This is from www.thedadspeaks.com with a date of 08/25/2022.
Banking 101
When I resigned from Chase bank on August 15th and accepted another job that wasn’t in the financial services industry, Nina and I were going to share our banking experiences and try to help people better understand their finances.
That job I ended up accepting fell through and two months later, I started another new job with MUFG Bank. So, banking 101 will be put on hold for a while.
I had 15 years and Nina had 4 years of experience with Washington Mutual Bank/Chase Bank. Would you believe me if I told you we started on the same day in January of 2007? Well, believe me, because it’s the truth. Nina started out taking calls from customers and I started out taking calls from our Washington Mutual branches.
It is very possible that we passed each other in the building or shared an elevator and I probably said nothing.
Nina was originally going to live in Austin, but the week before, she chose San Antonio instead because it was cheaper. The first apartment she lived in, I was considering moving in when I worked for the San Antonio Express News a few years prior to her moving in. I probably would’ve chosen that apartment complex, but I don’t think they had any of the floorplans in my price range available, so I moved somewhere else.
In August of 2007, she made it to my department and guess where they sat her? Yep, right behind me.
We started to talk at work through Instant Messaging because she needed my expertise. I didn’t know until later on, that almost immediately, she really liked the way I smelled; Ok, I will give away my secret…SOFTSOAP was the brand.
Since we were both constantly on the phones, IM was the perfect way for us to talk and learn more about each other. I wasn’t even thinking that I would eventually marry this girl and have a child with her.
On one of those IMs, I told her I was a high school football statistician, and one of my upcoming games was at Smithson Valley, and during one of my prior visits to Smithson Valley, I got pulled over by a police office for an illegal U-turn. I explained to her it was very dark and I was unfamiliar with the area. She told me she lived in that area and would be happy to guide me to safety no matter how late it was and proceeded to give me her phone number. I didn’t end up calling her because I was able to get out on my own! In 2014, we moved to a house in Canyon Lake, and Smithson Valley High School was just a few miles away. I would drive by the school in the morning and afternoon on workdays.
During another one of our IMs, she told me she was looking for a place to live. I told her I would be happy to help in any way possible and gave her my phone number. The first time she called me, I was too nervous to pick up. I did eventually show her my apartment and she probably would’ve moved into my apartment complex, but there wasn’t a washer or dryer hookup, so she moved into to an apartment complex across the street from me.
Shortly after that, we started to do things together. She still has the movie ticket stub from Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story from New Year’s Eve 2007.
When I introduced her to my parents and brother, she wanted to drive herself to the restaurant, just in case she needed to escape. Well, she didn’t escape, as no embarrassing stores were told about me, but I am pretty sure, that later on down the road, my mom probably showed Nina my baby pictures (especially the naked ones). Don’t all parents do that to their kids when they grow up and bring a boyfriend or girlfriend home? I know, Nina and I will do that to Niko. Often times, my parents call me just so they can speak to Nina or Niko. I am serious!
We got engaged on December 9, 2009. She knew it was coming prior to that date as we had visited lots of jewelry stores for a ring. Looking back, I probably should’ve asked the question on our cruise a few weeks later, but once I had that ring in my possession, I wanted her to have it immediately. We still worked together at Chase and on that day, I told her I would come over after I got off; she got out a few hours before I did. I was a nervous wreck all day. I picked up a huge bouquet of flowers and when I arrived at her house, I was exhausted, and she was ready for bed. I gave her the flowers and the ring. We got married on October 10, 2010, and in May of 2016, Nikolai was born.
I have written a lot of odes to the wife on www.thedadspeaks.com, because she is awesome, amazing, beautiful, funny, and great company to us boys. We always have a fun time together; whether it us two or the three of us.
Nina tells me I am big goofy dork, and I love it.
And that sums up our love for each other.
