Teaching Taylor

I always enjoy reading people’s stories. They fascinate me. I love to get to know people and talk to them about their life experience. I love asking them questions and learning more about who they are as a person. I just love knowing their story. Maybe you’re like me and love to know people’s stories, too.

With that in mind— I figured it’s time to tell a story. A story that quite honestly is the best part about my life. The story about how my husband and I met.

It was ten years ago on December 28th that I drove up to meet Devon for the first time. We had been talking for a few days prior to that and had decided we could meet in person. This is when Snapchat just started becoming popular. We’d send 5 second messages back and forth to one another and occasionally send a text or two. I don’t recall if he invited me to meet up via a 5 second selfie or if it was in a text message, nonetheless I was excited to meet him.

He asked me to drive to a bar in the middle of nowhere.. true story. I called his cousin who introduced us and asked him about this location. I’m pretty sure I asked him if it was safe. I could hear the eye roll over the phone, of course it was safe but I didn’t know that.

We instantly hit it off. He was fun, goofy, and had a huge loving heart. I could just tell by how he interacted with others around him that he was truly a man who loved others well. He was the life of the party that night.

A few days later he invited me bowling. Not a huge deal right? Except the fact that his entire family would be there. Ensue panic. I willingly tagged along and figured what is there to lose. I remember being so nervous when I got there. I remember his dad shaking my hand and asking my name. I answered and said “Taylor” He replied with “How much?” I am pretty sure I said “How much are you paying me to hang out with your son?!” That is not what he meant, by the way. He just wanted to know my last name.

It wasn’t too long after that when I had Devon tag along to my dad and stepmom’s wedding. I figured why not? He threw me into the family mix early, so I did too. He drove about three hours in a snow storm to make it. He even bought a tie with purple in it to match my bridesmaids dress. Who knows what my parents were thinking when I said “Hey, meet my boyfriend!” at their rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding.

That first winter quickly ended and the working season came rushing in. Seeing each other almost everyday turned into just on the weekends and communication face to face turned into text messages that we could send when we had time.

I reflect back on that first couple of months that we spent together, the young kids that we were. We were just getting to know each other and literally just rolling with the punches of life.

I remember when we planned our first vacation together. We had been together about a year at that point. We didn’t know where to go or what to do so we reached out to a travel agent. We somehow landed on Daytona Beach. Neither of us had been to Florida before, so we figured why not go there. We sat on the beach, ate fresh seafood, toured Daytona International Speedway, and just embraced the fact that we were on vacation together. That vacation sparked the adventurous spirit within us both. We couldn’t wait to plan our next trip.

Fast forward a couple of years, Devon had the best adventure planned. He planned a hike for us one Saturday. I vividly remember getting cranky with him when he was hiking so fast to the destination. I remember telling him to slow down multiple times. I was gasping for air and he was hiking like he had a purpose. Little did I know that purpose was to ask me to marry him. I was shocked. I didn’t even know he had been ring shopping and there he was down on one knee. Umm yes please is probably what I said, but who knows for sure because I’m quite certain I was crying.

We decided to get married a year and a half later, in January, a month that had quickly became our favorite. We vacationed a couple of times in past years during that month, had fun ice fishing adventures and just embraced winter together. We both had decided that we loved winter enough to risk the chance of a snow storm.

We planned and planned and planned some more and when January 20th rolled around we were pleasantly surprised with the 30 something degree day with no snow. It was the perfect day and we love to relive it by watching our wedding videos each year. My mom made a speech at our wedding and talked about all the Taylor stories she has, but this Taylor story of me meeting and being with Devon was the best one yet. She’s right.

The Devon and Taylor that met ten years ago are far from the two people we are today and although those two young kids that fell in love were fun and carefree, I am so thankful to see the growth the two of us have had over the years.

Today, we celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary and in a world full of unknowns and craziness—I’m forever grateful that I know for sure that each and everyday with this man is a blessing and a gift.

If I’ve learned anything over the last 10 years together, I’ve learned that there is nothing quite as amazing as a loving husband who is your biggest fan.

I also think about how much we have accomplished together and how many challenges we have had to face together.

Have you ever sat down and thought about what has happened to you in the last 10 years? Even the last 6 years? What you have accomplished or what you have faced? If you haven’t, I suggest that you do. When you do, I suggest you write yourself a little list. On that list, write the things you’re most thankful for from that timeframe. I did that and let me tell you the honest truth, the bad things that have happened in your life sneak into your head rather quickly. I challenge you to think of all the good things in life that you’ve been blessed with. Think of all the little joyous moments you’ve had in your life. You’ll feel so much better. Bad things in life are inevitable and we oftentimes think of them first, but man, when you have your best friend by your side and your faith things are just way easier to bear.

I have also found that when you focus on all the beauty around you, those bad things don’t take over your life. They just become an opportunity for learning in this beautiful thing we get to call life.

Happy 6th Anniversary to the guy who loves me fiercely, who can drive me crazy, who cheers me on, and but most importantly the guy I can’t live without.