dating-versary!

seven years ago today, the hub and i went out on our first official date.

we met at work. i was still married to the kid's dad and he was still with his high school girlfriend when he started in my office, pretty much as the marketing department's bitch. haha! talk about starting at the bottom.

over the next year and a half, life happened - i left the ex and began a year's worth of living life as a single mom. i can't lie - it was damn fun. i had my own apartment, the kid and i shared a bedroom and ate macaroni & cheese and top ramen A LOT, and during the few random occasions that her dad picked her up, i took advantage and went out with friends. i was flat fucking broke with a budget stretched to the limit, but i was living life on my own terms and making it up as i went along. hell, taking the kid to mickey d's for sunday breakfast was a weekly treat for us. sad, but true.

during this time, the now-hub was one of my best friends. he'd talk about what he wanted in life, tell me stories about what was going on, and i'd fill him in on my latest single-girl escapades. we went out to lunch in groups with other folks in the office and it was a really fun time. there's a pretty good chunk of an age difference (me being older), so i never really thought anything would happen between us.

and then he broke up with his girlfriend.

and then he asked me out.

we went to cheesecake factory in pasadena (i know, i know, but remember - i've mentioned my love of chain restaurants before!) and sat and laughed and talked for hours. it really wasn't long before i realized that everything i wanted in a man was right in front of me. hot, funny, sweet, kindhearted, loving, generous (almost to a fault!), family-oriented, and so, so extremely good to the kid. even when she's in the throes of PMS-y pre-teen angsty grumpiness.

obviously, we've had our ups and downs - but four years later, he popped the question. he'd made some decisions in his career that led to some great things for him, and so he suggested bringing our immediate families down to la jolla for a fun weekend "to celebrate a great year".

and at dinner on december 30, 2004, in front of [almost] everyone we love most in this world, he got down on one knee (i'm getting teary and goosebumpy remembering it), pulled the most gorgeous ring out of his pocket, and asked me to marry him. the moment is such a blur in my memory that i don't remember his exact words, but i remember my heart pounding and feeling the most powerful wave of love as i looked around that table.

and with almost everyone present at our engagement (his great-grandma sadly passed away a month before the wedding) plus a few more, we got married in hawaii on december 4, 2005. life has been nothing but fabulous. and today, we're just days away from meeting the bean.

so although he won't read this, happy dating-versary, dear hub! i loves you a lot and i am so grateful to have you in my life. here's to many, many more silly -versaries together.