Our
story, like anyone else's, is a story I love to tell and it never gets old
telling it so when I get the chance to tell all of it from the beginning I take
FULL advantage, so in advance... I apologize haha. I
met Jared my senior year of high school and was on a dating hiatus from my move
from Colorado. He was only a sophomore at the time... yes he is younger, by
about a year and a half, no big deal. But at the time a senior dating a
sophomore was not cool, and I was new so I didn't want attention brought to me
that was unnecessary lol, I was just trying to make it through senior year
and get out of here. Jared was smitten from the start and you could tell, he
followed me around and always sat next to me and talked to me. He was cute but
a little nerdy so I never paid to much attention to him. I graduated and we
went our separate ways, I never gave a second thought about him really.
When
I started working at the daycare I became very close friends with a girl that
worked there and her brother (Katie and Josh). I spent almost every week
hanging with them and we got very close. It wasn't until one night Katie spent
the night at my house and we were going through old pics and I just so happened
to have a random pic of Jared and me on the last day of senior year. Katie was
shocked to see the picture because Jared just so happened to be Josh’s best
friend. That next day Josh and me hatched a plan to catch Jared off guard. So
he called Jared and made plans to hang out. Me and Josh drove over to pick him
up in my car and at the time I drove a 2007 mustang, beautiful blue with white
racing stripes. I decided to let Josh drive my car up and pretend his dad had
just bought the car for him and at first Jared bought it but then he slowly
realized... he knew this car lol. So our cover was blown and I stepped out and
looked at the sophomore I left behind a year ago. Let's just say he was not
that small nerdy sophomore anymore. I remember it in vivid detail lol. He had
grown his hair out, grew about a foot, was wearing cut up jeans and red shirt.
Lets just say, he peeked my interest! I have no trouble disclosing this because
he knows all this already but I really only planned to use him as a rebound to
get myself back into the dating world (it had been 2 years). I knew he would be easy to get I guess I
never thought he'd be hard to hold onto lol. I probably should have re-thought
my plan when he called his current gf not even an hour later just to break up
with her so we could date lol! But I was curious and about a month later we
started dating.
We
dated for about 9 months before any probably arose. The longest I had EVER been
able to stand a relationship. People sometimes say that if I had had more experience
with relationships I would have been stronger to walk away, but that’s not
true. I didn't have lots of long-term relationships but I had plenty of
experience with boyfriends. Enough experience to know Jared was something different. When 9
months rolled around we fought a lot and broke up. He wanted to stay friends
and I tried but it wasn't enough and when I found out he was dating his ex
behind my back, I was through. It took him about a month but he redeemed
himself and we got back together just in time to celebrate our one year
together.
I'd love to be able to say and it was happily ever after but oh boy,
if I would have known what I know now I would have ran... maybe lol. These
details I find harder and harder to share because I feel when I do people get
the wrong idea of who he is NOW. Long story short our second year was filled
with more off and on moments than we could even begin to count. During the
second year of us dating, Jared left home right after turning 18 just because
his mom did not approve of us. He jumped around to 3 different homes before
finally ending up at mine. I thought it was a good idea because his mom and me
started to get along better and so did me and Jared but a boy without his mom
is bound to act a fool lol.
While
living with me Jared worked at restaurant where some oh so shady characters
worked and he got into a bad crowd. A VERY BAD CROWD. For 6 months, I saw him
maybe once a week, and HE LIVED WITH ME! It was the worst time ever in our relationship...
or so I thought. Finally after 6 months when the ring leader of this horrible
crowd got locked up in jail I knew I had to strike and find a way to get him
out of here FAST, but I was in the middle of school, I couldn't pick up and leave
with him and support us both! I knew army was always his plan but he never went
through with it because I grew up knowing army because of my dad and never wanted that lifestyle for my
future. Well I swallowed my selfish pride and took him to enlist. Best decision
of my life. After that things were great! He was still living with me but we
were great.Got along, spent time together, it was like the first year we
started dating. I'm sure all of you still reading this are like... awww yay...
hold on, its not over yet lol. Things were great but when May came along Jared
went in for his last test and met a girl. He had met lots of people and I never
thought anything of it but this was different... to much time was spent on the
phone together and it lead to me finding texts, and finding him with her when I
followed him one day... yes yes yes I stalked, get over it lol. He did
something unforgivable that he'd never done in our problems prior to this...
He took the physical with her to far... I was done. I packed his stuff and him
and his dad came to get it that week. This was the end of May. Through June, July, and
August I didn't speak a word to him. Longest we've ever gone without contact.
July
11 my mom died. For 2 1/2 years that boy was my support, so of course the first
person I called was him. So I guess you can say we talked in July once. I was
heartbroken when he thought I was lying about the death of my mom just to have
a reason to talk to him. It threw me over the edge. How dare he. That was my
thought. So I had no choice but to hang up and to move on. In September I had
just gotten home from Colorado for my mother's funeral and I get a text.
"How are you" I remember that day and all the things I wanted to say
haha but I was cordial, I was nice.
The conversation was weird and I didn't
know how to take it. He wanted to have lunch, apologize, and if my mom hadn't
just died and I hadn't just experienced how short life REALLY is, I would have
never gone. But I did. And it was nice to see him again. September through December
he did everything in his power to show me he changed and he did a good job of
it, but when I took him back it was with full knowing he was going to screw it
up. I never thought I'd be where I am today.
NOW,
almost a year later, I don't even know who this man is lol. He's amazing.
Supportive, controlled, nice, loving, funny, and faithful! I sometimes imagine
that my mom brought him back to me. Of course I'm changed as well and he sees
that. I couldn't be happier and I hope when y'all read this you understand I
LOVE sharing our story, not because I'm ashamed and want to trash my husband
but because we were dragged through the mud kicking and screaming and things
worked out. Cheating is horrid and disgusting and I pray for everyone that has
to endure it and I pray for everyone who thinks its ok to do it. BUT it is not
the end. If two people want it, they can work through it. I laugh at those who
told me time and time again how stupid I was, because I've never been this
happy in my life and now I'm going to marry my best friend and I wouldn't have
it any other way. I look at it as he was young, stupid, naive and I would take
him doing all that stupid shit back then, then when we are married with kids. I
know him front to back and I would not be with him if he weren’t changed, so
I'm ready to start my next chapter with him. I'm ready for it to be him and me...
plus some babies in a few years lol. I hope you guys get the happiness of this
story and not dwell on the past, because if losing my mom taught me anything,
its to not dwell on what doesn't matter anymore, you never know when that last
goodbye is coming... especially with a military husband!