New Year's Eve Flashback

New Year’s Eve is sentimentally symbolic for me, and I celebrate the date not just with the typical fanfare for the New Year.  I celebrate its significance as it was the turning point of my entire relationship with Lance.  On December 31, 2010, I drove down to San Diego to spend a day with Lance.  It was the first time I had seen him outside of work.  Prior to that day,  I only had platonic feelings for Lance.  Something suddenly inexplicable happened that day.  As corny as it may sound, it was like magic.  I drove to San Diego thinking nothing of him, but the next day, he became my every thought.

This was the end of the day. December 31, 2010

 
I was so depressed with things that happened in my life in 2010, and I was determined to do everything positive to emotionally overcome the sadness.  I vowed if anyone invited me anywhere, I would accept the invitation disregarding my feelings of self-pity and desires to sit at home and wallow in pathetic misery.  I planned an excursion to San Diego with the kids. When I woke up that morning, I did not want to drive to San Diego, but with great willpower, I forced myself to go.  I was so surprised by the effort Lance put into making this day special for us.  He had gotten snacks for the kids and me.  He lit a candle.  He bought life jackets for the kids, because he had no child life jackets on board.  He was unbelievably amazing and wonderful with the kids.  It begin to dawn on me that he actually had "romantic" feelings for me.  I began to wonder if I was misleading him, because I did not feel the same.  I remember standing in the doorway on the boat when he tried to kiss me, but I moved my face away in an effort to avoid the kiss.  It was awkward.

Mia was only three years old when she first met Lance.



 

My little three-year old Mia





Lance tries to showing 5-year old Brandon how to fish



I remember feeling very uncomfortable and awkward sitting in the dingy close to him.  I know this picture does not reflect that.

Lance and I look very tight and close, but during the boat ride on the dingy, I was not touching him.  It was very awkward.

 

Lance teaching Dylan with his buck teeth how to steer the dingy.  Dylan was 11 years old.



Brandon gets a lesson in driving the dingy.



 



Lance teaches Dylan how to drive the big boat.

We spent hours there, and when I left in the late afternoon, he called me en route to make sure I was safe.  I went to sleep that New Year's Eve, and it was as if someone has sprinkled some magical dust on me, because I woke up the next morning, and Lance was in my every thought, and when I thought about him, I could feel butterflies dancing inside.

When I returned to work on Monday, I confessed that I was beginning to have romantic sentiments for him, and well....the storybook began.

It's been three years, and normally, the passion subsides, and you hopefully develop a deeper more profound love, but the truth is....I cannot stand to be apart from him.  When we are apart and we are finally reunited, I feel like an eager child at Christmas.  I'm ridiculously and foolishly giddy over him.

Reality.  I went to visit him in his office today during lunch.  During our casual conversation, I stopped mid sentence and just looked at him.  My eyes filled up with tears as I said, "Do you know how deeply I'm in love with you?" 

I am, and the world should know it.

Three years and many wonderful  memories later, we are married, and I am the happiest I have ever been in my life.