The Very Beginning

This post will take you back. Back to when I was 15 (Steve was 14) and met Steve for the first time. We were hanging out in the backyard of a mutual friend and an immature Steve decided to throw a football into a crowd of people and it hit the back of my head.

I went off on him (for those of you who know me IRL, this should not come as a shock to any of you).

And then we just kind of hit it off, I guess you could say.

I spent countless hours in his driveway with all of our friends.

When all our friends would leave, it'd just be me and him sitting in the Adirondack chairs his Grandpa Teenie made.

We remained very close all throughout high school. I gave him girl advice; he gave me boy advice.

He was even my Junior Prom date.

Circa 1998

We both went off to college after high school.

He went to Chicago to attend a technical institute to learn about auto mechanics.

I headed an hour and a half west to go to college.

We stayed in touch, but we both did fully enjoy the experience of being on "our own" and making new friends. I'd say we talked every couple of months.

I'm also so old that this was JUST the beginning of IM-ing and texting and such. So yes, we talked on the PHONE every couple of months.

Then when I was in my 3rd year of college, my then-boyfriend broke my heart by cheating on me.

I booked a flight to Chicago to see Steve.

The visit was platonic. We went to the Sears Tower (now known as the Willis Tower) and did some sight seeing. He took me down Miracle Mile to see the lights.

It was a nice 3 day getaway for me.

The one memory that is burned into my brain is when he met me at the Midway Airport. I came down the escalators and he was just standing there at the bottom. I'm not sure why it warms my heart the way it does, because we were not a couple at that time.

Maybe because it reminds me of a scene in one of my all time favorite movies "Cruel Intentions" when Sebastian meets Annette at the train station before she leaves. She's also riding an escalator (only going up, I was going down).

Maybe it's because I absolutely love the song that plays during this part of the movie.

Anyway, after we both graduated and became "grown ups" we still remained very close.

Then one drunken night, playing Kings Cup (anyone remember that game?! OMG I drank entirely too much) and we shared a drunken kiss.

My college friends warned me NOT to get into a relationship with a friend. We'd ruin what we had.

My hometown friends said "he's loved you for 8 years, give him a chance."

So, I did.

The rest, they say, is history.

Circa 2004 (this was after he broke his nose)

I ended up with Ruple. Back then, I never would've thought I'd end up with him.

And now, I can't imagine my life without him.

I'm grateful that we didn't get together during the dramatic high school years. I feel like we would've been too immature and broken up and then who knows what would have happened?

I married my legit best friend.

I'm about 15 pounds heavier on my wedding day than today. (sigh)

Check out this handsome guy

One of my fave pics. This is just us. 

Here's the quote I found that I thought would be perfect for our wedding. Steve's sister Lisa read it during the ceremony:

It is often said that it is love that makes the world go round. However, without doubt, it is friendship which keeps our spinning existence on an even keel. True friendship provides so many of the essentials for a happy life — it is the foundation on which to build an enduring relationship, it is the mortar which bonds us together in harmony, and it is the calm, warm protection we sometimes need when the world outside seems cold and chaotic. True friendship holds a mirror to our foibles and failings, without destroying our sense of worthiness. True friendship nurtures our hopes, supports us in our disappointments, and encourages us to grow to our best potential. Steve and Lesley came together as friends. Today, they pledge to each other not only their love, but also the strength, warmth and, most importantly, the fun of true friendship.

by Judy Bielicki

With his automotive technician degree/certification (I'm not sure of the formal name) and about 6 months spent at Ford Racing, Steve now works as a Shop Foreman at a local Ford dealership in our area. He was an auto technician for about 7-8 years (only!!) before being promoted to Team Leader (he lead a team of techs and got bonuses each time a team member hit bonus), and then that led to his most current position, as one of two Shop Foremen (there are two shifts).

We're lucky because now he's the "boss" of the shop, and is salaried. I can't tell you how hard it is to do a family budget when one person's income is "Flat Rate" - meaning, if a job pays 20 hours for the repair, if the technician completes it in less than 20 hours, he/she still gets paid for the 20 hours. Sounds great right?

Except when it goes the other way.

A job pays 20 hours. But you've spent 40 on it. You'll only get paid for 20 hours. If there's no work, techs could theoretically stand around at work, but not get paid.

I remember many winter months when Steve's paycheck was less than ideal. That being said, he had some crazy awesome weeks in the summer that made up for it.

But, now that he's salary, we're good. He still gets bonuses based on how well the shop does.

I, on the other hand, went to a 4 year SUNY school for my undergraduate degree. I did an internship at an ad agency my senior year of college and I was hooked!

I'm now an Account Supervisor working at my 4th ad agency. I love marketing, I love advertising, I love understanding what makes people tick and what makes them purchase a product or service. I work a traditional Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm, but I'm very lucky in that my place of employment is extremely flexible and casual.

So that's what we do when we're not managing our mini-farm!