We've been married 10 Years Today

10 years ago today Dan and I got married. It's so strange to think that it's been that long, but then at the same time it feels like we've been together forever. Since this is such a momentus anniversary for us, I thought I would post our "story" on here for everyone.

Dan and I met in junior high, 9th grade. We weren't really "friends", but we did have a lot of mutual friends. Dan was a "skater" and I hung out with the skaters. My boyfriend at the time was one of them, and was a good friend of Dan's. My sister, Darnell nka Marin, dated Dan's bestfriend while in high school, so they spent a lot of time together. Needless to say, my sister knew Dan a lot better than I ever did. Back in high school Dan was a rebel, a bad boy. He smoked, had long hair, he sluffed (skipped) classes and he was known for headbutting the lockers and denting them. He went by the name of Danny. If you would have told me back then that I would end up marrying Danny Drown I would have thought you were crazy. Just goes to show how much we know when we are teenagers.

Fast forward 5 years after graduation. I was on a date at a local bar. Dan was at that same bar. I had noticed him walk in and make the "rounds" but didn't realize who it was because he had grown up, literally. He was now 6'2" and had short hair. He was a man now, he was Dan, not Danny anymore. I remember seeing him walk by and thinking to myself "that guys cute" but that was it. My date was playing fooseball with some other girls, I don't play fooseball. Apparently, Dan had noticed me and recognized me. He saw that I was sitting there alone, basically being ignored by my date. I hear someone say to me "Hey!" I look up at Dan and say "Yeah?" I still don't recognize him yet. Then Dan gives this big sigh and says "Didn't you go to Mount Jordan Middle School?" Right at that moment, when he said that, I realized who he was. I immediately jumped up and ran over to him and gave him a big hug. We sat and talked and talked until it was time for Dan to leave. He asked me for my phone number, but he didn't have a pen or paper, he said he would remember it. I thought yeah right. I watched him and his friends walk to their car and felt sad that he was leaving. About 3 days later he called me, yes he remembered my phone number. We talked for about 3 hours on the phone that night. The next weekend some mutual friends of ours, who I was still in contact with but Dan wasn't, were in a band and were playing at that same bar. I invited Dan to go watch them with me. We met there and ended up spending the rest of that weekend together. A month later Dan moved into my house. That summer Dan tried to propose, but I messed it up. We were camping at Bear Lake with my family. He was going to write Will You Marry Me on some paper plates and have my family members hold them up while we took a family picture. I didn't know that's what he was going to do, and I wouldn't get out of bed. It was early in the morning, I was tired. Everyone tried to get me out of bed, my mom, my sister, my cousin, but I wouldn't budge. So, he never proposed, I messed it up, but I still didn't know about the plan. About two months went by and I decided that I was going to ask him to marry me. I told my mom and a few days later she told me that dad didn't think I should. I asked her why and she tried to keep the failed plan a secret, but my mom cannot keep secrets. She ended up telling me what had happened at Bear Lake. I guess she thought that was going to deter me from going through with my own plan, but it didn't. In fact, it made me even more determined to ask him myself. I figured if he hadn't asked me by now, then it's too late, I'm going to do it. I decided that I was going to do it on his 23rd birthday. I made a card on the computer, I bought a ring, and I attached the ring to the back of the card. Here's the inside and back of the card.


When he got home from work that day I met him at the door and handed him the card. He read it and didn't say a word. He just took the ring off the card and put it on his finger. That was September 3, 1998. We were married 6 months later. Exactly a year and a week from that first date at the bar.

This is my favorite picture from our wedding.

My mom, me and my sister (my maid of honor)

The entire wedding party.

Everyone - from left to right.
Bridgett(friend), Stephanie(friend), Tammy(Dan's sister), Julie(Dan's sister), Darnell nka Marin(my sister), Sharon(Dan's mom), Sherry(my mom) and Jeff Dad, Steve(Dan's Dad), my Ron Dad, Brian(Dan's brother), Jason(friend), Wayne(my brother), Schindler(friend) and Tyler(my brother). And of course me and Dan right up front.

And finally, my very first digital scrapbook page.