Graduating from my public middle school and transitioning to a new school in a new State with new people was challenging. But getting over my “ex” actually, more like I had been friends with benefit with him for about 4 years, was even more challenging. I still remember the last text I sent him before I left Kansas and what his response was. We had been friends for about a year before it started getting intimate, it all went downhill from there. Even though our friendship remained strong throughout those four years it was different. All I knew is that moving to Colorado was the last thing I wanted. I wanted to stay with him and hopefully start a healthy relationship with him, but I knew the type of guy he was, he wouldn’t have taken our relationship seriously, especially since I hadn’t set any boundaries with him from the start. Even after all the problems we had face in the past, with him eyeing every girl that passed while I held his hand, with him getting notifications from girls on twitter and lying about who it was, with him braking what we had for a while because his friends “dared” him to ask a girl out. Even after all that I was still willing to stay in touch with him and maybe start a long distance relationship. What was wrong with me? Was it that he made me feel special and that I enjoyed the attention he gave me? Maybe since all the guys at school thought he was cool I wanted to be seen with him? I couldn’t figure out what it was and how to get over him. One thing was for sure, he knew what he was doing to get me hooked.

Moving into the dorm at my new school was my next step and I took it. I had a few guys I messed with my freshman year but it was nothing serious. I was still keeping in touch with my “friend” and seeing him over my home leave breaks.  Moving on to my sophomore year… I had a couple of other guy friends but then again, nothing serious. There were a couple guys that tried talking to me and one that even asked for my number but at the time I wasn’t interested. After all that time I had spent being single so I could see my “friend” back home but, I started having second thoughts. Finally, the road of destruction I was walking down on changed direction. I started to realize what I desired in a guy. I wanted someone who appreciated me for me, someone who would do those little things to catch my attention, someone who would ask me how my day was going, someone who would look at me with the love that a woman can only desire to have.

Well, over the summer of my sophomore year, I had completely broken off whatever the guy back home and I had. I was done playing his games and I was in pursuit of something healthy and beautiful. It was not long after when I started to date, maybe halfway through my Junior year. I dated for about a month and I decided to end it because there was no true love in our relationship. Basketball season had started and we were on our way to a Union Basketball Tournament. I was stoked and promised myself I wouldn’t get involved with any of the guys that were going on this tournament. Well I had done it! We were on our way back from the tournament with no guy drama. Except… One of my best friends Hernan had sat right next to me and we started to talk about his best friend Jacob and how good of a match we would be together. We talked about Jacob almost the whole way back and this was about a 7-hour trip. I knew who Jacob was and I remember how he had asked me for my phone number my sophomore year! I decided to keep an eye on him for the rest of the year and that my friends, was the best thing I could’ve done.

What’s interesting is that I remember one day in particular my Junior year. I remember seeing Jacob across the chapel room and how he was completely out during a talk that a speaker was giving. I also remember other girls that would whispering amongst each other and point his direction as if they were talking about him. Well, they were definitely checking him out but who could blame them? I was doing the same thing! He’s one beautiful 6’1, green eyed human being. Once the speaker was done, there was a group that had to meet in the back of the room to talk about a trip that was being taken to California. My sister Ruth, Jacob and a couple other people were in this group, so I joined to see what it was all about. I remember listening to the sponsor speak but out of the corner of my eye, Jacob was looking straight at me. I felt my heart almost wanting to come out of chest, I didn’t want to look his direction! I had no idea what would happen once I looked his direction, but I took my chances. Right as I looked up, our eyes met and I couldn’t help but smile at him. I looked away before he had time to react, I had no idea how he was going to respond, or if he was going to respond at all. Well, I left without saying a word to him that night.

Days passed with no communication from either side. We would pass each other in the halls with only our eyes meeting and nothing to say. Finally, we had a moment together working at the café. We were both on the same side serving food and same room washing dishes, how romantic right? Well to me it was! We had such good conversations and got to know each other in an instance. Once we were done working, I walked back to the dorm with the hope that he would somehow get ahold of me that day and coincidentally he did! I received a text from him that day and we met up on center campus. We had such a good time together, and I started to notice he had everything I ever wanted in a guy. He’s 6’1, strong both mentally and physically, athletic, book and street smart, has GREEN EYES! I’m a sucker for green eyes, even though he says they’re “hazel,” they’re not! But what really caught my attention was his sense of humor, and how old-school he was.  There was never a day where he skipped opening the door for me or compliment me on how pretty I looked. He made me feel special and wanted, I was hooked. We’ve been dating for about a year now :)