To Get Me To You

Many people have asked how me and my husband, Jeremy have met. It is a LONG story, but I have plenty of time. You see if someone would have told me 16 years ago that he and I would be married someday, I would have laughed in their face. We are total opposites, and for that matter I thought he was a total and complete jerk. I will not use the word he choose to describe me, but I am sure with a little bit of imagination, one can guess. Jeremy and I actually met at Ranson Middle School (Go Raiders) when he and I were in the 7th grade. He and his family moved here from Alabama, but he is orginally from Utah. His family also started visiting our church, Statesville Road Baptist of Charlotte, NC. He and I rarely spoke. He says I was too clickish, but I say he never took the time to get to know me. I knew him as a stubborn, hot headed, skinny, red headed kid who was very blunt in how he spoke to you. As far as I could tell, we were not going to be friends, much less anything else.
It wasn't until our High School years that we actually "talked" to one another. He and I actually had one class together our sophmore year. It was Geometry and we had CrAzY old Mrs. Clemmons. He and I actually sat in the same row. Too this day he claims he didn't deserve to be in her class and that his only purpose for being there was to help others cheat. He and Tre Murray (or so he claims). Yes, I will admit that he is smart (maybe even a little brighter then me), but then again, he always did have a BIG HEAD. Haha...
I recall one day (my senior year) when I had a POUNDING headache. I just so happened to run into Jeremy out in the halls. I guess he saw me from a distance and knew that something was wrong from the way I looked. He was actually leaving early that day. He was taking a few college courses and was also working at the time (Big hot shot that he is). He asked if I wanted him to drive me home. I think I was in shock, b/c like I said, he and I rarely spoke. Anyhow, I immediately said yes and he offered to drive from the student parking lot to the front of the school. If you know anything about Vance High School, then you know to get from the school, to the student parking lot, that you literally have to climb a MOUNTAIN of stairs. I thought it was sweet that he offered, but then was even more floored when he offered to drive around to the front for me. He had an old blue mustang at the time. He came around front and off we went. He drove me home and then drove off. Okay...so that wasn't so bad. That was my first thoughts. After that, he and I would talk from time to time, but nothing too in depth. For some reason, I always found myself sticking up for his younger brother, Jesse. OMG could he be annoying! Jesse...if you are reading this, then sorry, but let's face it. You were...still can be as a matter of fact! Bet you never thought I would be your sister in law huh?
My friends and boyfriend at the time were never pleased that I always took up for him either. It may not have been the most popular thing to do, but it was the right thing to do. Maybe that is why Jeremy offered to drive me home that day?
It wasn't until February of 2001 that Jeremy and I officially started hanging out and what would be the beginning of something much more then that. You see I had a boyfriend at the time. I was in love, but little did I know, my heart was about to be crushed into a million little pieces. I guess I should have seen it coming...all the little signs were there. But being young and in love, sometimes we choose not to see those things. My boyfriend and I broke up on Feb. 19th 2001. I was a hot mess to say the least. I cried for what seemed like an eternity. At that age you don't ever think your heart can or will ever mend. In my mindset this was the end of the world. I remember feeling completey and utterly alone. It didn't matter what anyone said. I was heart broken and there was no fixing that. Just when I thought I was doing better, something else would happen. A song on the radio, pictures, you name it, it was a NIGHTMARE! Or was it?
Two weeks had gone by and my parents house phone rings. I had been asleep on the couch. There was no going into my room...way to many pictures and other things that reminded me of my now ex. I pick it up and say"hello" the voice of the other end doesn't sound familiar, as I hear "Hey Dallas, it's Jeremy" My reply "Umm Jeremy who?" Poor guy! "Jeremy from church" Me "OOOOO, I am sorry" Jeremy speaks up and says "I heard you were down in the dumps, so I just wanted to call and get you out of the house. What do you say to lunch and a movie"? Me "Okay, but this is not a date" Man...maybe I was the word Jeremy used to describe me!
Jeremy shows up in his little white S-10 pickup truck. I look a mess, not that I was trying to impress anyone. After all, I had made it very clear that this was NOT a date. We ended up going to O'Charleys for lunch. I ordered a salad and maybe took 2 bites. That was the only good thing about a break up for me...no appetite. To this day I still don't remember what in the world we talked about. After lunch we headed to Concord Mills Mall to watch a movie. I can't even recall what movie we watched. I just remember going into the bathroom afterwards and seeing my reflection in the mirror. Did I seriously just go out in public like this? I walk out of the bathroom and smack Jeremy on his arm. He looks at me like "what was that for" I say to him "I cannot believe you didn't tell me I looked terrible" He says "I am sorry, but you look fine to me" He was seriously just trying to be nice at this point. I had the worse bags under my eyes and if you could have seen my hair...I looked like a fashion disaster, but worse. After our "Not a date outing" Jeremy drove me home. Maybe he is not such a jerk after all.
After that Jeremy and I would talk from to time while at church, but again, nothing too serious. After a few months, he had started dating someone. I was still hung up on my ex anyway. It wasn't until one day (at church) that I was sitting out in my car. I see Jeremy and his girlfriend come walking out. They are holding hands and I notice that Jeremy now has a new haircut. Man did this make him look totally and completely different (thanks Liz). Jeremy and his girlfriend slowly walk past. We don't talk, just wave. I look out my side window and see him open the passenger door. His girlfriend hops into the seat and he gives her a little peck on the lips. Great...now I am thinking of my ex again! They drive off. Did I seriously just notice that Jeremy got a hair cut? What is up with that? A few months goes by and we are all at church again. Some of us are talking and I hear Jeremy say that he, his girlfriend and some friends are going to the movies. For some reason he asks if I would like to come along. Me with no life now...agrees. So off me, him and his girlfriend go riding in his brand new Dodge Ram truck...ummm akward! After that Jeremy and I started hanging out. Needless to say his girlfriend is not to happy about this.
Now for whatever reason, my ex has now decided that he too, will start hanging out with Jeremy. We all of the sudden become the three musketeers. Can you say even more awkward??? We literally go and do everything together. Jeremy's girlfriend again...not so happy. She calls while Jeremy, My ex and I are out. I could tell she was not pleased by the answer Jeremy gave when he told her who he was out with. They eventually break up. Now moving on to an even more awkard moment...
Jeremy and I are at my parents house. We are both in my bedroom just carrying on casual conversation. Nothing too serious right? Wrong! For some odd reason we start talking about people in our youth group and who we think likes one another. Jeremy says, "well I kind of like someone" Me being the idiot that I am says "ohh really who?" He says "Really Dallas"? Me...well at this point I am totally clueless. I start naming off people and Jeremy continues to shake his head no. I finally say (in a joking voice) "then who, me?" Jeremy "Yes you" Ohh snap...did he really just say that out loud? That is one of those moments when you wish their was a rewind button. He was not going to like what I had to say next. I must have been 50 shades of red, but I somehow spoke these words "I am sorry, but I just don't feel the same" Jeremy is also now 50 shades of red. He proceeds to get up and leave and I grab his arm...how can I fix this now horribly awkward moment? I say to him "but that doesn't mean that those feelings can't change." He sits back down and we pretend this how conversation never happened.
A few weeks go by and we are at this parents house. We are sitting on the couch watching whatever we can find on tv. I guess you could say we were flirting. Jeremy kept poking me in my side. With every poke I got a little closer to his face. He finally just grabbed me and kisses me. Wow...not what I was expecting. Not that the kiss was bad. I guess I was just taken away by the moment. We sat there in slience for a little while. I was trying to think of something to say. Then finally, I open my mouth and say "Jeremy, if we start dating and you break my heart, I will seriously become a lesbian." I could not take another heart break. Of course I was only joking about the lesbian thing. It was an ice breaker at the time.
Needless to say the weeks go by and before I know it, Jeremy and I are now dating. I don't know exactly when this happened. I guess you could say Valentines of 2002 was our first official date. I was working as a waitress at Macado's of Concord Mills Mall. He had a dozen long stem red roses sent to work. I am totally shocked! Not at all the Valentines day I was expecting. He calls and tells me to get ready and that he is taking me out for dinner. It's off to Mickey and Mooch for us. Can we say YUMMY? From that moment own we were with each other pretty much every weekend. At the time, Jeremy traveled a lot with his job. So the time that we did get together meant the world to me. I was finally happy again and was starting to feel whole once more. God had an amazing plan all along. I just couldn't see it at the time.
I rememeber the first time we said those three little words "I Love You" we were standing out on my parents front porch. Jeremy leans in for a good night kiss and says "well I am just going to be the first to say it, I love you" Me and my dorky self, looks at him and says "I love you too, Jeremy Ray Welch" We laughed about this for sometime and then again Jeremy says "I love you Dallas Anne Dulin" Why I had to state his full name is beyond me. We still jokingly say this from time to time to one another. Brings back good memories. Jeremy and I had been dating for sometime when he decided it was time to pop the BIG QUESTION. I was at Holden Beach with my cousin, Kristin at the time and Jeremy was currently in Utah. We had made plans for him to drive down and join us later in the week once he finally arrived back home. I was so excited to see him. I remember when he pulled in the drive at the beach house. I ran down stairs and jumped into his arms. Back then I was skinny, so he was actually able to do this. LOL
I was happy to see him. The next day Kristin, Jeremy and I all rode to Myrtle Beach together. We spent the day going in and out little shops and had lunch at Dicks. If you have ever been to Dicks at Myrtle Beach, then you know what type of restaurant this is. Needless to say is was a lunch we will never forget. After spending most of the day at Myrtle, we decided to head back to Holden. I remember wanting to stop for cookies and cream ice cream and Jeremy had promised me that we could. On the way back, those afternoon Thunderstorms started to roll in. I remember thinking of the movie, Sweet Home Alabama. On our way back, Jeremy asks if I want to go and take a walk with him on the beach. I look at Kristin and ask if she would like to come too. Kristin just says no. Little did I know the plans that Jeremy had up his sleeve. We pull in the drive way to our beach house and all get out. I again ask Kristin if she would like to come with us. Again, I am such a DORK. By this point it is starting to drizzle, but this wasn't going to ruin Jeremy's plans. We make our way to the beach access. It has now started lightening. I look at Jeremy and ask if he just wants to do this later. He immediately says no and off we go on our walk. It wasn't too long before Jeremy asks if we can sit down. So I do, and he sits behind me with his arms wrapped around. We sit in silence for a minute or two and then Jeremy starts asking me all these questions. I can't recall what they all were, but you can guess what is coming next. Before I know it, there is a box in front of my face and he says "Will you marry me?" I am now crying by this point and excitedly open the box. He went to Jared...just FYI. Haha...I open the box and see the BEAUTIFUL ring that is about to be placed on my finger. He slips it on my ring finger. We are now engaged! I see another couple walking towards us. I just so happen to have my camera on me. I ask if they will take our picture. I cannot believe I am now engaged! I can't wait to start making plans for us to spend the rest of our lives together.

To Be Continued