Boy Meets Girl

Summer 2003

I went to the beach for the day with my best friend, Abby,

her sister and her sister's boyfriend (Robbie).

A bird pooped on Robbie,

I got so sunburned I turned purple,

and I couldn't stop thinking about Robbie once I got home,

which was so weird. 

October 2003

I started high school.

Abby gave Robbie my AIM screen name (marynana410).

He had recently broken up with her sister

and Abby thought we'd make a cute pair.

We started talking via instant messenger.

I had butterflies in my stomach each and every time.

I'm sure I put some sappy, ambiguous song lyric in my away message.

At one point he asked for my (home) phone number

I nearly peed my pants waiting for his call.

We talked every night for a week.

I went over to my friend Holly's house one night

to get our Flash Back costumes ready for Spirit Week

(we were dressing like the 80's).

Robbie calls when I get home and asks if I want to be his girlfriend.

I'm still dressed as a mini Madonna.

I obviously say yes, and still get butterflies in my tummy just thinking about it.

At this point, Robbie was the first guy 

that made me nervous yet comfortable all at the same time.

I hate talking on the phone.

I was never that teenager that would spend hours on the phone with my girlfriends.

It just wasn't my thing.

And talking to boys on the phone was even worse. 

But with Robbie, I never minded it.

We could (and did sometimes) talk for hours. 

November 2003

Robbie came over to my house for my brother's 11th birthday party.

I was so nervous and was praying the whole time 

my mom wouldn't do anything embarrassing.

(No offense, mom.)

We hung out upstairs in our bonus room

and I knew he was going to kiss me.

It was just a matter of time.

And I was terrified. 

I had kissed boys before, but not many

and I had never really liked them as much as I liked Robbie at this point.

I didn't want to mess it up.

Apparently I did okay and a few weeks later, he told me he loved me.

Cue Taylor Swift's song "15" now. 

January 2004 - October 2006

This is were the details get a little fuzzy.

Robbie and I dated on and off throughout this time.

I have very vivid memories of ridiculously petty fights,

over the phone or on AIM, 

rarely in person, which could have been our problem.

I have very vivid memories of rekindled feelings,

seeing his name pop on my caller ID out of the blue

or running into him unexpectedly,

and having all of those feelings come rushing back at once.

I had never felt such strong emotions, good and bad, for a person before.

It was a grand ole time.

October 2006

It was our senior year of high school.

We went to different schools 

and for the first time felt like we were living in two different worlds.

We both wanted to enjoy our senior year

in our own ways 

and mutually agreed to take some time apart. 

It was the first amicable, mature break up we had had.

We talked for a few weeks after, as friends, but eventually moved on.

And eventually lost all the maturity we thought we had gained.

There were a lot of fights and tears and hurt feelings,

girl drama and boy drama. 

It was a rough time in the story of Marianna and Robbie.

But also the turning point in the story of Marianna and Robbie. 

June 2007

I had just gotten back from college orientation 

and couldn't wait to get away from New Bern and all the high school drama 

that I couldn't seem to escape in this teeny tiny town.

When I got a text message from the only person who has ever made my heart stop via text.

And just like that, I was hooked again. 

Except I didn't tell anyone....not even him.

We had had a rough year and I refused to let him think that we could pick up 

right where we had left off, like nothing had happened.

Truth be told, where we left off was not the best place. 

We hung out in secret for a while,

meeting up in the Target parking lot after school,

texting late at night.

We kept things light and simple.

We both sang the same tune

"I'm going off to college single and ready to mingle, 

or at least ready to see what happens."

But I don't think either of us bought it.

August 2007

I moved to Raleigh for college,

he moved to Greenville.

We talked everyday 

but swore we were just friends.

We hung out most weekends

but swore we were just friends.

October 2007

We finally gave up on the just friends BS.

He asked me to be his girlfriend, forreal.

We stayed up talking until 3:00AM that night.

About everything.

And just like that, I was that 14 year old girl again

who was so nervous around him, yet so comfortable all at the same time.

Four years after we originally started "dating" 

we had finally figured out how it needed to be done.

We had finally learned how to communicate with each other.

We had finally learned how to put each other first,

without suffocating each other. 

We dated all through college. 

Sure we still fought.

We're both passionate people; it happens.

But instead of walking away and saying nasty things just to say them,

we learned how to actually talk about things 

and overcome them together.

~

I feel so lucky to have been able to marry my high school sweetheart.
I love that we share so many old memories together.
However, I also LOVE the new memories that we're making together.
I secretly knew from day one, that Robbie was "the one".
(See yesterday's post.)
But at 14 years old, I was definitely not ready to comprehend those feelings.
I love that we were able to grow up with each other
without growing apart.
He's my best friend, and he has been since the beginning.
He has turned out to be everything I didn't even know I wanted.
I love the way that God did and continues to work in our lives.

Robbie, if you're reading
(and I know you are)
I'm so thankful to have found my missing puzzle piece.



P.S. I'm linking up with Bon.
Make sure you stop by and read her suuuuuper sweet love story.




Hugs,