Picture it...The Citadel 1999... (yes 1999)

I was starting my sophmore year. The upper classmen athletes had not reported yet but the poor little Knobs (Freshman) were in full force with Hell Week and 2-a-day practices.

My coach asked me to come workout with the Freshman girls so, me being the leader I am, happily obliged. We were on the track running while the football players practiced in the center. Little did I know my future husband was in a pack of Freshman checking me out.

Later on when the upper classmen had to officially report, one of my Freshman girls comes to me and says, "Tottie there's a guy on the football team that's been checking you out and wanted me to say something to you." My response, "A freshman?! Girl please" *insert chuckle

Either way I decided to find out who this ambitous Freshman was who had enough confidence to send someone for me...me- Natosha LaShay Mitchell, sophmore and bomb.com of El Cid (so I thought). Brooke points him out to me in the Mess Hall. I say "ok I see you, he's alright" and continued on with my meal. 

Fast forward a few weeks:

I'm walking from class torwards Vandiver Hall for workouts and hear a 'psssst'. Of course I ignore it, my daddy taught me better than to respond to a man hissing at me. Then, in this thick Florida accented voice, I hear "Hey gurl, I know you heard me". What a way to start our first interaction right? After I laughed to myself and thought this guy has some balls, a Knob on The Citadel campus walking slow and trying to holla, let me see what the deal is. What do I do? Stop and pretend to tie my shoe, real smooth right? We walk into the building together and everyone freezes like what the heck are they doing together. (I'm sure there was some talk afterwards in the locker room but that would be in the Groom section :P)

Needless to say it was a world wind year. We came back to school for our Sophmore/Junior year and "JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL" he ended up going back to Florida. I was crushed! That night at The Battery, saying our good-byes as my world came crumbling down, I realized that I really loved this guy. Not like teenage/college love where in a few years we move on and say I was young. But I was in love with him!

Fast forward years, heart break, dissapointments, back and forth, an awesome son that we both adore, and A LOT of growing up on both of our parts- 

Thanksgiving 2012: 

There we are; a house full of love, friends and family and this man, that I have adored since I was 20 years old, brought myself and Jordan to the front of the room. He spoke his heart, had the love and respect for Jordan to ask his permission first and then made me the happiest girl in the world by getting on one knee and asking me to be his wife!

Of course I said yes and here we are, like we never missed a beat! I've loved this man since 1999 and we are finally making the ultimate commitment to each other! 

LET'S DO THIS TWIN, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING...

There I was starting my new journey in life...leaving my parents for the first time. I was on my way to The Citadel in 1999 ready to start my freshman year. My mind was all over the place before I had even arrived at school.

As Tosha stated, "HELL WEEK" and 2-a-day practices were in full effect. I couldn't eat, sleep, or practice worth a lick. I was becoming frustated, tense, mentally and physically drained. Until.....while on a water break at practice, I saw this beautiful, short, fun-sized woman running on the track with the freshman girls. There was cool calm feeling that came over me. I immediately started licking my chops and asking questions about this young tenderoni. 

Thank God for my classmate (Brooke), for finally putting that bug in Tosha's ear. Now at first I thought I didn't have a shot at all because every upper classman was trying to claim her. Plus, she wouldn't even look at me, I mean I was bald headed and no facial hair...can you say weird looking? 

So one day my opportunity presented itself while walking to seignious hall. Now I knew good and well I wasn't supposed to talk to this woman because that would be franternization but me being the gaudy knob that I was, I did it anyway. So again as Tosha stated I said "pssst". And so on....Once she stopped and acted like she was messing with her shoe, the first thought that came to me was "GAME-ON". So we walk into the building together and I swear you could hear a pin drop...I looked at her and she looked at me, we smiled and said bye while trying not to bust out laughing. 

We then became good friends because I found out she was seeing someone at the time. The "Friend Zone", don't you just hate that place but I was just biding my time. Finally she came to her senses and dropped that baggage and met me in McAllister Field House one night just to talk. Little did I know, that would be the first time I kissed my future wife. I swear I ran 4.2 40 yard dash to my battalion. **dying laughing**

I definitely agree with Tosha about being a whirl wind kind of year. We came back to school and then I left to go home to Florida. And yes. that night at the battery was something serious. Emotions running high, tears, laughs and realizing too that I really love this woman. Honestly, at that time I didn't want believe it because I had never felt that way about a woman before and it reeally just scared me to death. She definitely was more ready than then me at that point. 

Fast Forward:

Ups, down, and all arounds....we still stayed in contact through it all. It may have been many months in between but for some reason we kept findng our way back to each other. Finally, in April 2011...I remember that phone call like it was yesterday, Tosha said to me, I want to be happy again and I know that happiness is with you (me). THANK YOU JESUS, Hallelujah!!!! All of you don't know the story but I had been trying for a while to get back with Tosha but she swear I wasn't ready so I kind of stopped. As soon as I stopped, poof...here comes my baby. Look at GOD!! Won't he do it? The next thing I know, she was flying to Florida(Home) the very next month. All I can say is, we didn't miss a beat.

Then came November 2012 (Thanksgiving):

I was a more mature man and ready to make this woman my wife for the rest of  my life. I had built a strong relationship with Jordan, gotten back in the good graces of her family and prayed about this day. I was able to get family and friends together for the first time for the big proposal. I asked Jordan first for his mom's hand in marriage and he said YES (wipes forehead), atleast I knew he really liked me. Then came Tosha, I spoke my heart and asked her to be my wife and she also said YES!! Now here we are ready to start this next chapter in our lives. I am so blessed to be able to make what some would call a fairy tale into a REALITY!!!

TWIN it's our time now....don't believe us JUST WATCH!!