Doc Hop

Yesterday and today marked the anniversary of two very important occasions to me — 1. The birth of my soon-to-be husband, Addam Evans, and 2. The birth of my soon-to-be  little brother, Benjamin Evans.

I do not have words to describe how much these two mean to me and I don’t think anything is going to change that anytime soon, but the journalist in me has to try.

So…For those who don’t know —

I met Addam my senior year. At that point, I had went to high school with him for about three years, but as we belonged to different social circles, our paths never crossed. I was supposed to tutor him in Spanish for extra credit when I was in 10th grade, but completely blew him off after I found out I was receiving an A for the 6-weeks.  I sent my good friend, Katie, at my expense, and pretty much pushed him out of my mind for two years — until I ran into him at work.

I was a senior and had been working for Quarles, a fast-food restaurant/convenience store/gas station, for a couple of months. I had to travel to Florida for a family emergency in August and took a couple of weeks off work to compensate.

When I returned to work, in September of 2003, there was a dredlocked addition to our staff. For a long time, approximately 30 minutes, I tried to ignore him. He was a year below me, which was totally lame, and I had heard stories. I must have told myself everyday for two weeks not to fall for him, but in the end I fell into what was to become the most important relationship I’d ever experienced.

While wiping down table legs  he reminded that I forgot to show for our Spanish date two years earlier. From there we started talking about our favorite friends, classes, movies. He loved Blow and I was going through a Texas Chainsaw Massacre phase. After driving him home I suggested that we meet up to watch his favorite, and we spent the next night in his basement, cheesing out to campy horror flicks.

But the entire situation was incredibly cute. Before hanging at his place we did the typical teenage thing and went by the mall. Checked out some stores, hit up the Waffle House for some free water and headed back to his house for some Chainsaw Massacre. (He claimed his dad had rented it, out of blue, and that we should watch it together. Upon meeting his father, however, I realized how ridiculous this claim was, which made it all the sweeter.)

Not having reached my rebellious phase, around 11 p.m. I told him I had to call it a night.  He asked to kiss me, and from there on I like to think that both of our lives changed. We’ve been attached ever since.

After a week or two of having him all to myself, I finally got to meet the fam — whom I immediately fell in love with. Judy was energetic and enthusiastic, Steve was smart and sophisticated, Emily was sweet and sassy, and Ben was steady and soulful. I fell in love with all of them immediately but had no idea how close the years would draw us.

While I could dedicate 10,000 words to why each of them mean so much to me — my focus for this post is Ben, who quickly became the best brother a girl could ever ask for.

After graduating high school I continued to go to Addam’s house every night, working on homework and studying for tests while I waited for him to return home from school, work or wrestling practice. Many of those nights Ben would sneak into the room and read alongside me, and it wasn’t long before we spent more time talking than focusing on school work. He was barely 13 and I was nearly 19, but we developed a closeness that has been unparalleled by nearly any friendship I have entered into since.

After seven years, I like to believe that my relationship with both of my boys have continued to grow and solidify. Seven years later, I can’t believe the time that has passed, the time that continues to pass and the time that will  pass from here on out. I look forward to many happy years with the two most important men who have ever entered my life and who I hope never exit it. Happy birthday, Addam. Happy birthday, Ben. I hope you both enjoyed your day.

“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” — Dr. Seuss, author.