11-20......

Yes...that's us 7 years ago......

Aren't we dang cute.....

Some might call today their birthday, or others just one day closer to Thanksgiving. For me it is a very special day that I will never forget. Let me take you back to 11-20-2001 which is the day I met Brooke for the first time. Let me give you a little background to how this meeting came about. Just a week prior I was at work and a co-worker of mine (who was Brooke's cousin) asked me if I wanted to be set up with her really cute cousin. After some hesitation, I agreed to it. I had just been on a run of these "so called blind dates" that I really didn't want to be put through the agony of another one. After some convincing, I agreed to have her call Brooke up and set me up. The day finally came and I went to her house to pick her up (with her cousin and her boyfriend). Her mom answered the door and I became more and more nervous. Then she came to the door. WOW!!!!! She was HOT STUFF!!!!! HER COUSIN WASN'T KIDDING!!! Well that added even more excitement, fear, and nervousness. I thought there was no chance she would go for me so you better live it up tonight.........Well the way the story goes is that we had a fantastic night going to dinner at Chili's followed by a movie, Night's Tale, at my house. I probably pulled the dumbest move ever when I dropped her off and asked her to hang out again. She said perfect and I asked her to give me a call when she was available. As I drove home I started telling myself...you idiot, you idiot, you idiot, you told her to call you but you didn't give her your number. Well I couldn't stop thinking about this girl all night......didn't even sleep a minute. The next day I told myself there is no way you are falling for this girl so fast. It was one date. You're ridiculous. So I vowed not to call her again. I went out with my buddies that day and night and made it to about 11:00 the following morning (which was Thanksgiving) to call her. I was wooped!!!! We went out that night and things got pretty interesting after I kissed her at the bowling alley after getting a strike......which is what I thought you do to celebrate a strike.....Anyway, we were driving home and she says "Kiss on the 2nd date huh.....(Awkward pause).....(even more awkward pause)....Well I have a missionary and I'm wearing his promise ring. If you think this is a waste of time and money you can take me home and never go out with me again. Either way, I'm still waiting for him. He comes home in 4 months. Now, usually I would have raced to her house to drop her off and never....I mean never, call her again. There was something different about her. So that night I started formulating a plan for my new mission: Extract Ring From Finger. Well 6 weeks later we were engaged and 7 months to the day, we were married. We have had our some really amazing times as we have seen our family grow over the years. We've had our ups and our downs and 2 and 2/3 kids later....(Shayla's almost here....) and I am still the luckiest guy in the world. I thank her for all she does... all of the little things that go unnoticed and most of all for being the mother of our children and the best wife ever. She's the most amazing mom and the boys and Shayla are so lucky to have her. I am lucky to have her. I have spent the last 2 days in bed with a fever of 102 and she has been tending to my every need, taking care of the boys, doing photography, making dinner, cleaning the house, and as we speak going to go fill my prescription at the pharmacy at 10:30 because she wants me to have a good night sleep. Did I tell you I was the luckiest guy ever.....Anyway, I thought she deserved to be in the spotlight and to share our amazing story of a day that I will never forget.....November 20, 2001.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY !!!

Love you babe!!! --Jeremy