Going back in time 6 years......

I will forever remember June 6th 2004.

We were all of one day past our high school graduation. But it really was the beginning of the rest of my life!

6 years ago, while celebrating grad night a boy named Peter seemed to always be around me. Now, in a class of 12 students that isn't all that surprising.

Peter and I had been spending a lot of time together the weeks leading up to graduation. I kind of figured that would be the end of it. I would graduate and over time lose touch with all of my high school friends. I didn't want that to be the end of it, but I didn't expect it to turn into anything beyond flirting.

We spent our grad-night at a beach house and while most of the grads went to bed (lame) 5 of us stayed up all night hanging out and talking. Peter was one of those people. As morning arrived, we all decided to take one last walk on the beach before coming home. Apparently Peter was trying to get some private time to talk to me during this walk, but our classmates were always around bugging us so he gave up. We then headed home....... and that could have been the end of our story.

Well, a strange thing happened on the way home. Call it a faulty cruddy bus or call it divine intervention - but either way I am eternally grateful to that cruddy old bus. The bus died on the side of the road 14 miles from the Coast.

This gave my wonderful husband enough time to work up the guts to ask me an all important question.

We sat in the back of the bus for a long time talking. Peter was kind of quizzing me to try and see how I felt about him and I was not letting on because I had no idea how he felt about me. I was so afraid that he would tell me he just wanted to be friends so I was protecting my heart.

Oh the silly games we play.............

I remember him asking me a question about how a guy would know if I was interested in him and I responded with a "yeah, I don't really think about dating a guy until I know that he is interested." (yeah right!)

And Peter responded with the words that I still carry around with me today. If you look closely at the inside of my wedding band you will see the words "I AM INTERESTED"

Yep, that's what he said and the rest is history!

Right about that time our rescuers showed up and took us home in cars. We weren't able to finish our conversation and I remember trying to write notes to each other in the car to finish that conversation so no one else would know. Somehow we left the car as "a couple".

It is already hard to think back to those early days of dating. There is a lot that I can't remember but there are a few memories I still hold close.

The first time Peter told me he loved me, our first kiss, telling Peter I loved him. That last day before Peter left for college that we spent at the beach - amazing day that I will forever remember! I remember sitting in the sand for hours talking and watching the sunset, not wanting the day to end because we both knew it would be months before we'd see each other again. Crying at dinner and finally realizing just how much I loved that boy! Dating over the phone for months. Great months of talking and getting to know each other over the phone. Staying up way to late at night talking on the phone - so late that we would fall asleep on the phone. Finally getting to see each other again and realizing I wasn't just dating a voice.

Those were the early days of our relationship. It was such a special time of excitement and laying the groundwork for an amazing partnership! Yep, June 6th, 2004 was the start of something great!!!