Day 252

So, for awhile now I've been wanting to write the story of how Rick and I met.  I've been inspired by the Pioneer Woman who blogged her story and then got a book deal. haha

It all started back in the Spring of 2003.  I was about to graduate from K-state with a degree in Psychology.  The only thing to do with a degree like that is go to graduate school, and I knew that at some point I wanted to try out law school.  But before I dropped $100,000 to go back to school, I wanted to be sure that was what I wanted to do.  So, I set out to get a job in a law firm… easier said than done.  About a week before graduation, after many sleepless nights fretting about my future, I got an offer through AmeriCorp to work in a legal aid office in Champaign Illinois.  I was thrilled, because my other goal after graduation was to get the heck out of Dodge... Kansas, so I signed on to start in August and settled in to enjoy a carefree summer with my friends.

As August got closer the enormity of my decision to move 500 miles away from everyone I knew began to sink in.  I may have had a small panic attack and seriously considered backing out.  I’d signed a lease to live with three other girls, whom I’d never met, and we had been emailing over the summer.  They seemed nice, but they weren’t the best friends and family I was leaving back in Kansas.  

The night I moved into my apartment in Champaign, my roommate Cindy invited me out for drinks with her sister.  We went to a bar called Cowboy Monkey that had an outdoor patio where you could watch all the passersby.  As we sipped our drinks we covered all the get-to-know-you basics.  At one point a tall red-head waved hello to Cindy as he passed us on the sidewalk.  He stopped to chat and before I knew it he was asking, “So, what’s your story?”  I briefly explained my new job and cross-state move; we exchanged nice-to-meet-you’s and he went on his way.  Cindy later explained that they had met in college when their houses had social events together.  I didn’t think much of the meeting...I was just excited to be out for drinks on my first night in town.