So many happy days in my life. To choose one is so difficult. Especially when, as I have said before, I didn't want to make this all about Joey. But, honestly, the happiest day of my life in recent memory was February 19, 2011. It was a day that changed my life forever, much like the day as a five year old when I started a relationship with Christ that has endured and grown from that day on. On February 19, 2011 a journey was officially begun (or continued depending on your view of events). It will be surpassed by much better days, but this one currently holds number one. This is the story of that day.
The morning started earlier than intended. I was way too excited to sleep in. Besides, the text message informing me the train had left the station woke me up more than a coffee drinker's first sip of their morning coffee. I was nervous, I was excited, I was...GIRLY. I cleaned the bathroom...again. I dusted the house...again. I got myself ready, by which I mean I changed clothes five times. (I am never indecisive with clothes.) I asked my grandma's opinion. I changed again. I asked my friend's opinion. I changed again. Then I did my hair and make up...twice. I again asked opinions. I was ready...an hour and a half early. So I sat down to try to read...only I couldn't. I mean this is me we are talking about. Samantha, who is always reading, even when she shouldn't be, and I couldn't focus for more than half a page. I lasted about forty minutes. Finally I got up and left, knowing I'd be too early and not caring.
I arrived at the station more than half an hour early. I found a spot where I didn't have to pay for parking and went inside. I marveled at the beauty of the station for a few minutes. I sat down to read. Maybe knowing I was here on time would allow me to concentrate. And it worked for about five minutes. And then some random guy sat down next to me and decided he needed to tell me his sad life story. (Mind you, this was the third time that week, is it something in my face? More on this phenomenon in later posts.) I sat there trying to be polite and listen. And all the while watching the clock and the incoming train arrival board. I'm afraid that when train 701 pulled in and passengers started walking through the door, I left him rather abruptly. It was like a string pulling me towards that door. And then he walked through the door.
Joey. I'd been waiting so long for that moment. Counting weeks, days, hours even. I hugged him and we both laughed and hugged and laughed some more, neither of us knowing what to say in that moment. We left the station and went to find lunch. I thought the place I chose would be quiet and not crowded. I'd forgotten it was a holiday weekend. So we ate lunch with small talk, not the important discussion we were waiting for. So we started driving around, looking for a park without metered parking (note to the reader, downtown Sacramento consists of mostly metered parking...good luck). I was about to give up and sit in the truck to talk anywhere without metered parking, park or no park, when there it was, a little tiny park with a fountain in the distance (We both happen to love parks AND water...can someone say perfection?) without metered parking on the streets around it. Zapata Park, the sign said.
We found a bench. I won't go into our discussion here, but it was a conversation filled with hope and sadness, joy and regret, and so many other things. It was a conversation of healing, closure, past endings and new beginnings. But what was most important was when he asked me if I would be his girlfriend...again. I said yes, of course. And then as we talked about our relationship and it's complexities (being long distance), he told me something incredibly wonderful, that he loved me. Now some of you might say to yourselves, but he just asked you out. To those of you who think that, I invite you to let me tell you our history before that day, you'll understand, I promise. I told him I loved him too, and meant it with my whole heart.
The rest of the day was wonderful, we played at the park, had dinner with Grandma, told our parents and friends. It was a full day, a full weekend, the beginning of what will be a full life. Life will never be the same. I wouldn't want it to be. It was the happiest day of my life so far.
