Sharing Our Experiences: How Did You Meet Your Spouse?

In the few days since I found this site and starting writing my own Hubs and reading others, I've "met" several people and have learned a little about their lives, their likes and hobbies. What is interesting about this little family is that we put out there what we want others to know about ourselves. The same relationship in real life would not work as well, because just the act of being near someone in person creates such a better understanding of that person, even when words are not exchanged. Think about the woman you were standing behind on line at the grocery store. You were probably checking out her food selections or eavesdropping (unintentionally of course) on her cell phone conversation. Or that mother in your playgroup that reveals everything in her life, from what she made the kids for breakfast to what she wears in bed (nothing). It got me to thinking about how I could learn more about you, my fellow Hub readers and writers...and not just what you want to tell me about yourself, rather what I want to know about you. Can I flip the "conversation" around on you?

I graduated from college in the spring of '97 and instead of jumping feet-first into the job pool, I decided to lay low, my last summer of freedom, and work as lifeguard as I had done for the previous 8 years. Towards the end of the summer, my parents started pressuring me to open the phone book and start sending out resumes. Two things were going on in the world in the mid to late 90s...the Internet was becoming mainstream and the economy was booming...a great time to be starting out in the real world. I tossed the phone book to the side and tried this thing called the Internet to look for a job. Of course, my parents thought I was just trying to buy more time before settling down with a real job - they had no concept of the Internet, so my efforts to explain what I was doing were waisted on them. Of course, with my mouse in one hand and a huge number of job openings in the other, I landed several interviews within a week and in a week and a half I had 3 job offers. I took the one that seemed like the best company at the time - because when you don't actually know what you want to do with your life, you are drawn to companies based on their location, the average age of their employees and whether they offer a free lunch or not. So I started my first real job.

Then I met my future husband. I was working as a receptionist of a medium sized company and every so often this handsome guy with a great smile would walk by and "nod" hello. After a few days, he introduced himself and we starting talking. Here and there, there and here. We were both young, having graduated earlier in the year. We saw each other out at work parties or at happy hour in the bar down the street after work. Flirting, flirting and more flirting. Then one day, after he walked by my desk, my co-worker leaned over and whispered, "hey, I hear he's dating Carol from accounting!" Surely she had her facts mixed up. I mean, he was flirting with me! He was supposed to be asking me out! Apparently I had gotten my signals mixed up and we were just friends. OK for now, I thought, I had been wrong before and I was sure to be wrong again in the future.

Later that week another co-worker was having a house-warming party. I fancied myself up and headed over to the party. Of course, the first people I see are Future Husband and Carol from accounting. Rumor confirmed. Then after a few minutes, it was just Future Husband and me...Carol from accounting must have stepped outside for some air. Flirting, flirting and more flirting. Then, kissing?? What was happening? I stopped and looked at him. "Aren't you dating Carol from accounting?" I asked. He stopped and pondered this. "I'll be right back," he said and walked away.

I grabbed a drink, had a seat on the couch next to my co-worker who caught the whole scene. "Where did he go," she asked. Me, feeling more confident about anything I had ever felt in my life replied, "Going to break up with Carol from accounting."

We dated for 4 years, he proposed on a trip to Europe, and we've been married 5 years and have 3 kids. I love our love story, because when I think or talk about it, I get the same butterflies-in-stomach feeling I had when we had our first kiss at that party.

I love to ask my friends in real life how they met their significant other. It always gives me such insight into their life and makes me feel like I know them a bit better. Please feel free to share your story in the comments below. We all want to read about it!