Thursday, January 24, 2008

Thank you, Neil Clark Warren

Tuesday marked the day that three years ago, Bryan and I "met" on eharmony. Honestly at that point, I was ready to close down eharmony for good. I had met enough e-dorks and e-creeps to almost make me okay with becoming an old spinster. You know, the aunt who always wears sweatshirts with squirrels on them, knits all the Christmas presents she gives, and reeks of Avon perfume and mothballs. But, just as I was planning on getting a short haircut with a really tight perm (the official haircut of old, unmarried women), I got a new match on eharmony. And he requested communication with me!

I browsed his profile and it looked pretty good. There was just one "red flag" - he was from Oklahoma. My first thought was, "Oklahoma?!? You've GOT to be kidding me!" My old roommate and I had a little agreement that we wouldn't date boys from "vowel states", meaning states whose names begin with vowels. Because, let's face it, aside from my homestate of Illinois, vowel states usually just produce rednecks and Mormons. But, since I hand't gotten my mothballs yet, I decided to respond to his questions.

So, "Oklahoma" and I wrote some emails back and forth. After a few days, he wrote that he wanted to talk on the phone. As far as eharmony goes, that is like skipping first and second bases and running straight for third. I'm usually not that kind of girl but for some reason, I threw caution to the wind and gave him my number. Besides, I figured if he was going to stalk me and kill me, at least he would have to put some effort into it since he lived 11 hours away.

We talked on the phone for the first time and I was not impressed - at all. Our conversation ended with him saying, "Maybe I'll call you tomorrow and maybe I won't. Whatever..." And as you can imagine, a line that smooth put me all aquiver with anticipation. But he did call. Every day for the next couple of weeks and I'll be darned if he didn't start to grow on me.

Within a month, he decided we needed to meet. He flew to Denver for the weekend. Saying that it was a nerve-wracking first meeting would be a vast understatement. To make a long story short, two weeks later I went to Oklahoma to visit him. And a week after that, he drove to Colorado and we got married the next day at the courthouse. Coincidentally, we got married on April 1st, so most people thought we were kidding when we told them we had gotten married. But we were serious - we had know eachother for, like, TWO WHOLE MONTHS.

And what a difference three years makes. I have gone from single Colorado schoolteacher to married mother of 1.5 kids in Oklahoma. I feel very fortunate that we met. So much has changed in both our lives.

But one thing hasn't changed: every morning, I roll out of bed, rub my sleepy eyes, and open the blinds. And as I look out at the flat landscape and see the trees blowing in the wind, I still think, "Oklahoma?!? You've GOT to be kidding me!"

Bryan Phillips, I must REALLY love you.

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