June 6th, 2009

Mr. and Mrs. Laisure

Mark and I met a little over 2 years ago when I came up to California from Arizona to visit my mom. My uncle picked me up from the airport and took me back to his work to show me around. I saw Markie workin on his machine and couldn't help but stare. I asked my uncle who he was and he replied "Oh that's Markie. He's the baby of the family."

See, his family owns the business my uncle works for, and he lives with Markie's uncle..Uncle Danny. Our families have known eachother since the business was run out of their garage. It's been roughly 37 years. His parents were best friends with my mom's parents. His mom held me in the hospital after I was born, my mom babysat him and his brothers when Markie was still in diapers.

Every time I turned around there was Markie, starin right back at me. He'd turn away as soon as we made eye contact, and I'd giggle. I moved up to California with my mom in January of the next year after being stuck in a tough situation. When Superbowl Sunday came around, all my mom had to say was "Markie's gonna be there!" and I was up and gettin ready. I saw him again and couldn't take my eyes off of him. Granted he brought his girlfriend at the time, I still caught him starin at me. :]

I moved back to Arizona and got stuck in a bad way again, eventually moving back up to California with my mom in November of 2008. I enrolled in school for spring semester, taking my basic classes. Superbowl Sunday rolled around, and again all my mom had to say was "Markie's gonna be there!" and I was ready before she even rolled out of bed. We went to help clean up the house and prepare the food. I was so stressed about how I looked, but my mom reassured me that I looked "just fine".

When Markie and his family showed up, I was so nervous I couldn't sit still. I wanted to talk to him, but couldn't figure out what to say. I kept making eye contact with him...hoping he'd catch on and make small talk. But, I had no luck. I couldn't stop thinking about whether or not I'd made an ass of myself. I replayed the day over and over again in my head. What could I have done differently to make him talk to me? Was it the way I looked? How could he have missed all the opportunities I literally gave him? I felt like a fool.

When we got home, my mom told me that his oldest brother, Harold, had asked her if I was single. Her response being "Ya. But she's a bitch." OH MY GOD! I couldn't help but think. My mom totally just blocked the only opportunity I'd had to even talk to Mark. Great. Now he'll never talk to me.

My brothers, Ricky and Ryan, came up to visit for their spring break. My mom asked if i wanted to go. I really didn't want to, but yet again she pulled "We're goin to the shop...Markie's gonna be there!". I must've taken 2 hours to get ready. I did my hair and makeup, which is pretty rare. I ironed my clothes and everything. We went to the airport, got the boys, and we were off to the shop.

We walked into the office where all the programming happens, and there he was. With his back turned to us, I had no way of gettin his attention. I tried as hard as I could..nothin.

One sunday in april, my mom and I went over to Uncle Danny's house to clean. I sat in the backyard chit chattin with my uncle and his friend, Greg. For some weird reason, I got the urge to say "you know who i think is cute??" my uncle eyeballed me "WHO?" (see, i'm like a daughter to my uncle. he doesn't like hearin about boyfriends). I replied "Markie!" and smiled. He looked at me for a minute and started laughing. "Do you realize how long everyone has been tryin to hook the two of you up for??" I just giggled. He sent Markie a text and then called him. I got his number and sent him a text.

We chatted through text for the next week, the conversations were never dull and never ending. Our converations turned into phone calls that lasted late into the night. I'd never laughed so hard in my life.

On thursday of that week he'd told me he wanted to hang out. He said that he liked me already, and that he wanted to get to know me. We made plans for that friday, we were gonna go to the brew pub down the street from his house, then back to his house, and then I was gonna stay the night. We made an agreement that nothing was going to happen between us. (which i liked...ALOT). The entire day on Friday I stressed about what to wear, how to do my hair, what color eyeshadow i was going to wear, etc. (typical girl stuff haha). I made my mom and her boyfriend take me shopping cuz i needed a new outfit. I spent about an hour and a half gettin ready, and when it came time for me to leave, I had a HUGE bag of clothes in one hand, my car keys and purse in the other. My mom asked as I was headed out the door "You comin back tonight???" I stopped dead in my tracks. I hadn't thought to ask my mom ...at 19 why should i have to!? "Uhhh..Ya! i'll be back!" and she believed me. hahaha. She stayed up till 2a.m. waiting for me, even after her boyfriend had told her I wasn't coming back and he knew it all along.

I stayed friday night, late saturday night..went home way early sunday morning (it was easter sunday) and when my mom asked me to go with her to her friend's house for dinner, I said I didn't feel like it. (instead i grabbed my car keys and left to Markie's house). I haven't been home since! :]

About 6 days after we first "hung out" Markie asked me to be his girlfriend. The next day we told eachother how we felt (yes, the L word was used :D) and that same day we talked about getting married. We'd wanted to elope, but when his family found out they talked us into having a wedding.

Low and behold, on June 6th, 2009, we said our vows in his parents backyard.

I've never felt this way about anyone in my life. He's everything I've ever wanted, and I knew we were going to be together for a long time the first night we hung out. We hit it off before we'd even spent time together.

He's sweet, funny, and crazy in his own lil way. He's handsome, charming, and caring. He's my everything, my one and only, and i'm so glad he's my husband.

I can't wait to see what our future together holds. <3>