4/30

Day 4: Your favorite photograph of your best friend.

To the un-trained eye there is nothing special about this picture. But I know differently. Let me tell you why this is my favorite picture of my best friend.

On a random April night I was out & about with a girlfriend of mine in Billings. Her name was Jessie. I don't remember the night being anything special. But I remember we went to Denny's for 'breakfast' when the night ended.

Walking in the door, we ran into Josh & Tobin. At this point, I knew of Josh but I honestly don't know if we had ever spoken a word to eachother. I had my eye on Tobin. (Yea ... true story.) So, the 4 of us had breakfast together & a pretty decent time ta-boot. After breakfast we drove the boys to their hotel. (They had walked from the convention center --- how responsible of them! ;] )

Jessie had spent the entire meal making googly eyes at Josh & I ended the evening by kissing Tobin good night. Then the girls & boys parted ways. On the way home, I kept thinking about how adorable I thought Josh was. I don't know what it was about him ... but I suddenly couldn't get his handsome face out of my head.

The next morning I woke up and told Jessie, "I'm sorry about your luck --- but that O'Shea boy is going to be mine."  And, later that day, I told my friend Kris, "I met the man I'm going to marry last night."

It seems extreme, I'm sure. But it was more than attraction. I had never spoken to someone as genuine, kind, and funny as Josh. There was something very honest in his eyes & I knew right away there was something special about him. He made a hell of an impression.

The next few weeks were busy for me with work & Isaac. I didn't do a whole lot of socializing. But I did, on occassion, let myself wonder how I was going to 'bump into' Josh again.

The morning of May 12th I called my friend, Kelli. "I'm on a mission to find this man. Wanna make a trip to Red Lodge with me tonight? Dinner @ The Griz & then a night on the town ... my treat?"

Thankfully she said yes.

I was bummed when we got to The Griz and didn't run into Josh. I thought for sure fate would have him behind the bar ... or -  hell, at least bellied up to the bar. But no such luck. Kelli actually told me at one point, "The bartender is cute ... we should just stay here and hit on him tonight." The thought crossed my mind briefly --- but I was determined.

So, to Red Lodge we went.

After 3 hours of visiting with people I wasn't interested in visiting with ... I told Kelli, "This sucks. Lets go home."

We walked out of The Blue & ran directly into Josh & Billy. I couldn't stop smiling. And I was way past the point of willing to be subtle. I told him I had been waiting for him all night long & it was RUDE to keep a girl waiting. Since he had no idea what I was talking about he just laughed and bought me a beer.

We sat on the bench out front for 2 hours while he tried to convince me that nothing could EVER happen between us.

"I work for your uncle. You're Bub's little cousin. I'm just coming out of a serious relationship. No way. This is never going to happen." Blah, blah, blah.

... & then there was this moment. We were alone on the bench & neither of us said a word. Something happened. Something that happens everyday to every person I know. A 'something' that is usually mundane & un-important. I'm not going to tell you what it was --- because as ordinary of an event as it usually is, in that particular instant it was personal. The second it happened I watched the look on his face & I knew he changed his mind.

Shortly after that I snapped this picture of us. Our first picture & the first time my lips ever kissed those cheeks.

The rest, as they say,  went down in history. I love this picture because it is the first picture of us together & it reminds me of the night my life changed forever.

A funny little side note ... the "cute bartneder" from The Griz ... turned out to be Josh's roommate, Steve. He's now married to Josh's cousin. Small world, I tell ya. :)

I used to roll my eyes when people would refer to their significant other as "their best friend". It seemed so cliche and lame to me. But the truth is, I get it now. I won't bore you with all the sappy sentiments I feel when I contemplate this reality. But, I will say that without him standing by my side, my life would feel incomplete. If I had a glass in my hand right now, I would raise it to the comfort & joy that comes from living life with your bestie right next to you.

Happy Saturday, ya'll.