How We Met
Maybe it was fate.
One single decision has the power to change your life forever.
My mind takes me back to my early teenage years. I remember sitting in Kathleen’s basement (my best friend who passed away in 2011) — like we did countless nights — listening to her rant and rave about her cousin Chad’s best friend. “He’s sooooo hot,” she said.
Fast-forward a few years to January 25, 2014. I was beat after a long day of work. My bed was calling me but so was Emalie. She was trying to convince me to come to Emerson Biggin’s to watch the Wichita State basketball game. Every part of my body was telling me to go home and catch up on sleep. Being late January, the temperature was below freezing. Anyone who knows me knows how much I despise going out when it’s cold. For some reason — I like to think I was pushed by a greater force than my own (my angel in Heaven, my mother who passed away in 2005) — I decided to head up to Biggin’s.
The game was on and the bar was packed. At the time, everyone in Wichita was a Shocker basketball fan. The men’s basketball team was coming off a final four appearance in 2013 and in the midst of an undefeated 2014. There wasn’t an open seat in the bar. I found Emalie and squeezed a chair into the open space beside her. At the other end of the table there was an obnoxious guy, who I knew through friends, yelling at the TV. Apparently there was a delay with the sound and the game. I was getting the vibe he was a big fan because of how worked up he was getting over this. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I mean, who yells at a TV in public anyway?
To be honest, I didn’t even care about the basketball game. Drinking and socializing were the only two things on my agenda. I sat at my end of the table sipping on a blue moon baffled that it tasted so fruity. That obnoxious guy, Kyle, informed me, with a sarcastic tone, it tasted fruity because it had oranges in it. I probably gave him the “why are you even talking to me” look. I knew what was in a blue moon, but I was secretly already drooling over every word he said.
The next thing I know I was begging Emalie to go to the restroom with me. As we walked to the back I built up the courage to mutter out the phrase “is Kyle dating anyone?” Emalie laughed and responded “oh my gosh, are you serious? No, he’s not.”
I’m not exactly sure how, but I managed to weasel my way into a seat next to Kyle and his friend, Chad. Up until 30 minutes prior, I had never talked to Kyle in my life. Chad, I’d known for years. I started small talk with him making fun of his dirty fingernails. I caught a glimpse of Kyle laughing at my less than funny humor out of the corner of my eye. For the rest of the game, we sat at that table talking and laughing—him talking, me laughing. His eyes bounced back and forth between mine and the game. Looking back now, knowing his passion for the Shockers, this was quite an accomplishment.
The Shockers pulled off another W continuing their winning streak. It was time for us to head to the next bar. I insisted on riding with Kyle. I think my exact words were “is anyone riding with you, Kyle? I’ll ride with you.”
We showed up at Sidepockets with the rest of our friends. It took a couple RBV’s (his signature drink) and half the night for him to finally slip his phone into my hands and whisper “put your number in here.” The butterflies I’d been feeling all night started having a party. I put my number in his phone under “Shereezie” right before leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. Then I said a phrase Kyle would grow to love “let’s take a picture.”
Thinking back to years ago gossiping about Chad’s “oh so hot” best friend, I would have never imagined he’d be the guy stealing my heart one day. Maybe the stronger force was Kathleen giving me a nudge towards someone she grew up around. Maybe it was my mother who, growing up, lived down the street from Kyle’s father. Or maybe it was just fate. Either way, I share this story because it is a day I hold very close to my heart. My one single decision to go to Emerson Biggin’s that cold Saturday night changed my life forever.
how they asked
Decemeber 11, 2015 was hands down the best birthday of my life. I am so grateful we were able to celebrate with most of our family and friends.
Kyle was ‘at work’ Friday and I was celebrating my birthday at my sisters with my family. They blinded folded me and took me to the garage to get my birthday present, which I was expecting a garage door opener for the house. Earlier that day, my 4 year old nephew spilled the beans and said out of the blue “we got you a garage door.” I told my sister and she laughed and said “we really didn’t though.” I assumed she was trying to cover it up, so when she blind folded me I didn’t think anything of it.
Little did I know when I took the blind fold off, the man of my dreams would be waiting on his knee surrounded by our family and friends.
I am a girl of many words. Very rarely can someone leave me speechless, but for more than five seconds my breath was taken away. I stood in awe as my fairy tale engagement began to come true.
