Pocahontas & Vegas: How I Met Your Daddy

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weddingIn October 2005, my junior year at Purdue University, my life was changed forever. It was the night before Halloween, I was dressed up as Pocahontas and out and about with my fabulous college roommate, Sarah Moebius(now Sarah Anderson). We were happy go lucky, with no cares in the world.  I remember seeing your daddy sitting at a table eating dinner with a group of guys and thinking, man I really want to talk to that guy….who is that?!? Sarah and I kept going; we had places to be, people to see. All night I was secretly hoping I would see him again.

Later that night, walking down W. State Street, I saw your daddy again! We were walking in opposite directions.  My heart started racing and I got nervous and pretended to not see him. Luckily, as we passed by, he stopped me and invited me to a party the next day. I said I had plans (I didn’t really) but thanked him for the offer. Why did I always have to play hard to get? I’m not sure, but I was so wishing I was going to the party with him. The next day I ran into him AGAIN and he asked if I was still unavailable for the party. This time I told him my plans had changed and that I could join him that night. I took about three hours to get ready. I had butterflies in my stomach. He made me laugh all night and I knew from that night forward your daddy was someone I didn’t want to let out of my sight.

At the time, he was in the United States Marine Corps and had returned from Iraq a week before I met him. He told me that he thought God brought him back safely from Iraq because he was destined to meet me.  The United States Marine Corps Birthday Ball was in Las Vegas two weeks after we met and he asked me to go. Without much thought I agreed to go. Attending the ball and going to Las Vegas was pretty magical. Your daddy told me he thought he was falling in love with me while we watched the fountain show at the Bellagio Hotel. The rest is pretty much history.

Las Vegas Marine Corps Ball
Las Vegas Marine Corps Ball

We got engaged in Long Beach, California in 2006 and had a dream winter wedding on December 29, 2007. We enjoyed married life for four years, and then got the news I had been dreaming of since I was a little girl. We were expecting! We welcomed our first born son, Liam Oliver, on April 30, 2012. My mom commented on how amazing your daddy was to me during my pregnancy, labor and your birth. On October 8, 2014 our baby girl, Lillian Grace, joined our family. Your daddy has exceeded all of my expectations and it shows in how much you two ADORE him! The look on your faces when your daddy gets home from a work or a business trip is priceless. I am one lucky momma and I want you to never forget how lucky you are to have an involved and loving daddy. Happy Father’s Day, honey! We love you!