Cheers...

My first memories of her involve big, curly hair, and band geeks. It was 1990, I was in 7th grade at Vista Middle School. She was competing for 2nd chair with whichever of the 'hair sister's' was in that spot this week. I sat with the rest of the real band geeks up on the top riser. Raven, Stacey, and me.

Our band instructor was a dirty old man who looked like painter Bob, so it's no wonder the prettiest girls in class sat right in front of him. I didn't ever hide my distain from him - something I still need to work on when meeting people I don't particularly like. I was just a plain jane girl with low self esteem who didn't necessarily have the fashionable clothes - I tried my best, but it always fell a little short.

Fast forward to freshman year of high school. I'm not sure if I had less or more friends at this point in my life. Everyone knew who I was because my father was the Assistant Principal of my high school and I had an older brother so people had an unfair advantage where I preferred to glide under the radar. Most people either ignored me, made fun of me, or tried to make friends with me for favorable outcomes when dealing with disciplinary action at school. When someone I'd known of for a couple of years decided to be nice to me, I was skeptical.

Enter day one of high school. The first four classes I had were with her. She sat next to me in all of them, and was nice to me. From that time on our relationship has grown from acquaintances to a solid friendship. She is one of the most genuine people I know and I've watched her become a smart, loving and even more beautiful woman. And I am lucky to have met her.

Through the years I've met her boyfriends. I never liked any of them. Once again, I have a hard time controlling my distain for people when I think they fall short of expectations I have for people I love and what they deserve. Don't get me wrong, she dated some really really hot guys, some really nice people, and some HORRIBLE undeserving men... but in late winter of 2006, she 'met someone.'

Here we go again.

Like I said, I've met almost all of the guys she's dated. Most of the time I didn't have complete disdain for them, but there was always something about them that went missing, something that didn't fit, but I could never really explain what it was. But, she was my girl and no matter what - my job as good friend #1 was to judge them harshly because she wanted love, and sometimes we don't always see everything from the inside of an exciting relationship. I stood by her and held her hand when they weren't right. I played the dutiful wingman on several occasions and we had a great time doing it. We really did. I mean really. :)

So, in Spring of 2006, we made plans to have a girls night, and because she wanted me to meet him, he came to meet up with us. We were having a drink at some Tiki themed lounge in Bellevue. It was a little much, to be honest. Grass skirts, Tiki God pictures and statues everywhere... and we were two of 5 people in the bar - including the bartendar.

We sat talking about him and their first date, what he was like, how they met... and me being me I just kept wondering if he had any single cute friends... :)

I don't remember much about this first meeting. I remember thinking he wasn't as egotistical as all the other guys she dated. He had a hint of humility in his movements, and he wasn't trying to charm me. Huh. Interesting. I remember leaving the restaurant with a good feeling and happy that she finally found someone who seemed genuine. Good girl.

A few weeks later we went to a formal gathering. They came to my place and got ready. He had a sunburn, but it was divulged to me that not much was going on in the hanky panky department so he was being shy about showing it off... awwww.

At the party, I was having a flashback to highschool where my 'Ross special' dress, which didn't necessarily fit right, was paling in comparison to others in the room. The mutual friend whom we picked up on the way was causing me anxiety about my appearance because of unrequited feelings, and as the room filled up with millionaires with models attached to their arms, I felt shorter and fatter and shorter and fatter... and on and on. So, I became a wallflower with her man. As we sat in chairs watching people in the room, I watched as he watched her. He didn't get angry if she talked to other men, which when you're a girl who looks like her happens often - he just made sure she was ok. He got dressed up and went to a party because she wanted to go. He hates dressing up. He also doesn't dance. At all. Not even that silly 'wow you really shouldn't be dancing' dance. At all.

They had another party to go to after this one, so when it was time for them to leave, I left. As they dropped me off at my place, I changed my clothes and got ready for bed and at some point decided... that's him. He's the one.

So, congratulations Shana and Aaron. You're the lucky ones. You found each other.

And Shana, your bachelorette party awaits you in Vegas.