Our Story
(As told by Jayson)

    Every couple has their story, and we're no exception!

    In mid-2005, I moved back to northern Kentucky from New York (which is a story in itself) to accept a job offer involving opening a chiropractic office in Dry Ridge.  As a part of the preparation for this undertaking, I spent some time at another office, owned by the same individual as would own mine, getting familiar with the practices and procedures I would be using in the new office.  For three weeks, I worked in a support capacity in this other office, mainly providing therapeutic treatments for patients.  The funny thing, though, is that I might have met Evette for the first time sometime during these three weeks, though neither of us is sure.  We'll have to backtrack through the office software and see whether or not she had an appointment during that time.

    Anyhow, although there has been some debate over just when we first met, it didn't center around that time (as we just couldn't tell).  It was, rather, later on at an inter-office Christmas party, held in a private room at Oriental Wok in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.  The only debate, then, was whether the party was held on Friday, December 9, 2005 or Saturday, December 10, 2005.  After some research and speaking with mutual friends who were there, we're pretty settled on the fact that the party took place on December 10th, which is when we consider ourselves to have formally met.

    How she ever decided that she would talk to me again, after that night, I'll probably never know.

    As we all arrived at the restaurant, we took available seats around the table.  Evette, purely by chance, sat at my right side.  I had arrived with a young lady, to whom I had once been engaged.  Though there was no real relationship left between myself and this young lady, I brought her simply because my employer was familiar with her by this time, as well as the fact that I really didn't know too many other people in the area that I'd have felt altogether comfortable in asking to accompany me.  I was still relatively new with the organization for which I worked, and I wanted to have a good time at this party.  So what did I do?  I gave the bartender a real workout, but it was more repetitions than bulk.  I had to have had about 7 or 8 kamikazes that night, all in relatively rapid succession.  Though I don't recall myself getting "sloppy" (I can handle it!), I don't necessarily recall myself being in "best form."  I was a pretty happy guy that night, though (after the "fuel"), which is what I'm imagining helped to engage conversation from the lady to my right.

    To be honest, I don't recall a great deal about what was said or what topics were covered between the two of us, that night, but by the end of the party, I had her asking for my phone number!  Yeah, that's right!  She asked me!  She told me that she just wanted to "put it in her phone."  Who was I (or what constitution did I have, in that state) to resist?  I gave it to her -- and whaddaya know?!  Later, that night, she starts sending me text messages on my phone!  She had gone out for an "after-party" with some of the people from her office.  There I was lying in bed, my phone signaling me that I had a text message.  We started chatting by text messages.  It was incredibly sweet.  Somehow or another, the words to Hinder's song, "Lips of an Angel," come to mind when thinking of this time.

    This was just the beginning of things.  I eventually had to increase the number of text messages included with my mobile service plan to accommodate all the back-and-forth messaging that was taking place.  It was strange and beautiful at the same time.  I knew there was an incredible intrigue to this one.

   Throughout the remainder of what could be considered our "courting," I always made it plain that if things got to be "too much" for her, she could let me know.  I was maintaining a bit of an emotional distance, myself, as I had broken off an engagement not even a year prior to my having met Evette and was not really "looking."

    That didn't stop what seemed to come completely naturally -- continued communication between Evette and myself.  One night (and I'm terrible with dates -- I think it was sometime in February or March), Evette and I decided to meet up at Flanagan's Front Porch in Florence.  I told her that I loved to sing, and that I was going over there for a karaoke, so she met me there for a couple of drinks.  Truthfully, this wasn't even a "dating" thing at the time.  I really was just wanting to be friends with Evette because I was very impressed by her whole character -- how smart she was, how well she carried herself.  I wasn't even thinking about how beautiful she is to me today.  Eventually, I got up to sing, and sing, I did.  She didn't tell me (until only recently) what that did to her.  Since that time, I've always loved singing for her.

    We continued to spend time together, and, although I thoroughly enjoyed her company, I was still not wanting to get "serious" or "exclusive."  Not that I was looking to "play the field," but I wasn't really looking to get committed.  I had it in my head that I wanted to be able to enjoy my alone time, too.  I was very wrapped up in that, though, because nowadays, I know that I can enjoy that time, too, within the parameters of the most wonderful relationship in which I've ever been a partner.

    As time went on, though I wouldn't admit to myself that I really did have feelings for Evette, I was attuned to the fact that she was becoming more and more "attached," and that, especially when we would part ways after being together, she would tend to stifle whatever feelings she was having about our situation.  I wish I had been more bold, then, but I guess things worked out just the way they were supposed to.

    A number of things had to take place to pave the way for where Evette and I are today.  I needed to get up the courage to demand that my ex-fiancée leave my home (because the plumbing inside her shower wall was defective, she was "camping out" with me while the bathroom in her apartment was being completely gutted and redone by her landlord.  She overstayed her welcome, though).  I also needed to admit to myself that my previous relationship was long over, and that I was ready to share my healing with someone who had been similarly hurt.  The first was the harder of these two.  Both were done, though.

    Something happened to me, on June 12, 2006, that really changed things for the better.  Although Evette, by this time, had told me that she loved me, I had not been able to openly return the sentiment, though I know I really did (in my own silent way).  On that evening, I finally told her, for the first time, what I had longed to tell her for some time, and what I knew she needed and wanted to hear ... "I love you."  It was a most wonderful evening, and it was an amazingly liberating feeling to be able to tell her this openly.  I've been telling her this every day since.

    We have been together for some time now, and we are very happy.  We live in a wonderful home, and we are thrilled to have what feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring our experiences together and make the most wonderful life together -- one day at a time.