our love story that I have been putting off for other things

(I definitely have my priorities in order ).

So where was I?

Ahh yes, after our first date things carried on swimmingly. 

We went on a few dates-- consisting of a movie in a common room, a meal at the cafeteria and playing ping pong (I am so competitive so those dates lasted longer...until I won at least)-- we kept it real.

It was a few weeks later while we were walking to the 4 star restaurant that was the caf (insert sarcasm)

that Matt turned to me and said so gallantly, "So I think we are dating...so does that mean you'll be my gf?".

Always the smooth talker he was.

 It was actually the best way he could put it for me. I get awkward when things turn too romantic...if you know what I mean...which you probably don't, b/c I am just awkward...& weird.

BF & GF! Woo!

Again, I had promised myself that I wouldn't date anyone my freshman year. 

Matt swooped in and didn't give up.

My little plan went out the window (as it usually does in this life).

& there will be more to this story soon.

............

Win a necklace made by me here!

the LOVE story: Our first date

Ok, so continuing on...
{catch up here}

It was a couple of days after the swing dance 

when a friend of mine came walking into her dorm room saying,

"Ooooooo I know someone who wants to give you your M.R.S. degreeeeeeee".

Let me explain.

At Franciscan University there is a running joke that girls only go there to find a husband- hence the M.R.S. Mrs....get it?

I will have you know that is NOT why I went to school there. 

The fact that I did actually find my husband there has nothing to do with that.

Who was this guy already trying to make a move the first month into our Freshman year?
(ps. I was so not going to date anyone Freshman year)

I started going through the list in my head of the guys I had met since getting to school that could possibly be asking about me (don't laugh...like you've never made a list of people you'd date. ha-ha).

"It's this guy Mav...Maverick".

Maverick?

He was not on my list. 

I had no idea who Maverick was.

Wasn't Maverick that guy from Top Gun?

So...who was this guy that thought he could sport the name?

He sounded TOO much.

He was.

Little did I know that Mav was actually the Italian looking guy from the dance.

He asked me to go on a date. Somehow I agreed.

No idea. He had powers I can't understand.

We went to the coffee house at the bottom of the hill...the only place to go unless you wanted to venture out into the scary surrounding areas and date it up at Walmart.

We had some hot cocoa and just talked. 

I don't remember what we talked about, but what I do remember is thinking that he had a great smile...

and laugh.

On the walk back up I said I was chilly and should have worn a jacket.

He put his hand on my back. Awkwardly.

Ha-ha.

This is still a big joke between us.

Our first date where Mav kept me warm by placing his hand on my back.

Wondering where his nickname came from?

Oh, there is still more to come...

the LOVE story: How we met

Well, we climbed Crowder's Mountain this past weekend!

Moo wasn't thrilled about it and cried & whined the first half, but she finally decided to get over it and start clapping over and over again.

I guess it was her way of motivating us.

................

Anyways, some of you wanted me to share my love story with the MOD man, my husband. 

I suppose I can oblige ;).

It is long & detailed, so I hope that you are prepared.

It was the fall of our Freshman year in college

(to be precise, it was the very first week).

I made my way to one of the many swing dances that Franciscan was hosting for students

(I say many because I feel like there was always swing dancing going on somewhere at all times).

As soon as I got there, I immediately noticed this Italian looking guy dancing with a girl. 

I don't know what the heck made me do this, but I went up to them and started showing them some swing moves (???). I obviously thought I knew more. What a jerk, Camille.

The girl was sufficiently annoyed by now (I don't blame here), but the Italian looking guy turned to me and asked, "Soo....are you like a Junior here?".

Yes, that did happen.

Pick up line?

Yes.

...& this is where it all began.

You'll have to wait until next week to find out more!

The suspense is killing you, isn't it?