If you had in your hands a 1970 yearbook from Century High School you would see that my mom and Michael's mom were in the same school. That's right, grew up together in the same town. In fact, an embarrassing fact for my mom...michael's dad was my mom's first kiss. how crazy is that?! You know, people ask me all the time, "how long have you known bro. michael?" well, i can't remember not knowing him! i guess from the time i can remember he's been there.
We both grew up on McDavid Hill in McDavid, FL on Cox Rd. We lived about 5 houses down from one another. Our childhoods were similar and we saw one another often at school; and always around the neighborhood. I guess really it wasn't a neighborhood; we lived out in the country where it was ok to play in the street and where you stay outside or down the road all day without mom worrying about abductions or things like that.
Here are a few of my fondest memories of ours:
Michael always 'liked' me. but i didn't 'like' him...not that way. he would send me THE letters...you know, the circle yes or no ones! I kept them for many years, but i guess they were misplaced during one of our moves. the bus always dropped him off first. by the time i would get off the bus, run inside and say, "tell him no!", there he would be in my yard. he'd ride his bike to my house, knock on the door, and ask if i were home. of course, mama was sweet and let him in. jeez, he would bother me the rest of the afternoon! it was that way all through 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.
I remember that he would want to sit with me on the bus...so i would let him....if he would sing for me. (those of you who know michael know that this is what he loves) but not just any song...it had to be......"Eye of the Tiger". i know it's crazy, but i loved to hear him sing that song. so he would sing it and i would let him sit with me. i'm cracked up right now just thinking about those days!
One more instance was when I was about 13 and he was 14. another neighborhood friend knocks on my door and says she has something for me. it was a cassette tape from michael. i put it in and hear "If me and donya were married, here's what i'd sing to her". the music begins and then you hear him singing karaoke to vince gill's song, "look at us". it was as if he knew that one day we would be together.
Well, time went on and although we stayed in touch (it's a small town), we no longer really socialized together. i didn't like him because i thought he was arrogant. he didn't like me because i thought i was ms. popular. (although deep down i think we both felt a connection) Well, in 1994 i was a junior and he was a senior. we began the school year as normal....only something was different...he had 'changed'! man was he cute!! he had a girlfriend though. but you know how it is, we would smile at one another and my heart would just about beat out of my chest. i remember one day asking him, "who are you all dressed up for?" he said, "you, of course". humorous to some, but he really meant it!
Needless to say, he and the girl broke up and i moved right in! November 1, 1994 was our first date....the day i was given his class ring to wear! to this day, he makes fun of me remembering dates like these. i remember he told me that he loved me after just 2 weeks. i couldn't reply the same. i told him that he didn't know what he was talking about. but he insisted that he did and that even if i wouldn't say it back, he knew for a fact that one day we would be married.
One year later on September 7, 1995, he proposed to me. One year later on the same date, we were married. 12 1/2 years and three children later, it's still the best thing in the world. my heart still skips beats when he sings, when i see him walk into a room, when he calls me on the phone. i'll tell you what, i'm still in love with him to this day. he's the greatest husband in the world. i certainly do not deserve such love and i am so thankful that he is mine!
p.s. i think i'm gonna try to scan some old photos and post them next week! the photo shown with the story is about 3 years old.
We both grew up on McDavid Hill in McDavid, FL on Cox Rd. We lived about 5 houses down from one another. Our childhoods were similar and we saw one another often at school; and always around the neighborhood. I guess really it wasn't a neighborhood; we lived out in the country where it was ok to play in the street and where you stay outside or down the road all day without mom worrying about abductions or things like that.
Here are a few of my fondest memories of ours:
Michael always 'liked' me. but i didn't 'like' him...not that way. he would send me THE letters...you know, the circle yes or no ones! I kept them for many years, but i guess they were misplaced during one of our moves. the bus always dropped him off first. by the time i would get off the bus, run inside and say, "tell him no!", there he would be in my yard. he'd ride his bike to my house, knock on the door, and ask if i were home. of course, mama was sweet and let him in. jeez, he would bother me the rest of the afternoon! it was that way all through 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.
I remember that he would want to sit with me on the bus...so i would let him....if he would sing for me. (those of you who know michael know that this is what he loves) but not just any song...it had to be......"Eye of the Tiger". i know it's crazy, but i loved to hear him sing that song. so he would sing it and i would let him sit with me. i'm cracked up right now just thinking about those days!
One more instance was when I was about 13 and he was 14. another neighborhood friend knocks on my door and says she has something for me. it was a cassette tape from michael. i put it in and hear "If me and donya were married, here's what i'd sing to her". the music begins and then you hear him singing karaoke to vince gill's song, "look at us". it was as if he knew that one day we would be together.
Well, time went on and although we stayed in touch (it's a small town), we no longer really socialized together. i didn't like him because i thought he was arrogant. he didn't like me because i thought i was ms. popular. (although deep down i think we both felt a connection) Well, in 1994 i was a junior and he was a senior. we began the school year as normal....only something was different...he had 'changed'! man was he cute!! he had a girlfriend though. but you know how it is, we would smile at one another and my heart would just about beat out of my chest. i remember one day asking him, "who are you all dressed up for?" he said, "you, of course". humorous to some, but he really meant it!
Needless to say, he and the girl broke up and i moved right in! November 1, 1994 was our first date....the day i was given his class ring to wear! to this day, he makes fun of me remembering dates like these. i remember he told me that he loved me after just 2 weeks. i couldn't reply the same. i told him that he didn't know what he was talking about. but he insisted that he did and that even if i wouldn't say it back, he knew for a fact that one day we would be married.
One year later on September 7, 1995, he proposed to me. One year later on the same date, we were married. 12 1/2 years and three children later, it's still the best thing in the world. my heart still skips beats when he sings, when i see him walk into a room, when he calls me on the phone. i'll tell you what, i'm still in love with him to this day. he's the greatest husband in the world. i certainly do not deserve such love and i am so thankful that he is mine!
p.s. i think i'm gonna try to scan some old photos and post them next week! the photo shown with the story is about 3 years old.
