I met Carl after having gone on a 'blind date' gone bad. I decided to head to Benders Tavern hoping my friends would be there so I could salvage some fun for the night. Unfortunately, my friends were not there but being hungry I decided to make the best of it and get mozzerella sticks. The only other people there were a gaggle of girls celebrating a birthday and a strikingly handsome man in the corner talking to the bartender. I chose the wrong place to sit since I was in the way of the gaggle and the bartender Jersey Mike who was serving up the blueberry bombs. After the gaggle started to use my chair as the epicenter of their dance party I got up the nerve to ask the incredibly good looking man at the end of the bar if I could sit next to him. He nodded me on and I slid into a seat next to him. At the same time his friend James Lenoir had just walked up and joined us. Benders being a very fine establishement had video screens attached to the bar and we all joined in and played various games. Carl would not talk to me or even make eye contact. I assumed he had a girlfriend but I was very disappointed. Being in generation Y, at the end of the night all three of us sent Facebook friend requests to each other and parted ways. That Sunday I got a message from James that Carl was going to be at Benders to watch the football game. To be honest, at the time I did not watch football as a pastime but my heart was bursting with hope that Carl might actually like me. I know this sounds like high school but that is exactly the kind of girl I was feeling like. So I get there and Carl had already left but is supposed to come back. So I sit with James and his friends bored out of my mind because I know nothing about football. Just when my hopes were starting to dwindle and I'm about ready to leave the door opens up and in walks Carl. He sits next to me and surprisingly starts talking to me...and we haven't stopped.

I can still remember the excitement and intrigue I experienced the first night we met.  I was so nervous the whole night that I could barely remain social.  I think the fact that it was so unexpected definitely added to the uniqueness of our story.  So with nothing more than a first name and a Facebook friend request our young love was put into motion.  Fortunately my nervousness subsided and we have had so much fun growing together ever since.  My favorite thing about our meeting is that we have never lost that excitement which has only gotten greater as time has gone by.  The beauty of the excitement is it can really be seen and felt in something as small as trying new or strange foods or working together on a common goal.  I think true unconditional love is a frame of mind realized when you meet the right person and the associated feelings and actions are proof of that love.   She is the source of my happiness and the foundation for my purpose.