Rollin Through My Life

Yes, every love story has a beginning. Mine starts a few years ago, working at the front desk at a local non profit organization. Young, putting in over 40 hours a week to support my two small children. It was my life. Work. Kids. Work.

While working one of my long days at work, I was called into my boss’ office to let me know that my current position was going to be cut into being part time; however I was offered another position at a different location where I could regain my 40 hours. Of course I had to take the other position, my children and finances were at stake!

So here I was, late August on one of the busiest days at my new location. I was expected to be trained through a madness of extremely desperate men, women and families hoping to get the few remaining spots to help them in the rent payment program. I had people running left and right to me desperately questioning me, begging me to help them. Coming from an administrative office, I never had to deal with such direct client contact! It was absolutely overwhelming.

I was sat at a desk, phone wouldn’t stop ringing, my eyes scanned the room at all these hopeless people, trying to read the unfortunate circumstances of their life through their eyes…wondering what brought them here. And there he was. Right next to me, calmly collected, gorgeously blue eyes. There he was, sitting in his wheelchair. I stared, of course I stared. I didn’t judge him, I questioned his story as well.

His hands and arms didn’t look like mine, they worked in different ways but he made them work. He used them to show me how to answer the phones, his smile and his eyes let me know it was going to be absolutely fine. Having him train me was amazing. How in the world did he manage to stay so calm and look so happy through all of this madness? How did he do it?

It wasn’t long before Chad and I became really close friends. Just because he was disabled didn’t make me see him any differently than anyone else. I wasn’t holding doors open for him anymore than I would anyone else, let’s just leave it at that! And he loved that, he loved that he was treated just as everyone else was treated. He was my friend, soon enough, my best friend.

Chad was the only one I could ever confide in with my life. I told him everything and anything. He talked me through one of the toughest relationships I have ever been through, the one with the father of my son. It was hard times for me, but I always looked forward into going to work just to talk to Chad. He was my sanity when I wasn’t with my children.

Little did I know was that Chad was quickly falling in love with me. He revealed feelings for me at his superbowl party on a Sunday afternoon while we were at his grandmothers house. Talk about awkward. I had to see myself out of that situation very quickly because I could not picture jeopardizing our great friendship to develop a new relationship. Or maybe I was just scared to enter a relationship with a disabled man?

Chad was the kind of man every women has ever asked for! Charming, handsome, loyal, honest, EXTREMELY caring and absolutely the most selfless person anyone could meet! His disadvantages were being unable to walk, run, skip, jump…you know, the little things people take for granted. However, I saw his disadvantages as a minimum considering his advantages outweighed anything. But why the hell was I so stubborn, and why the hell did I wait over a year to give this guy even a date?!

Well, let’s just say the second I finally gave in and decided to date my best friend, it was the best choice I could have ever made. Our relationship went like lightning! One moment we were dating, the next he was proposing to me at a San Jose Sharks game, and the next we were walking down the isle as Mr. and Mrs.

And that’s where our love story began, where our family became complete and we became one of the most loved families in our town! I do hope you stick around to be inspired, intrigued, amazed…to be part of this journey with me and to learn all the goods and the bads.