Meet the Players - Joel

Joel: You're not going to write about me on your blog thingy are you?
Me: Nooo. (Yes.)
Joel: Seriously...you aren't going to list all of my faults and whenever I mess up are you?
Me: Only if it's funny. Nooo.

Joel and I met a very, very, very long time ago. I was a senior in high school and he was in his first year of college. I was a super smart overachieving know-it-all who was also taking classes part time at the same college. I should have been enjoying my senior year with my friends. But nooo...I had to get ahead. So Joel and I met in an art class and I was ridiculously smitten by him. He was tall and funny and cute and oh so talented. And he was older! In college! Mature! I used to move my easel and draw whatever was on his page instead of what the actual subject was.

We went out a few times...he took me to Roy Rogers...I hung out at his house and helped paint his bedroom with his parents. I decided that he was absolutely perfect for me...and then...he dumped me. ON VALENTINES DAY. All of my young, high school girl feelings were crushed. I don't know how many days I cried...but it wasn't pretty. He got back together with an evil ex...and I got back with my evil ex as well and life went on...I never had another class with him and I never even ran into him on campus.

Fast forward five years. I was in College Park, Maryland, finishing up my second degree at University of Maryland. Joel was back in our hometown of Waldorf, Maryland...goofing off with friends and enjoying life as a guy with no responsibilities. Through a few twists of fate and a very persistent mutal friend...we somehow ended up stuck together for about 6 hours that started out with lots of silence and then ended up with lots of laughter. I remember the first time he drove up to see me...I remember his blue Focus whipping through the parking lot...and a memory from my past getting out of that car. It was surreal. It was like fate decided that we just weren't ready for each other back then...but now we had a new chance. We dated for the next year...with Joel proposing on our one year anniversary.

We got married at Disney World.  And thinking that nothing was left in Maryland for us...we packed up everything we had and made the very long drive down to Florida to start a new life together.

Now...I'll publicly admit that moving to Florida was mostly my idea.  However, we can put some blame on his parents...because they retired down here and our weekend trips to visit them and go kayaking made it seem like Florida was FUN! RELAXING! CHEAP!

But now that we've lived here for nearly three years...we see that Florida is BORING! HOT! EXPENSIVE!

If I could shut my eyes real tight and go back to Maryland, DC, or Virginia...I'd be back in a heartbeat.

Focus, Dana, focus...this is supposed to be about Joel.

How to explain our relationship...we passed each other driving on the 408 the other day...it wasn't a big deal but there we were...honking and waving at each other like idiots.  And that's pretty much how we live this marriage...we're silly and stupid and not always mature...but there is never a single fight where one of us hasn't made the other laugh at least once.  Joel is my best friend...and a lot of the time that means noogies and fart jokes...but that also means that I've got the best of both worlds...an awesome husband and the greatest friend I could ever ask for.

And he's damn good at picking up dog poo too.

Comments

[J.D.]

i'm pretty sure there's a cosmic, universal law that requires me to hate joel. yet, he seems fun and, well...very squishable. the verdict: i don't hate him. in fact, i have an odd desire to hug and pinch him.

[Fine For Now]

You really could be describing my marraige with my husband! We have been together 11 years this year and often have that brother-sister thing going even though we are: In Love! and Married! and all. It makes it fun and never boring.

Sorry you hate Orlando. I have lived here my whole life and would also like to move somewhere cooler, cheaper and exciting!

I am good at picking up poo....thanks?