The Meeting:
It was 1999, and I was a senior at Ames High School. Justin had recently moved to Ames, following his girlfriend, the star of the Iowa State Women's basketball team. It was my last season of track and I was anxious for it to start. It was 16 years ago when we met each other in the weight room at the high school. Coach Duea introduced us, naming Justin as a volunteer for the track team. Justin doesn't remember this meeting at all, so apparently I didn't make a good first impression!
Becoming Friends:
Track season started not long after that and Justin helped volunteer whenever he was able to. Being a star on his high school track team, (he had the school record in the 110m hurdles until recently), he helped often with the hurdlers. I not only ran on the shuttle hurdle relay team, I also ran the 400m hurdles, so I needed to be able to hurdle with both legs if needed. I remember him working with me on my trail leg, running along the last curve of the 400 meters. I often complained that I couldn't hurdle with my right leg but he continued to encourage me to try.
I also remember making fun of him, a lot, with the help of my fellow hurdlers. Many times he would help us with drills, doing them before us, and we couldn't help but notice that his left foot turns in more than his right. (I still notice this and I think our son has inherited this trait-our pediatrician says some of the fastest runners have this trait. So far, my son has yet to show his speed :)). He often traveled to our out of town track meets if he wasn't working. One Saturday we had a meet far away. Most of the athletes were annoyed because our Prom was that night. We prayed and prayed for the meet to get canceled and as luck would have it, it started raining and lightening during the meet. We all had to duck for cover in the bleachers. A few athletes and I were snacking on grapes, when we decided to start throwing them at Justin.
We became friends during the season. The day before the beginning of the state track meet, we gathered at the coach's house for a spaghetti dinner. As a tradition, we all brought a white shirt and markers to sign each other's shirt for the meet. Justin signed his name as Shaq and for a LONG time I thought this was how his last name was spelled.
The season ended, I went to Europe with my brother for a couple weeks and Justin did his thing. We didn't get back in touch with each other until I started my first semester at the University of Iowa. Justin, being an alum to Iowa, traveled back to Iowa City a few times during the fall to enjoy football games with his friends. On one occasion, he brought a fellow hurdler friend with him and the three of us enjoyed dinner out together. Meanwhile, the current relationships we were both in fizzled out.
The Beginning of our Relationship:
During winter break, I lived with my parents and worked at the University Book Store. One evening, Justin was working at Sports Page and my cousin was in town. Justin had contacted me earlier and wanted to know if I wanted to get together after he was off work. Thankfully, my cousin didn't mind going along for the ride and we met him at the store, then headed back to his apartment for a bit. We didn't stay long, but I distinctly remember him having this motorized Christmas bear that creaked whenever it moved, (we still have this thing!).
During the rest of winter break, we got together many times, usually working out at City Hall together with Spalding and Slouch Socks, (names we gave to the other regulars), and running outside when it was nice. We also spent a lot of time eating out. Our first official date was to Hickory Park. I couldn't believe I had actually found someone who ate as slow as I did!
After break, I headed back to Iowa City for my second semester. I spent many, many hours in Mayflower's computer room instant messaging Justin. We also communicated via email multiple times a week, (I still have most of these emails, printed off in a notebook). We each made trips back and forth to see each other and I was so happy when he surprised me with a CD player for my old car to make the trips more manageable!
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| 2003 |
Our first summer together was very similar to winter break: Exercising and eating out :).
Relocation:
Come Junior year, I was ready to move into an apartment and Justin was ready to relocate back to Iowa City. I know this was a big risk for him because he liked his job in Ames and had formed many close friendships. Knowing my parents would never approve of me living with him, we decided to live as close as possible. My friend Lisa and I shared one apartment, while our boyfriends shared an apartment just down the hall. How convenient, huh? The four of us made many, many memories during those two years, and mine and Justin's relationship continued to grow.
The Proposal:
After graduation, I worked as a nurse in the Surgical Intensive Care Unity at the University of Iowa for one year before returning to school for my master's. One evening during the summer, we went out to eat and then to Kent Park. During my undergrad we frequented this park, walking on the trails, having picnics and giving me a break from my studying. Justin had written me a letter after our first summer together, detailing the fun we had. We attended a lot of weddings that summer, many that he was a part of. In this letter he mentions envisioning us getting married. On that day at Kent Park, Justin read this part of the letter and then proposed.
My roommate moved back to her hometown so I lived with my brother, right across the hall from Justin's apartment for two years. Ironically, my brother and I were on similar career paths; he was in the PA program and I in the NP program. After completing my first year of the NP program, Justin and I were married on August 13th, 2005, and moved to North Liberty, IA while I finished the program.
The Wedding:
Planning a wedding in the middle of August in Iowa is probably crazy. Luckily, we had perfect weather and a beautiful ceremony. We were married at St. Cecilia Church in Ames. This church has a special meaning to me as it is the church I grew up attending, where I received my First Communion and Confirmation, and where now, 10 years later, our three children were baptized.
After the ceremony, we headed to Reiman Gardens for some outdoor pictures before enjoying a fun reception at The Sheman Building. There was plenty of dancing, good food, delicious cake and even some karaoke. The next day we headed to Las Vegas for a short trip before our honeymoon in Aruba a couple months later.
It's hard to believe it has been over a decade since these events took place. 10 years, 3 kids, 2 houses and 1 cancer diagnosis. I don't think we ever would have envisioned the path our joined life has taken us down, but we wouldn't change a thing. Here's to many more decades together!
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