J and R

My story with Jim began in 2011. I had been working at the airport and had only said hi to Jim maybe twice. But each time I saw him, I knew I wanted to get to know him. He would come in from flights, I would check him in and ask how it was up there...and that would be about the end of our conversations.

Finally on one rainy day, I wasn't the one to check Jim in. Instead I was in the manager's office filing invoices. I was talking with her about how I was going to go for a run near the "Lakes" in the rain. Jim overheard and asked which lakes I was talking about. Of course I was talking about the ones near my house. He mentioned that he lived near there and we exchanged phone numbers to go for a walk later in the day. Our friendship began that afternoon with a walk. We talked about everything, and then went to his house to watch Futurama. I knew right then that he was someone special. After that we spent more and more time together. I was waiting for him to ask me on a date.

Well, it took me about two weeks of hinting before he asked me to go on a date with him. On May 10, 2011 we went flying at sunset. He took me over my house, along the rivers, and up to Ice Harbor Dam. I was smitten, and knew I wanted to be in an exclusive relationship with him. On the way back into Pasco, he asked me for a kiss. I gave him two.

The summer of 2011 was probably one of the best of my life. I spent almost every waking minute with Jim, and fell even more for him. We took a trip to the Oregon Coast in August and that was when I decided that I loved him. And my life has been even better since then.

When the fall rolled around, Jim started to look for another job. That's the thing with flying- until you're at the end goal, you're always searching for the next big thing. I was scared of losing him to somewhere far away, never being able to see him or worse yet, while he was far away having to surrender him to another more beautiful, smarter, more fun girl. I was terrified, angry that he wanted to leave me, and lonely because he was spending so much time flying to be able to move on.

The ring caught me completely by surprise. It was the middle of September, and like usual I was on a coffee date with a friend of mine. Jim called and asked what I was up to. He knew what I was doing, but he wanted to see me straight away. I lingered for another half an hour, then made my way over to his house. He met me in the driveway, opened a ring box and said...

"Up until this point I've asked would you. Now I'm asking Robin, will you?"

I was stunned. As tears filled my eyes I just nodded and said shakily "Yeah..."

When we moved Jim to Port Angeles, the heaviness in my heart grew. I was glad to be engaged, knowing I would never lose him to anyone, but I was still lonely for him. That was when I decided to make the move up here myself. It was kind of spur of the moment, and I don't think anyone was really ready for me to go. But I went and started the crazy adventure that would lead into my married life.

Jim and I got married on July 22, 2012. The day that I am writing this is August 14, 2012. So far we've been married almost one month. I'd like to say things are different, but really the only thing that has changed is my name. It's strange to think I'm actually married to the man of my dreams, but it's also wonderful. I can stop searching. I can stop waiting. I can stop hoping. I've found my home.