Love at first sight? Nope. Love at first kiss.

The hubs and I disagree on the true story of how we fell in love. He likes to tell people that I relentlessly chased him around the office until he finally gave in. <insert extreme eye roll> He can think what he wishes but, I'll tell you how it really was.

We met at work. We had some mutual friends and would have lunch together on occasion, or join a group of co-workers for happy hour. Of course the first thing I noticed was that he was HOT, with a body that made most women swoon. Great smile, killer sense of humor, picked on me all the time (secretly, I loved it...still do). As I got to know him, the most attractive quality about him became so clear. He was TRULY a nice guy. Smart, fair, hardworking, and FUN. I was 26 and didn't think a man like this existed anymore. Nice, honest, funny, AND good looking?! How was he even single??? I didn't act on my secret crush...just held out hope that he would eventually read my mind. No office chasing going on, as he would like you all to believe. ;)

One Saturday night, I had asked three friends, hubs included, to go to the movies with me. At the last minute, the other two friends bailed out and that left just us. He called me and I was nervous as I told him that everyone else had cancelled. He quickly asked if I still wanted to go, I said YES (trying to contain my enthusiasm), and he said he would pick me up in a couple of hours. After two hours of endless primping, changing clothes 500 times, and chain smoking the whole time from nerves...I was ready. He showed up and my mouth dropped open. I mean, this man standing in front of me was absolutely everything I had ever wanted and more. There HAD to be something wrong with him.

We decided to go to a Japanese Hibachi restaurant around the corner, before we went to the movie. We ate, laughed, drank sake, laughed, drank more sake, and laughed some more, until we looked around and noticed that there wasn't anyone else in the restaurant. The two employees left were staring at us from across the restaurant. We (he) paid the bill, including an enormous tip, and left. When we got in the car, he asked me if I would still like to go see a movie. I told him that I would rather go somewhere that we could keep talking since I was having such a good time. I suggested that we get a bottle of nice wine and take it back to my apartment.

We opened the bottle of wine, put on Night at the Roxbury, and pretended to watch it. The next thing I know, we were kissing. To this day, I couldn't tell you who kissed the other first. I am pretty sure we both just jumped on each other. The next morning, with dreamy eyes, I told my roommate that I was going to marry him. She immediately faked gagging and rolled her eyes. "You are going to be curled up on the couch with a box of tissues in a week, crying!"...was her response to my ludicrous statement. I told her that she was wrong this time. He really was "THE ONE". She continued to gag and roll her eyes.

Two months later, he took me to Vegas for my 27th birthday. We checked in to the Venetian and decided to take a nap before going out. When we woke up, I asked him what he wanted to do. He said, "We should get married". I cracked up laughing. I told him that wasn't funny and seriously wanted to know where he wanted to have dinner. He looked at me and said, "I am not kidding. I want to marry you. Will you marry me?" After a minute or two of my mouth hanging open, I screamed, "YES YES YES!!". Then I asked him if he wanted to do a drive thru marriage in Vegas. After deciding that our parents would be very disappointed, we decided not to have Elvis marry us. I had dreamed of the big princess dress my whole life and really couldn't imagine not having my Dad walk me down the aisle.

We decided to stay in, get room service, lots of champagne, and call our family and friends. Since we had only been dating for two months, I think his family was afraid I was a hooker he picked up in Vegas. Of course we had idiot friends who asked us when the baby was due. WTF?! We spent the whole night celebrating. When I woke up the next morning, I could hardly believe that it wasn't all a dream. My cheeks hurt from smiling nonstop. Since he didn't plan to propose that weekend, he didn't have a ring. He bought me one at the hotel gift shop for $12. To this day, it is one of my most prized possessions. When we got home, he bought me a beautiful engagement ring. He came home from work one evening (I had been at his house making dinner), got on one knee with the beautiful ring, and asked me again.

Our engagement was 6 months. People were shocked of course at the warp speed of our courtship. I would bet that almost half of our wedding guests doubted it would last. We laughed about that. There was no question in my mind that this was the man I had waited my whole life to meet. We married in San Diego, in early December 2001.

10 years and two babies later, I still get butterflies when he kisses me. It doesn't get much better than that.