Thinking about how Brock and I met - that's what makes me smile today

I have come to believe that there is no such thing as a “coincidence”.  We bring experiences into our lives or they happen to help us move on to the next experience.  I am not saying that when something “bad” happens that we have called that into our lives – it is a sad fact that bad things happen to good people.  However, I have been inspired lately by Brock, to put out more “good karma” than “bad” and to pay attention to what we are bringing into our lives by our words and actions.  This initial conversation with Brock was about envisioning what we want and then trusting in the Universe that it has heard and will grant all our “wishes”.   We had a wonderful evening talking about some of the events and things that we have “dreamed” into being.   For example, the mere fact that we met.

On the weekend just before our paths crossed, I wrote a mental list of all the things I was going to look for in a man.  He had to love kids and be willing to love mine.  He had to be from a family where the mom and dad loved each other so that he had a good role model on how this should look.  Preferably he would have no kids or crazy exes to complicated my life because my life was complicated enough.  I didn’t want a guy with any addictions or creepy hang-ups.  He would have to love camping and going to the lake.  He would have to be willing to treat me like a princess, because I deserved nothing less than Cinderella and the “Happily ever after”.  If he didn’t mind doing laundry that would be a bonus, but not a deal breaker. 

October 20, 1994 neither one of us was supposed to go out to the local pub for a drink.  He went to have a beer after work.  I went with a group of teachers after “meet the teacher” night.  Brock got into a cab and asked the driver to take him to any bar for a beer.  The driver chose Ernie O’s. (Coincidence or Divine intervention??)  When Brock walked in, he realized that it was cowboy night.  Every male in the establishment was wearing a cowboy hat and pointy boots.  The dance floor was filled with people two stepping to Brooks and Dunn and Hank Williams Junior.  Now, for those of you who know Brock, this should make you smile.  He was wearing his black leather jacket, ball cap and “biker” boots.  He is more the classic rock guy preferring, well almost anything, to country music.  After first thinking about leaving and going to a different bar, he decided to stay for one beer.  

Now, I had gone to the Legion for one beer.  All of my friends were going home except for one who was going to stop by Ernie O’s.  She was going to give me a ride home after she stopped in for just one quick spin on the dance floor (with a friend who was already there).

I wasn’t there for very long when I spied this very handsome guy sitting at the bar drinking a beer.  On cowboy night, I have to admit that he stuck out in his black leather jacket, boots and ball cap.  I watched him for a bit and made some quick assessments.  He was alone, no wedding ring a great smile and very handsome.  I noticed that he was showing all the usual signs of getting ready to leave including his beer was almost done and he was not ordering another one. I decided that I would go over and say hi.  What was I going to say?  I pondered this question as I made my way across the room.  By the time I got there, his back was turned and it looked like he was going to stand up.  I tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around.  I gave him the only pick up line I could think of “Hi, is your name Joe?”  He looked at me and chuckled “No, why do I look like a Joe?”   The rest, as they say, is history. 

 

Brock says that he knew he that I was “the one” the moment that he looked into my eyes.  Four days later, he called his mom and told her that he met the girl he was going to marry.  Four months later, we were married in front of our family and a few friends in a small intimate wedding.  Eighteen years later we have experienced raising our three kids, welcoming one grandbaby, living in 4 different communities, the heartbreaking loss of several people we love, 17 summers of camping and going to the lake and I feel like a princess every day. 

I am really glad that I thought to put into the “Universal request” that it would be nice if “the one” would not mind doing laundry, because what a great bonus that has turned out to be!