Hubby and I are high school sweethearts. Soon it’ll be 8 years since we started dating when we both were 16 years old.

Tyler and I first met on my first day at the deaf school. I was outside of the dorms (we lived there during the week and went home on the weekends) talking with my friends when Tyler came up to me and awkwardly asked me what my name was. He didn’t really know that much sign language at the time so he was clumsy and he didn’t even understand what I said when I fingerspelled my name. He smiled then walked off. (Many years later I found out that he didn’t know what I said and had to ask the other boys what my name was).

Tyler in green and me next to him in blue.

Tyler never gave up trying to talk to me and sat with me on the bus when we went home on the weekends. He’d even say “Hi, Mom!” to MY mom. Of course my mom thought he was cute and sweet! I shrugged it off because at the time I was dating someone else. I was at the age where I was interested in boys that were so cool and not so nice like Tyler. I enjoyed Tyler’s company as a friend and nothing more than that. After school he would always go to his dorm and finish his homework and call his Mom for their daily chat then come over to my dorm to hang out. My dorm counselor always came to my room to say, “Tyler’s here to see you!”

A few months after I broke up with the boy I was seeing, Tyler started flirting with me. He would let me borrow his sweatshirt and CD’s to listen to every night. One night I kissed him on the cheek before he went back to his dorm. Immediately that night I felt confused and guilty for leading him on so I wrote him a letter explaining I didn’t want to hurt him and thought it would be best if we were just friends. Tyler ignored everything I said and would not give up.

The day came where everyone was discussing who was taking who to Prom. Tyler asked me to go to Prom with him and I told him I would as friends only. One day after school we all were hanging outside with our friends. One of my friends said she thought Tyler was cute and jokingly said that she should ask him out. I quickly reacted by saying, “No!” and then realized I did like him but was afraid of getting into a relationship mainly because my family was moving to Arizona that Summer.

A few weeks went by. Tyler and I were chatting online and he had told me he needed to ask me something on the Bus when we go back to school. Right then I kind of knew he was going to ask me out again. I was so nervous! We sat together on the bus and he asked me if I would be his girlfriend. I said Yes! I think at the time he was more excited than I was. He’s definitely a Mama’s Boy and called his Mom to let her know we were going steady. We went to Prom together and had so much fun together!

Prom 2001

School was coming to an end. We had to figure out where our relationship was going since my family was moving to Arizona. Tyler suggested we stay together and attempt the long distance thing. Being long distance was the most difficult thing we went through for 2 years before we finally went to college together. It was a whole new relationship for us in college since we were on our own and seeing each other everyday compared to 1 week every 2 months or so.

Visiting each other during the Summer

The year before I graduated from college, we got engaged & married! The engagement story is another story for another time.

I’ve never appreciated rain before until I moved here to Arizona. Arizona is the only place where I’ll appreciate any kind of weather we have whether it’s rain, snow, monsoon, thunderstorm, sun, sun, and more sun! Tyler and I both were born and raised in Seattle, the ‘Rain City’ and people in Seattle don’t go outside to watch the rain when it does rain.

Last night when it was raining, Tyler and I went outside on the balcony to absorb the smell, sound, and calmness. I was trying to take a picture of the pool from our balcony and there was a man on his balcony on the other side. He probably thought I was trying to take a picture of him.

Coconut & Cozy anxiously watching us

I love it when Tyler wakes up in a cleaning mode, because I prefer to clean anytime except in the mornings after I wake up. We went and did our Easter errands today. We were the only ones that were walking from our car to the store while everyone else was running in the store so they wouldn’t get wet from the rain. Once we got inside the store, the workers were drying off the shopping carts as they were putting them away. This is the first time I’ve seen this. I’m so used to getting a wet shopping cart and dealing with it.

After all, I have to remind myself that we’re in Arizona.

Some of you may know that the hubby has an obesssion with playing WOW (World of Warcraft) and it drives me crazy to no end because I can’t get his immediate attention when I want to. I’d prefer him play “pause-able” (not a word, I know but why not make it up) games. Instead of hearing the typical, “Hold on… I can’t stop right this minute”. I admit sometimes I yell bloody murder so that’ll get his attention, muaha. At least it works…when I don’t overdo it!

A few days ago his computer broke… I don’t know why or what happened. He’s been using his old laptop and doesn’t have much patience with it.

Hubby: “I’m tired of playing WOW…and am actually thinking about cancelling my subscription”

Me: “OMG..I never thought you’d say that…ever!”

Hubby: “Don’t push it… I said I’d think about it”

Me: “I’m sooo excited. What are you going to do instead?”

Hubby: “I want to buy video games for my Xbox”

Just grrrrrreat! Later he admitted that he’d like to do more and discover a new hobby. Lately we’ve been exercising and hiking and discovered a new love for hiking now.

Sunday we decided to invite my parents to go hiking with us (saving that complicated & difficult mountain for another time). We all really had a wonderful time “getting away from life” and just hiking to the top. It’s a wonderful feeling of accomplishment at the top. I’m proud of myself for getting to the top AND bottom with a full bladder!!

Dad & Mom…and Dad’s pretending to falling off.

Me & the Hubby!

Me & Dad

I’ve pretty much decided that I’m going to run the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll 1/2 marathon January 2010. It seems like the Hubby and Dad are interested in doing it with me. It feels wonderful to have a great support system and those who want to get involved with my journey. Right now I’m focusing on losing weight and will start training later in the Summer or Fall. Amy, the running machine, will be living with us this Summer so I’m looking forward to having a free “personal trainer”.

Before we know it… Summer will be here!