In honor of my 10 year work anniversary at Washington Mutual/Chase Bank (which was on Saturday, January 7th), I felt this is the best time to share a romantic love story of how Nina and I met (the book is still being written and will be for a very very very long time).
So, Nina also started at Washington Mutual/Chase Bank on January 7, 2007, but in a different department than me. 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 moved down here, she chose San Antonio instead (because it was cheaper). I call it fate/destiny because every choice we have made led us to each other.
In August of 2007, she made it to my department and guess where they sat her? Yep, right behind me! When I first saw her, I made some silent remarks… SHE IS TALL! WHY IS SHE WEARING SUNGLASSES INSIDE? WHY IS SHE WEARING A SCARF? SHE IS WEIRD!
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 (yes, that is probably the ultimate turnoff) 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 out there 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! Now I can navigate Smithson Valley with my eyes closed because we live close to it (I actually drive past the school on my to work and coming home from work).
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! But my nerves didn’t last long. Shortly after that call, we started to hang out and do things together. I did show her my apartment and she probably would’ve moved in the complex, but there wasn’t a washer or dryer hookup, so she moved in to a complex across the street from me. We spent New Years Eve together in 2007.
On December 9th of 2009, I asked her to marry me. We picked out the ring together so she knew it was coming, she just didn’t know when. 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). Man, I was a nervous wreck! I couldn’t even eat lunch. All I ate all day was a banana! I picked up a huge bouquet of flowers and when I finally arrived at her house (I was exhausted and she was ready for bed), I gave her the flowers and the ring and asked the most important question of my life! Obviously, she said yes!
On October 10th of 2010, we got married and in May of 2016, she gave birth to Nikolai Crusoe.
