How I met your Father

Dear Kids,

You may have heard this story before, but I thought I'd write this down just in case you find yourself arguing over details. Of course, you NEVER argued as kids....

I met your dad in the beginning of my second year of grad school at Bowling Green State University. Even though we both got our undergrad degrees in the same year, your dad took a year off before starting his masters. I chose to move straight on; probably due to not feeling ready for auditions. Your dad spent that year in Europe with two of his best friends who he still talks to every week. I'm sure by now your dad has told you a number of the stories of that adventure.

That detail is to tell you that the year between our graduate school starts is what set my above your dad in rank when we were assigned to teach the same music theory course together. I was also an orientation leader for the new graduate students in the College of Music, so I had a chance not only to meet him in the first introductions, but for following social events after.

The year before I met your dad, I was in a really bad relationship. I hope that you both find enough strength in yourself that you never feel you must define yourselves by a relationship. I had a string of boyfriends that loved my spirit, but once the relationship got exclusive, the boys wanted to "control" me. While at first they like my outgoing personality, they eventually didn't want me to talk to other guys. Not talking to other guys was kind of hard as a teaching assistant/musician/bartender/waitress. I don't know why I was connecting with possessive boys. After I got smacked hard enough to leave a mark, I swore off boys for ever. I pray you both have strength to know early when you are in a bad relationship, or when your love interest has less than your best interest at heart.

Back to meeting dad. As I said earlier, we were assigned to assist the same professor for an undergraduate music theory course. The course was unusually large for first year music theory; more than 100 students. Many of the students were not good music readers, so we put our heads together and formed breakfast study groups. We came up with lots of ideas to help students understand the material. Many of the students probably don't realize that we graded the homework assignments together.... in a bar.

While we were grading, your dad told the best stories; his adventures in Europe, misadventures in Detroit. All of the stories also had sound effects, just like he does now. His easy going style, and his gentle nature eventually broke down the protective wall I built up around my heart.

One evening, not more than a month after meeting him, I was in charge of another social event for the graduate students. Your dad was hanging out a little longer than others at the party. That's when I finally gave in and threw myself at him.

Best move I ever made.

*****
#56 of 90in90 for #LUBlogTribe