The Sunny Side Up Blog

Kenny & Erin – 13 years

{WE MET}

High School drill team practice was over and once again I was waiting for a Senior to give me a ride. The girl who offered to drive me home was taking forever – flirting with some guy. The guy she was flirting with also had a friend who was waiting around. That friend turned to me and asked if I wanted to drive down the street with him to get a drink. I said ok. Not because I was thirsty, but because he was a buff Senior (I was just a 15 year old sophomore) and I was scared to say no. We chatted in the car and I was surprised at how quickly my nerves went away. He made me feel at ease. He had a quick wit and he made me laugh. He offered to buy me something to drink at the gas station we stopped at and I remember thinking that aside from being really cute he was also really polite. (At the time I was naive and mistook smooth for polite.) We went back to school and went our separate ways with our friends. The next night that buff, cute, polite Senior called me. My dad answered and after the Senior asked “is Erin there?” my dad whispered to my mom “there’s a MAN on the phone for Erin!” (Guess the voice was a little different from the 15 year old boys I usually hung out with.) We talked on the phone that night for over two hours. He told me he thought I was “so fine” and immediately I felt my cheeks burn. We talked on the phone again the next night…and the night after that and the night after that. I found out that he was the captain of the football team and suddenly I cared a lot more about watching the game instead of just dancing at half time. Weeks later we went on a drive together. Months later he took me on my first date (parents made me wait until I was 16 to go to the movies, but a drive alone with him in his car was ok?) Years later he proposed to me.

dating

engaged

married

newlyweds

{US NOW}

13 years of marriage – 18 years of knowing each other and here we are. I think he’s too intense. He thinks I’m too low key. I think he has too high of expectations for himself and everyone around him. He thinks I don’t know the value of a dollar. I tease him about his spreadsheets. He teases me about…well…everything. We disagree often but never stay mad at each other very long. We laugh at something together every single day. We make date nights a priority and would rather be with each other than anyone else. I watch the kids every Sunday afternoon so he can take a nap on the couch (preferably with football playing in the background). He puts gas in my car every weekend. We never hang up the phone without saying I love you. I get annoyed when he doesn’t immediately rinse out his cereal bowl. He gets annoyed when I don’t pay attention to our shows because I’m blogging and then expect him to explain everything I’ve missed. We both want what’s best for our kids, but have very different parenting styles and have to work hard to meet in the middle. We text and call each other often throughout the day just to say “hi…how is your day going?” Our favorite part of the day is the evening when the kids are in bed and we are alone together. I always pop the popcorn. He always runs the remote. I love what a hard worker he is. He loves that I am happy and content. He is extremely protective of me. I am fiercely loyal to him.

He makes me feel happy. He makes me feel frustrated. He makes me feel beautiful. He makes me feel safe. He makes me feel lucky.


Has it really been 13 years!? 

They have been the best.
Bring on 13 more.

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Comments

  1. Congrats on 13- Corey and I celebrate 14 next week. You guys are such a cute couple and it’s impressive that you really married your high school sweetheart. I can hardly remember anyone from high school.

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  2. Ahhhhh! Great post, Erin!! Kenny is LUCKY to have found (and kept) you:) I think you and I “get” each other cuz we both married our “first love”! That’s gotta mean something, right? Happy Anniversary…hope it was amazing!

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  4. happy anniversary!!!! :-) my birthday is today- so if you’d gotten married one day later, my birthday would have been on your anniversary! haha! i had no idea you guys are high school sweethearts. that is so special and unique…amazing!!!

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  6. That story sounds strangely familiar, but my hubby was baseball instead of football. :o) Congratulations to the beautiful couple, and I do believe you both have gotten more beautiful as time has passed – you guys are truly lucky! I hope my hubby and I are as lucky as you!

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  7. Happy Anniversary! So great to read your story. It seems that memory of being able to talk for hours to someone on the phone or in person is a great starting point! Love how you write and celebrate and treasure each other, and all that brings you together. Hope you have a great day!

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  9. Happy anniversary! Loved hearing your story. I get made when Rondell doesn’t rinse out the oatmeal bowl and he gets mad when I forget to shut the cabinet door when I get a bowl…love him!

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  10. Love your story! It is pretty much the story I used to make up and pretend–so funny to see a real life one! Congratulations and hope the next 13 are even better!

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  12. Happy Anniversary Erin and Kenny, you two are a great example of true love and you should be proud of your 13 year marriage and the family you are raising. Congratulations!!!!

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  13. Happy anniversary! Great post. I know I’ve posted on our coincidences before but here’s another to add – my husband and I also met in highschool, dated for a few months, remained friends and then dated again after university and have now been married (as of Aug 29th) for 13 years as well. Too funny. I love your “he vs she commentary” – it would make a great scrapbook page! Enjoy your day!

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  15. So cute, Erin!!!! That is a great post for a really cute couple. You’re a close second cutest couple right behind your parents. :)

    Happy Anniversary!

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  16. Oh my goodness, who wasn’t intimidated by Kenny? That was a really great post, Erin. It put a warm feeling in my heart, and a smile on my face. Thanks for being you, and you with him:)

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  17. Erin, I don’t even (really) know you and that brought tears to my eyes. Maybe because I can relate to how great it is to have a wonderful marriage. Happy 13th :)

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  25. Erin! I am dying over this post! I LOVED hearing the details of the beginning I haven’t heard before. Kenny I can’t believe you told her she was “so fine” on the phone!!! So great! I especially love that your Dad was alarmed that a man was calling you! Oh, I can’t wait for Ryan to come home so he can read this. I am still laughing! We love you guys so much and are so thankful for the awesome friendship we have! Congrats on 13 years!!! (Seriously, wow!) And really you guys are the greatest couple! Hope it was the best!

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  34. Erin, you are seriously so cute! I think you should start writing love stories! I mean, that was good! Watch out Nicholas Sparks…here comes Erin!~ And Happy Anniversary!

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  36. Love that post. It made me feel young again, thinking about drill team, and old, seriously old all at the same time. What a “super great” couple you are! Happy anniversary. :)

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  39. what a great couple! reminds me of my hubby and i so much (we are also high school sweethearts!). i laughed out loud at the “there is a man on the phone” comment! so funny! we also started “dating” when i was 15. he was allowed to come to the house, but i couldn’t go anywhere with him until i turned 16 :) lol

    Reply

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