Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Green Eyes

"Amanda, a bunch of people from work are going out tonight.  Do you want to go?"
"But wouldn't that be weird since I don't work there?"
"Nah.  You'll be fine."
"Okay, sure.  Why not?"
"Good.  Hey, is it okay if Brian from Projects rides down with us?"

I don't remember that last sentence feeling important to me at the time.  It sounded like any other sentence in any other conversation between two friends.  I didn't hear one single angel singing or anything.

Laura opened her apartment door and welcomed Brian inside, so I walked into the living room to meet him.

Hubba, hubba.

Remember the lack of angels singing before?  Well, they were certainly making up for it now.  The Heavenly choir was so loud that I could barely hear him introduce himself.

So, what's the best way to impress a handsome stranger?  Say something stupid, of course!

"Hey, I like that shirt.  It takes a real man to wear pink."

Really, Amanda?  That was the best you could do?  Awesome.  Now I see why you're still single. 


But somehow, that complisult worked.  Yay!  Brian and I laughed and talked the entire night.

We took him back to his car about two o'clock in the morning.  Three-hours later, he sent me a Myspace email (Oh, yeah.  I said it.) and then he left flowers on my office doorstep.

I asked him,
"What were you doing in-between?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know, between when we dropped you off and when you sent the email?"
"Oh... Proofreading."

Forget the flowers.  You had me at proper grammar.

Brian and I had been dating for about two-weeks when he played a Coldplay song for me called Green Eyes.  Four-minutes later, it became known as "our song".

Some people made fun of us for establishing our song as if we were fifteen-years-old.  Some people made fun of us for the serious nature of the lyrics.  Some people made fun of us for being so confident in a relationship that was so new.

In short, people really made fun of us.  A lot.

But that song said everything we wanted to say.

We both came into this relationship carrying a burden of romantic failures.  But when we talked to each other, the load slowly disappeared as if it was never there in the first place.

Green Eyes will always be the soundtrack to my heart.  When I hear the first A chord, I feel butterflies swooning in a younger, skinnier me's stomach.  And when I look at Brian today, I still feel those same butterflies.

Through times of happiness and sorrow, through weddings and reweddings, through raising one child together and welcoming another into this world, those lyrics remain true.

I still come to him with a heavy load.  His words still release me from it.

That Chris Martin sure got something right.  And, thank God, so did I.

































read to be read at yeahwrite.me



Linking up with Yeah Write.  Why?  Because it's awesome!
Be sure to check out all the summer series submissions this week!
Hold up.  "Summer series submissions"?  Three cheers for alliteration!


54 comments:

  1. I love that you have a song! My hubby and I don't, but there are parts of a million songs that remind me of him.

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    1. Having "our song" is the only thing that still looks 15-years-old on me! :)

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  2. Y'all are awesome! What a sweet tribute to your marriage. My husband and I have a song ("At Last" by Etta James) and I feel the same when it randomly comes on the radio: butterflies, joy, and gratitude for my excellent man.

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  3. Oh, I so understand! Try explaining to your mother that yes, of course you'll be dancing with your new husband to 'Lady in Red' for the first song at your reception, because it's YOUR SONG. It's always been your song. There's no way, despite the fact that you'll of course be wearing white, that you'd even remotely consider dancing that first dance to anything else - because 'Lady in Red' is YOUR SONG!

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    1. I totally get it. And I LOVE Lady in Red, too. Such a great song!

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  4. In my first marriage, my wife and I had a song, but that didn't workout so well. Kellie and I don't have have a song. Maybe we should pick one, or maybe not.

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    1. I never had "a song" in any other relationship, so maybe the key is making sure that you do it differently. :)

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  5. LOVE THIS. what an awesome story (my H got me with good grammar, too)! :)

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  6. I will occasionally pick "A Song" for my husband and me, but I don't tell him because I'm sure he will mock me for being mushy. I don't mind because this way I get to change it as my tastes change.

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    1. I agree! There are several songs that I think of in regard to a particular time or place. I think it's good to change it up!

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  7. What a sweet story! My husband and I are such music freaks that we have at least five songs I can think of offhand. I think the first one we chose, though, was Al Green's "Let's Stay Together." After nearly 16 years of marriage, I'm really glad we did.

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    1. Love that song! It's perfect for a beautiful love story!

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  8. Sugary sweet...just the way I like it!!!

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  9. Great story...Love and energy came bouncing through your writing. It was a pleasure to read.

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    1. Thank you! It's pretty easy to love a guy like that. :)

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  10. Love this story & the fact that you two have a song. Very sweet!

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    1. Thank you! I think I've listened to Green Eyes three times today since posting this blog... and still, butterflies. :)

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  11. Our song is Right to remain silent.. Pretty much describes our whole relationship. I had a child when we got together, of course he knew that because he was there when he was born, with his then wife. We had been friends forever, he and his wife divorced and I got a job where he worked after that. The rest as they say is history.

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  12. Gotta love a man who appreciates good grammar!!!! And I love that you have a song - it's sweet!

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    1. There is nothing wrong with a man who appreciates the value of an appropriately placed comma. :)

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  13. great how we met story and I think it's sweet that ya'll have a song.

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  14. Look at what little dumplings you were. And hubba, hubba for good grammar. Ellen

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    1. My 3 yo son, Drew, looked at that photo and asked who those people were. Ahem.

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  15. Aww I loved this story. So cute. I'm glad your hubby didn't think you were too insulting lol.

    PS Could you guys be any cuter!!

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    1. It was actually a good plan on my part. Might as well let him know what he was getting himself into! ;)

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    2. I can be Amanda's witness. As her little sister who just got divorced after 9 years of marriage - they give me hope to find "The Greatest Love of All"

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  16. What a cute love story. Gotta love a man who pays attention to the details!

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    1. He's amazing! Click on the "weddings" and/or "reweddings" link in this post to see how he planned a surprise wedding for me! It's my favorite fairytale. Disney is thinking about picking it up. :)

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  17. sigh. my husband and i don't have a song... it has always bugged me. glad you guys do :)

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    1. It's not too late! Having a song is such mushy-gushy fun. :)

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  18. "You had me at proper grammar." LOL! Awesome. Loved this!

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  19. Oh what a fun and beautiful post! I am downloading that song asap. I love how funny you are in a smart and understated way. It's the best kind of humor. Proofreading. Genius.

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    1. Thank you, Christie. :) It's a great song! But now, you'll probably think about me when you hear it. Yeah, sorry for that.

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  20. Proper grammar is a huge turn on for me too! And I love that Cold Play song!

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    1. Coldplay is awesome! And proper grammar isn't too shabby, either. :)

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  21. Butterflies are SO important! It's fantastic you had them, and STILL do! Yay!

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    Replies
    1. I'm so glad I held out for butterflies. It was definitely worth the wait. :)

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  22. Love the song and the sweet love story. Three cheers for true romance and soul mates! Erin

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  23. I know exactly what you mean when you say his voice can release you from the burdens you carried in. I feel that way when my husband and I talk. Just one right word and it's like whatever hurt had never felt pain before.

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  24. This was a pleasure to read. So descriptive, so vivid.. thank you for sharing this!!

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    1. Thanks, Jenna. It's my favorite love story. :)

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