Story
The year was 2004... it was a sunny, summer day. My best friend Keelan and I were outside playing basketball as we always did, when suddenly at the house next door, I saw the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my 12 years of life. I asked Keelan, "Man, who is THAT?". Keelan smacked his mouth and unenthusiastically said "Man, That's Brittni." With the help of their other neighbor who was also outside, I got Brittni's phone number that afternoon and would proceed to call her cell phone off of my house phone for approximately the next three or so days.
We didn't stay in touch after that, and never would see each other again through our high school or college years. Then, on the day of October 22nd, 2016 all of that would change. I was playing at St Mary's Bazaar and Gumbo Festival in Houston, Tx and while I was on stage, I noticed there was a very beautiful young lady working at the vendor booth right in front of the stage. Of course, I was giving that particular vendor booth shoutouts on the mic while I was playing. At some point during our set, that young lady came up to the front of the stage to take videos and wave. She had sunglasses on so I had not yet realized who she was. When she lifted her sunglasses up and I saw her green eyes, my heart stopped, I forgot how to play my accordion for a brief time, and I said to myself "OMG that's Brittni Naylor!". We reconnected that day after I got off stage but I had another show in another city to make it to that night, so I had to cut the reunion short.
Over the next couple years I would slide in the DMs just to make conversation but never more than just catching up. On January 14th, 2018 I texted Brittni to tell her happy birthday and the rest is history. She's still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, just as she was to me when I was 12 years old. She has been such a blessing in my life, and I am so thankful and blessed to be marrying her!
-Rusty