How I Met Your Father {one}

Kids, have I told you how I met your father? I haven't? It's a good story...

In case you haven't guessed it, I have decided to tell mine and Ian's "story". I realized the other night, the details are already starting to get fuzzy, so I thought I should write it down before I forget too much more.


I originally met Ian in the fall of 1998. It wasn't a particularly great first encounter. I remember I was having a bad day. And my friends were all "Our friend Ian has a half day at school and is bringing us lunch." And I was like, "Uh, well good for you guys. I guess I will stick to my normal, cafeteria food." And so I met Ian. Like I said, nothing special.

Over the next few months, we hung out a few times. There was the famous (and thankfully finally-no-longer-talked-about) curb hitting incident. I popped my car tire on a curb in his neighborhood. 'Nuff said. Really? I know that is not enough said for such an embarrassing moment in my life. We were hanging out with a group of people somewhere, don't remember where. Like I said, the details are getting fuzzy. Anyway, we all decided to go back to Ian's house. He started weaving us all over the freaking place (I didn't know where he lived). Anyway, my friend that was in the car with me told me to make a u-turn. And me, thinking that the curbs were the kind you can drive up on (like in my neighborhood), steered full speed on to the curb. Yeah, it didn't go so well. Neighbors came out and stared. Ian's dad came. My dad came and explained to me how to change the tire. So, I had to change the tire while everyone in the whole freaking world watched. Not my proudest moment. And seriously, I was reminded of this moment for years to come. Usually by adults. My friends didn't seem to care. But every time it came up, inside it pissed me off and I wanted to scream. "Didn't you ever do anything stupid?!?" But I'm over it. So over it.

Our friendship progressed passed the "curb hitting incident". Can't remember too much, the details are fuzzy. But I do remember "it all began" one night because my friend was a flake. You see, we were all supposed to hang out. She was nowhere to be found. So Ian asked if I still wanted to hang out, which I did. And that is the night that I became smitten...

Some point after that, Ian invited me to meet him at Subway on his break from work. Romantic, right? His parents came to work to visit him and they found out he was at Subway on his break. So, they came in to say hi. His mom later told me she was like "Who is that girl with my son?" Apparently she didn't yet remember me from the curb hitting incident.Of course, back then I was only her son's friend...not a threat. wink, wink.

Anyway, Ian ended up inviting me to his prom. In case you are wondering, he asked me over the phone. I remember I had butterflies in my stomach and was so-freaking-excited. Before prom, yet after Ian asked me to prom, I went with him to sadie hawkins at his school. That was the night we took our first picture together...

In the spring of 1999, we went to Ian's prom (which really was a banquet as he went to a Christian school that didn't condone dancing). I showed up in the same dress as his best friend's date. Apparently she was not happy about it. I could have cared less. On our way home, Ian was driving like a jackass a little fast and got pulled over. Of course, he didn't get a ticket. I swear I don't get how he can always get out of tickets.

The following weekend, Ian was going to another prom with another girl named Jessica. Seriously?!? He told me it wasn't a big deal. The night before, we hung out. When he was dropping me off at home, he leaned in and kissed me. Super quick. Left me a little dumbfounded. Once I got in the house (it was hard finding the house key. I had freaking just been kissed by Ian for the first time!), I called my friends. They came over and we talked about that kiss over and over. That was May 7, 1999.