The story of us...

Thirteen years ago I was sitting in my office at the University of the West Indies, Faculty of Social Sciences and having a chat with my boss.  It was the best job I ever had, I loved being able to help the students and perform administrative and clerical duties for the dean and the professors alike within our faculty.  My boss and I were talking about different internet chat sites and how it was to become the new forum for meeting friends worldwide and that I should join one for fun.  He used one called ICQ and told me, "...people get married on those things..." to which I chuckled and said "yeah, uh huh".

So, I ventured onto ICQ and looked at the categories for a friend search, I chose someone who likes to travel, spoke french and other hobbies that were similar to mine.  At first, I came up some pretty freaky people haha but the second time I clicked "Random" I came across, Paul Mitchell.  I instant messaged him and he replied thinking I was a guy harassing him and he said "not interested" and then he replied "for the last time, I am not gay".  I said "that is good to know but I am Trudy..." So, we had a virtual laugh about it and from then on we started messaging each other back and forth for 6 months.  We called each other and sent photos and care packages once we got closer.  We never had the intention of having a long distance relationship but it happened anyway.

He came to meet my family in Trinidad and then I came to Arkansas to meet his.  He proposed to me on that trip and I said "yes!."  Another few months went by and then he came back to Trinidad and we had our wedding, that was the best feeling in the world.  Of course, I invited my boss and he gave a speech about our very first conversation before I met Paul. My boss was sorry because he was losing me haha! They even threw me a huge going away party at work and that was so sweet.   Paul came alone for the wedding since no one in his family was able to travel or even had a passport and he wanted me to be surrounded by my family since I would be leaving after the wedding and move to Arkansas.  Of course, when I moved here we had a private ceremony to make it "official" for legal purposes but that gave us 2 anniversaries haha!

We went for our honeymoon to Barbados and it was awesome!  I missed my family already and we cut it short by a day so I would have that extra time with them before moving.

Moving was bittersweet.  I lived at home and was very close to my parents, brother and my faithful little dog, Cuddles (RIP).

So, now here I am still happily married to my best friend and soul mate 12 years later and we are raising our precious son, Nicholas.

I thank God everyday for bringing us together.  Paul's family and parents are so warm and loving and have wrapped me into their hearts and they are in mine.

My mom and dad visited a few times but my dad is not a fan of travel anymore.  Especially since his first trip to see me, the very next day 9/11 happened :(  My mom still makes trips at least once a year to see me and we have not gone back to Trinidad in almost 6 years.  I hope to take Nicholas soon to meet my side of the family.  Thanks to staying connected through Face book they have gotten to know him and see him grow up.  We chat on Skype with my parents as much as we can.

That is the story in a nutshell and we learned a lot about each other with the distance between us.  We learned patience, understanding and commitment and that has held us even stronger now than ever before.

I love you, Paul... "I seek you...03-23-1999" until eternity <3