I'll start off with a few weeks before I started talking to him. I was going through one of my extremely anti-social, anxiety attack filled times in my life, and refused to ever go out with anyone. Not even my family hardly. I was always just sitting alone in my room. At this point I had been through two pretty bad relationships that were never right for me since the day they began. So, I had really given up on the whole dating game, and I was just tired of people in general. I was pretty much a hermit. Just trying to spend time with me, and rediscover the awesome chick that I used to be. So, yeah. I wasn't really accepting any invitations to hang out at this point in my life. I was perfectly happy sitting alone in my room playing Legend of Zelda every weekend.
I was sitting at my nana's house one weekend with my cousin, and she mentions this guy named Dillon Penland and how she thinks I should text him because he'd be a good guy for me to hang out with since we're so much alike. I'm like "Wait...Dillon Penland...that name sounds so familiar" This, of course, lead to Facebook stalking. I was like "Oh, my god, I remember him...WHERE IS HIS HAIR?" It obviously took me a few seconds to recognize him without his Jesus hair. I was like...hmmm not bad. Pretty cute. So she made me text him. So here I go, whippin' out my cellular device and I text him. The whole time I was like...wow this is going to be super weird, he's going to be like who the hell is this person trying to start up random conversation with me?
Surprise surprise, he definitely remembered me and we just started chatting a little bit. Not too much at first, but then we gradually started talking more. I was like YAY I FOUND A BEST FRIEND. (We had way too much in common, I was super excited) About a week into talking, I started to kind like him. A lot, actually. And I knew that if I wanted to pursue this, that would require me to be social and accept his many invitations to come hang out with him. I of course turned down the first few 100. (haha) I just had so much anxiety about it. I didn't really know what to say or do. And for any of you that knew me very well in high school, it'll be hard for you to believe, I've become a tiny bit of an introvert in the last couple years or so. Anyway, I finally agreed to go to lunch with him. Just to catch up. So we plan to meet at Kostas one day for lunch. So here I go, kinda nervous, but surprisingly calm. I show up at the restaurant and I'm a little early, so I wait for him for about 20 minutes. He finally shows up, and when he sat down at the table, I was like "Who is this incredibly handsome man that just sat down at my table?" Then I was like holy. shit. It's Dillon. We started talking, both of us nervous of course, and it was as if I just fell completely head over heels in love with this guy in the time that it took me to finish my BLT sandwich. Which actually kinda took forever because I was taking baby bites because I was nervous. After we finished eating, he paid for my meal, which was the sweetest thing ever. I thanked him, we hugged and we said see ya later, and parted ways. Little did I know that that was the beginning of the most incredible thing that's ever happened to me.
We talked every day since then and hung out a few more times. The movies, Lord of the Rings date, meeting his family. And then we decided to make it official. Heck, I would have made it official the moment we left Kostas that day. I've just always known with Dillon. Ever since that lunch date, I just knew. There was such a connection, it was like a million fireworks going off at once. It was even better than Disney World fireworks. Yeah. You know I'm serious now. So we dated for a few months, and I fell completely in love with him. I'll spare you the details because this blog is already long enough. But I can go ahead and tell you, this relationship is unlike any relationship I've ever had with anyone, ever. Like I said, I just knew. So, he left for basic training for the Air Force, and it was really hard saying goodbye, but we had promised we'd make it work. It was actually an incredible growing experience. Only being able to communicate through letters every other week was tough, but it made us 10 times stronger than we already were. It also made me love him 10 times more.
I remember when basic training was finally over after 2 months (that felt like 2 years), I went down for his graduation with his mom, dad and grandma. I can't tell you how much anxiety was felt on that trip. First of all, I didn't really know his dad and grandma too well at the time...so there was new people, it was my first time ever riding on an airplane, and I was about to see my boyfriend that I hadn't seen or really been able to talk to in 2 months. I didn't know what to expect. When we landed in San Antonio, and arrived at the base, his dad and grandma wanted to eat lunch before going to get Dillon. His mom and I were like HELL NO, WE HAVE TO FIND DILLON. So we were running around frantically trying to find him in that huge base. It took about an hour to get to him (because Dillon is AWFUL with directions...even though he'd fight you if you told him that), but when we finally found him, I swear guys, the feeling I got when I saw his little shaved headed self standing there was indescribable. I just wanted to jump up in his arms and stay there forever. Buuuuuut, I couldn't because I wasn't allowed to touch him because of his MTIs. Hahaha. So it was miserable. I did get to touch him later, though, don't worry. Hehe.
But anyway, long story short he asked me to marry him. I knew it was coming, because we had talked about it beforehand. I of course said yes, because by this point I knew he was the man for me, and there was absolutely no doubt in my mind. So needless to say, that was the happiest day of my life. After that he shipped off to tech school in Mississippi and I shipped off back to good old Sylva. It was a lot better because now I could talk to him daily, and hear his voice. It was nice. We always take that kind of stuff for granted. (take this moment RIGHT now, to go hug someone you love and tell them you love them...because you can)
So, I went down to visit him a few times in tech school because I couldn't stand being away from him for too long. The last time I went down, he gave me my engagement ring. I don't think I've ever cried that hard...(happy tears).
I'm ending the blog here because my fingers are tired, but also because there's not really a way to end this since our story isn't over, and it wont be over for a loooooong time. :) But if I could give you any advice it would be this: Do not settle. If you haven't found your perfect mate yet, don't settle for something less. They're out there, just let it happen. Even if you're an anti-social hermit like me, it'll happen. Love is an amazing thing, but sometimes things happen in our life that makes it feel like there's no hope, and love does nothing but hurt you. Trust me, I've been there, but it's not true. Love is beautiful when it's right. And you'll know when it is.
I'm so excited to see what the future has in store for me, and there's no one I'd rather experience life with than my best friend in the whole world. I love you Dillon, always.
And I love YOU guys! <3
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