A Love Story

Eight years ago I was living at my parents house in Pentwater patiently awaiting my graduate school applications.
My brothers were 18 & 13; I was 24.  You see we are pretty well spread out.  When I moved away to collage my littlest brother was only 7 years old.  I asked him if he remembered me living there before-and he said yes, but barley.  Joseph, the older of the two, was awkward and gawky when I left for school and we were never, well, close.  He wanted to be, but I saw him as an annoying little brother.

So this year I spent at home I looked at as a make up year.  A make up for all those years I missed them growing up because I was too busy living it up in the Zoo.  This year I became very close with Joe and we actually became friends.

As I was waiting to see where I was moving to, Joseph was gearing up to start his Freshman year at WMU.  He was a senior and ready to leave the small town behind and begin his own story.

You see this isn’t a love story about me.  It’s the love story of my little brother who fell in love with a girl one summer.  A girl my dad told him to talk to.

Now forgive me if I get some of these facts wrong, but again, this isn’t my story.
Joseph had a serial girlfriend.  You know the on again off again girl who we all knew wasn’t good for him, but in his defense, made him happy and they dated for most of high school.  Luckily during one of their “off again” times Joseph was involved in an event for area high school talent; Showcase.  He was in a “band” so they applied and were excepted to perform.  I’m pretty sure I went-but my memory fades me if it was a video I saw or the real deal. 
Anyways, they weren’t that good, but he spent a few days down in Muskegon with other area students performing.  In the program they had other students listed; writers, artists, athletes and there were pictures of these students.
And I recall my dad pointing to a picture and saying “Joe! Check her out! You should go talk to her.”  Her name Jennifer Skodack.   Sometime after that he did talk to her and she, SHE, gave him her number.
I still remember lying on the kitchen floor watching him call her the first time from the corded phone on the wall.  He was nervous, but he asked her out.  I helped him pick out his outfit, fix his mop of rock star hair and gave him a pep talk.

Thus began the Joe & Jen era.  They went to prom together, Joe’s not Jens. (he had tickets to Red Hot Chili Peppers and passed on her invite!)  Spent the summer commuting between Pentwater and Muskegon and basically falling for each other.  I was now living in Florida; so I would hear stories from him about all the fun they were having.

In the fall Joe moved to Kalamazoo and Jen to E. Lansing.  That year they spent weekends together when they could, taking the bus to visit each other.  I asked Joseph what they did, he said “She makes me study! We go to the library so she can do her homework and makes me do mine”  We were really starting to like this girl.

Jen spent that Christmas with us down in Florida.  We were bunked up together on an air mattress in my Aunts den.  (We had met 3 times.) I awoke one time during the night with Jen’s arm mid air ready to cuddle me. She looked at me and quickly turned around and went back to sleep.



The next summer they both got jobs at a restaurant 1/2 way between Pentwater and Muskegon.  From what I heard it was a fun summer and Jen had made the decision to leave MSU for U of M.  This would put them 1.5hrs apart, but this time they both had cars.




The relationship went on this way for 3 years.








 

Then, Jen moved to London for 6 months.

Joseph visited her once and they were still very much in love.







Then one day (shortly before our grandpa passed) I noticed a change in his Facebook status.  Joseph and Jen were no longer in a relationship.  When we were all together after the funeral, fueled by cheep beer, I asked him what happened.  He started crying and I knew it wasn’t over grandpa.  And he told me the story.  They were going to take some time apart, experience college being single.  Only I knew he wasn’t happy about the decision, he was hurt and confused.  He told me how much he loved her and that he didn’t think he’d ever find anyone else like her.



So that fall they went back to school still friends, but on the market.  I’m not sure how long this lasted as I was occupied in my own new relationship (enter Adam).  All I do know is that by the time they graduated the following spring they were back together and on track to start their careers.  The year was 2008.

That summer Jen got a job working for Target Corp. in Minneapolis.  Shortly after, Joseph got a job for a printing company in Houston.

Texas.

We kept asking him… “So are you going to get married?”  “Come on Joe, It’s been 5 years.”  No, he said, She’s not ready.  She wants us to focus on our careers right now.  So they moved to their new cities and began their careers.  They visited each other at least every six weeks and luckily we all planned our trips home at the same time, so we would all be together.

September of 2009 Adam & I get married after dating for just over two years.
Jen got a promotion; her dream job and decides to stay in Minneapolis. 
Joseph continues to fly around the country doing, what? I have no idea what he does, but his boss is happy with his work and he enjoys it.  But his goal is to get to Minneapolis in the future....
They continue to live 1,200 miles apart for the 2nd year.



Fast forward to the spring of 2010…Big sister Stephanie (with weddings fresh on the brain) starts pestering her little brother,  sending him pictures of rings.  Finally he says “Yes, I want to marry her.  And I think she’s ready too”  Cut, Clarity, Color, Karats start flying through emails…July we’ll all be home…that’s the time!   He even has ideas of how he wants to do it.

But he buys no ring. July comes and goes. 
September comes and we’re home for a wedding.  My dad produces a box quietly; in it 8 different settings of sparkling, shiny rings.  We ooo and ahh and a setting is selected. 
Anther trip to go see her come and goes…He still has not purchased the ring.

Thanksgiving we’ll all be home again….and I ask him, “Are you going to buy it?!?!” 
Comments fly around the dinner table….but still nothing.

Christmas time. Joseph is spending it with Jen and her parents while we’re all in Florida.  “so???” I say.  Nothing.  “Joseph! Just buy the ring” I yell at him over email.  I’m replied with “I know…” “stop bugging me” “How about when we’re down there?”  Fine I say.
But they come and go…no proposal, still no ring.





Fast forward to Wednesday January 19th.  I get this email:


AHHHHHHH!!!!
Finally, he bought the ring! It’s coming from a jeweler in Michigan, only to be overnighted to Houston then to jump on a plane to Minneapolis.  It is Jen’s Birthday on Saturday.  She will be 26.

Friday night, January 21st, Joe and Jen are trudging 4 blocks through through the snow to her apartment carrying his suitcases.  All of a sudden Joseph stops and says "Hey Jen, turn around.  I want to ask you something."  And when she does there is Joe down on his knee proposing.  Her glove flies off her hand and she exclaims "Of course I'll marry you!" 



So, you may ask what is so special about this love story?  Well if you haven’t noticed this love story has been a long distance love story.  For 8 years Joe & Jen never lived in the same town or even the same county.  The relationship had to be founded on trust. Their love had to survive the distance and now after 8 long years there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel.  They will finally get to live not only in the same town, but in the same house with each other.

Over the last 8 years I have watched them interact and watched them grow up.  And I know deep down that they are meant to be together, forever.  I am so happy that Jen will join our family and even more so that my brother has found a women that makes him happy and that brings the best out of him.
Congratulations Joseph & Jennifer!

And yes...this was the BIG Secret. :)