This week, Jimmy and I celebrated 13 years together. On May 30, 1997, we met and the rest is history.

We always thought it was weird that we never met before then because we seemed to have been in the same places at the same time without meeting.

Recently, we took our kids to the little fair that came to Haleyville. I started talking about a trip here to visit family where we attended a fair in front of the Haleyville Wal-Mart, where Burger King now sits.

Jimmy said he was at that fair. I told him about this guy I met. I couldn’t really remember his name, but I thought it was Michael or something like that.

I told him about me riding some rides with the guy before he had to leave to be home.

Jimmy said he was at the fair at the same night, and he had met someone there he liked but he couldn’t remember her name. He described her to me as a little brown haired girl with glasses.

We started to put things together when he said he had left his wallet. I was like ‘oh really.’

I asked if the little dark haired girl with glasses helped him look for his wallet. When he said yes, I couldn’t help but to laugh. Turns out the first time I really met my husband was at the fair. We rode rides and he left. When he returned I remember getting my cousins, Christy and Anthony, to help us find his wallet. Our efforts to locate the wallet failed. He went home again.

Looking back, we are certain we met that night. I thought his name was Michael because Jimmy; his best friend, Keith; brother, Jeremy; and cousin, Michael, were at the fair together that night, and Michael was talking to us in line and stuff.

I called my cousin, Christy, and asked her if she remembered going to the fair that night and helping a guy I had met find his wallet. She said yes and was shocked to find out Jimmy was the one who had lost his wallet.

So, while our relationship we have today started 13 years ago, we actually met about three years before then at a rinky-dink fair we only barely remember. I remember it because I was visiting from Arkansas, and he remembers it because he lost his wallet.

I guess that goes to show when two people are meant to be together, they may cross paths several times before chemistry is ignited, and true love is actually found.

At least that’s how it happened for us.