Spencer + Jenni = &hearts

In my Q&A post, SG from Always a Bridesmaid...Finally a Bride asked how Spencer and I met. The following is my answer. Thank you SG for giving me an opportunity to tell our story. I hope everyone out there can find what him and I have someday.

Spencer and I met in 1998. It was years however before all of our pieces fit together...

Our older sisters, Andi and Sarah, were best friends in high school. They worked together at Discovery Zone and for quite a few years if Andi wasn't at home there was a good chance you would find her with Sarah. For some reason they one day got the idea that Spencer and I should date. I remember it really well. Andi was doing her hair in the bathroom and I walked into brush my teeth. She started talking to me about Spencer and told me that he was really cute! In fact, if she were my age she would date him! Being older sisters, Andi & Sarah decided to take it upon themselves to start teasing us about how we should get together... Meanwhile, the two of us had never talked.
Spencer was an 8th grader, and I was a lowly 7th grader...and in Junior High, those are entirely separate social classes. In our school 8th graders were viewed as being adults, while 7th graders were young and immature. However, as we grew-up we slowly learned who one another was. We would pass each other in the hallway ...barely making eye contact and utter a swift, "hi" as we hurried away.... Sarah and Andi from time to time would continue the idea of how we should date, and Spencer and I each had our own responses to the comments. Spencer, being quite the accomplished orator, would mutter a quick "shut up" and shuffle away. I on the other hand would respond with a "I don't think he likes me..." and blush a pretty shade of crimson.
Throughout high school we had a few brief encounters. When I was a sophomore I worked as a receptionist at a hair salon and he worked at the dry cleaner a few doors down. We would wave to one another when walking through the parking lot and I always got a few butterflies at the thought of seeing him. I even drove the long way to get out of the parking lot so that I could pass in front of his store. The summer of my junior year (his senior) we were both in an art academy, and took a trip to Chicago. At one point I remember standing in line at the Chicago museum, and for for a brief moment I walked next to him and made small talk. I had a crush on him at the time (one of many times over the years) and remember hanging my hand at my side, secretly hoping he would brush up against it and hold it. We occasionally exchanged messages on AOL instant messenger (it was the newest technology at the time!) and he let me borrow a book once... but nothing too serious ever happened.

He graduated high school in 2002, and we just kind of lost touch. By the time I graduated in2003 we hadn't seen or heard from each other in months. I went off to college in Warrensburg and became involved in school, my sorority (Alpha Gamma Delta) and going out for Happy Hour with the girls. I had one boyfriend over the years, a lot of crushes and I dated a few other guys but by the time my senior year rolled around I was single again.
In November 2006 I was sitting in my dorm room editing some photos and watching The Girls Next Door, when all of a sudden he sent me a message. It had been years since we had talked, but for some reason we messaged back and forth for a long time that night, and again the next night, and the next. We talked about what was going on in our lives and what we liked to do. The typical, "witty banter". After a few weeks of this it was time for me to come home for Thanksgiving break.
I came home 2 days before Thanksgiving, and I had a hair appointment. He had to work but we decided to meet up for a drink when he got off. That day I got my hair done in the afternoon, and then went home to spend time with my mom while I waited for him to call. I didn't say anything to mom yet. I wasn't sure exactly what it was, and I didn't want her to say anything to my sister yet... no need getting her excited over nothing... At about 8:00 my phone rang, and it was him! Sadly, he had to cancel because he got stuck at work. But he rescheduled right away for the next night.

24 hours later, the night before Thanksgiving we had our first date. We met at the TGIFridays in our hometown and ended up talking until 1am. For some reason everything just clicked. The conversation, the drinks...everything just worked. At the end of the night we said good-bye, I gave him a quick kiss on the lips and we each said we had a really great time, and looked forward to the next. I had butterflies the entire time I drove home that night, and when I got home I couldn't sleep...I just kept thinking about how great everything might just turn out....

From that night until right now as I sit here typing this, I have never taken for granted what we have. I feel very lucky, and it makes me believe in fate. All of those years passed...all the flirtations, the moments that could have been... but if things had happened earlier in our lives then we may not have ended up in the amazing relationship we have today. Perhaps we both just needed to lead our own lives, explore the world and create our own stories before our paths could truly connect.









To Sarah and Andi, you were right
..... we liked each other all along...we just didn't want to be the first ones to admit it!
~&hearts~
Jenni
Soon-to be "Mrs. Schaub".
10.23.2010