I met my husband four years ago, last month. It was the night of the Georgia VS. Florida game. I was a waitress at Ruby Tuesday and he happened to be sitting close to my section. A co-worker kept telling me that Matt was asking for me to go over to his table.
At this point in life, the only man I thought I could trust was my daddy. I had little interest on a relationship, I was just trying to "make it."
After being annoyed by this co worker for the hundredth time, I walked over to Matt's table and said hello to him and explained that I had been sent over there by my co-worker, who happened to be Matt's friend.
Now, after me saying that, Matt simply stared at me (he says he had food in this mouth, but my mama-in-law and I joke that he was "speechless") :) So, I decided to try and play off my embarassment of not being spoken to and asked him if I could get him a refill SO I grabbed his cup and got out of there as quick as I could. There is no telling how red my face was at this point. Not to mention the fact that this guy who just starred at me, was the most handsome man ever!
I remember standing at the drink fountain saying things to myself like, "oh gosh, that was so stupid, why did you go over there?" "How do I play this off cool since I am such a dork!?" I was trying to find this co worker who bugged me about going, to see if he would take Matt his drink. With no success, I decided to pull it together and be as cool about it as possible.
When I got back to the table, Matt asked me if I was seeing anyone, when I told him I wasn't, he said (and I will NEVER forget his words) "Well mam, I sure would like the chance to take you out to dinner one night, if you're interested." Oh my gosh...talk about melting me! He asked me for my number so I wrote it on a napkin and took it back to his table and he told me he would be in touch soon.
I could NOT concentrate the rest of the night, I was like a little school girl, I was so giggly. And of course, all of the other girls that I worked with were going on and on about how "hot" he is...Note the word "is", not "was." Meaning he still IS. :)
The next day (after me tossing and turning all night, anticipating seeing him again)he text me to see if I wanted to meet him in Tifton, at the Theatre to see "Elizabeth Town." Well I had no way of knowing what this day would hold for me.
I received a frantic phone call from my dear mama a few hours later. I couldn't understand what she was saying because she was sobbing so hard. I rushed to get to her and I then learned that my Nana passed away. My heart sank and my mind started racing.
My mom and sister went to Mississippi to visit my nana the past week and I couldn't get off work to go. I think in hindsight, I was trying to ignore the fact that she WAS sick. I thought if I didn't acknowledge it, then it wouldn't be. How silly.
I had the most unbelievable, overwhelming feeling of guilt. Me, my mom, sister and daddy raced around the house throwing stuff into suite cases. I wasn't even sure I had my pants on the right way when we left.
It was an 8 hour drive to Mississippi, but it seemed to last days. We arrived late that night and got to visit with some family I hadn't seen in years...yes...years, many years.
That night laying in the cold, smelly, hotel I remembered something and almost fell out of the bed. "I WAS SUPPOSSED TO MEET MATT AT THE THEATRE!!!"
In all the rush, I totally forgot my date with Prince Charming! It was well past mid night and I just knew he didn't want to talk to me. After all, I would be very upset if someone just didn't show up on a date we had planned. I just knew the chance had slipped away. The next few days were very tough. I managed to sing a few songs at the funeral...those were my precious Nana's wishes....and we all made it through ok. After laying her to rest, we headed back home.
A few weeks later I had a voicemail alert on my phone. I was standing in my dad's kitchen with him and my sister. I called my voice mail and lo and behold, PRINCE CHARMING!!!!! I hit speaker phone and replayed the message to them. Lauren was instantly jumping up and down yelling, "call him back, HURRY!!!" The voice mail he left was, "Hey Amanda, This is Matthew, I know we had a mix up a few weeks back, but I am still waiting on the opportunity to take you out, if you are still interested. Please give me a call."
Now, do you see why I call him my PRINCE CHARMING!? I instantly called him back and we set a date for the next night, it was a Wednesday night.
Our intentions were to go to a nice sit down restaurant and have a quiet, romantic, candle lit supper. Well, prince charming and I didn't make it before they closed. So you can always resort to "plan B," right? ABSOLUTLEY! So we found a Wendy's and went in, ordered our supper and sat and talked, laughed, and shared stories for hours and I literally mean hours!
That night on the way home Matt made a comment that has stuck with me. He said, "Ya know, it is only with your soul mate that you find you are in the same book, in the same chapter, on the same page." Wow....how right is he?! We had so much in common. Our goals, our values, beliefs, they were so similar. From that first night at Wendy's I knew I would marry him.
March 4, 2006 I became Mrs. Matthew Powell! He is my rock, my strength, my best friend and my prince charming.
There are so many times I hear people say things about their husbands like,"He isn't the same person I married." When I hear this I just want to hit them over the head and yell, DUH! Of course he isn't the same person you married!
This is why I say that: People change, THINGS change! Couples go through trials that strenghthen them, couples go through things that bring them down, couples have to re-evaluate their goals depending upon certain circumstances; of course people change!
And it is OK to change. It is OK to be a different person today than you were then. The way you make it work is to keep communication open; to be on the "Same book, same chapter and on the same page."
Marriage is a consant work in progress. Some days you take more, some days you give more. But as long as you stay on the same book, in the same chapter, on the same page, all will be ok.
"A sucessful marriage requires falling in love many times, with the same person."
I fall in love with Matthew when I see him so devoted to getting that extra special minute with Sydney.
I fall in love with Matthew when he makes the effort to do something sweet, just because.
I fall in love with Matthew when he talks about politics, and gets so annyoed that he turns red in the face.
I fall in love with Matthew when he says things like, "baby, I found me a jam up jelly tight truck today" (a who, what truck?) :)
I fall in love with Matthew when he says, "Your show is almost on TV" and watches Army Wives, Grey's, etc with me.
I fall in love with Matthew when he says, "I cleaned the kitchen!" And I go to find the dishes in the sink, pots on the stove BUT the table is cleared. Atta boy! :)
I fall in love with Matthew when he throws his clothes on the floor, BESIDE the dirty clothes hamper.
I fall in love with Matthew when he talks about winning the lottery one day and all the people he would help.
I FELL in love with Matthew 4 years ago and all these things make him the person he is. I annoy him sometimes and the same goes for him, but we always pull it back together and it isn't ever hard to remember why we love one another.
So Matthew and I believe and are examples that being in the same book, in the same chapter, on the same page, is THE key to a successful, happy marriage.
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