I met John at my first job as a wee sixteen year old. We both worked at a movie theater, but didn't really hang out that much. Thanks to some mutuals, we ended up in overlapping circles and started getting to be friends. It was fun times. We're both friendly introverts who enjoyed "conversation" over "small talk" so there were lots of good chats to be had. Everything from world politics to what is the exact difference between grey and silver (I'm not sure he's on board with that one yet!) 

Fast forward, movie montage style... I've got college, he's got some fun jobs doing computer things that I just pretend to understand. We're in two different cities for the majority of this time, but sometimes you still need someone to talk to about the important things. Like religion and theology, or even more importantly, the tragedy of an ostrich's inability to fly. He mentioned dating a couple of times over the years. I turned him down. He took it gracefully, which was not only very much appreciated, but extremely attractive. Take notes, gentlemen. 

Eventually, we both ended up back in Knoxville. There's not really room in a quick life summary text box to detail all the things that happen in life and in the heart that lead to one ultimate conclusion. But that conclusion is that we are getting married, and I get to spend my life with my best friend. I can't imagine a better ending to a story than that! :)

I first met Jackie working at the Carmike 10 movie theater in the summer of 2004. While we weren't friends immediately, we eventually came to be friends as part of a small group that worked at the theater. Over the years, as she went through 2 colleges, we remained friends and became closer despite the distance, as I remained in Knoxville or Oak Ridge during this time. When she graduated and moved back to Knoxville, we became ever closer and really began to develop into "best friends" type roles before finally becoming a couple.

During the years, I had asked Jackie out several times, but was always refused. You'd have to ask her for all the reasons, as I didn't always ask. Some were obvious, like bad timing due to "relationship issues" I wasn't completely aware of. While I wanted more than friendship with her, I cherished her friendship far too much to ever let those denials for a date stand in the way. Amazingly, these moments were never awkward and never affected our friendship in any adverse way. I like to think it was "meant to be", but it's probably that we're just both too stubborn to let it affect things. In some ways, it may have strengethened our friendship, even.

Then, just after Christmas in 2017, during a conversation, Jackie asked me "Do you ever still think about us?" and that began a whirlwind of emotions, confusion, and eventually actually going on a date 2 weeks later. I will never in my life forget that night or the look on her face as she asked me that question. It was one of those moments that you know is important and significant as it happens, but you don't realize how pivotal a moment in life it was, until later.