My Knight

Andy and I have never really called each other by our real names. We have always had nick names for each other. Even from the very beginning. When we first got married I complained that I would like to be called by my name once in a while, so Andy complied. It was too friekin' weired. So we went on, happily, with our nick names.

When we first started dating I called him a nerd once and he took great offense to that. I don't think he realized at first that I was kidding, so he called me a geek. I laughed and then he got it. Somehow this developed into our first set of nick names; Geeky Princess and Nerd in Shinning Armor. We even used the label maker at work to print these out and wore them on the back of our name tags. How disgusting were we?

Early on in our relationship it became apparent to me just how much Andy was my own personal white knight.

About a month after we had been dating my dad passed away. It was completely out of the blue. Actually, he had been in declining health for a while and I guess it wasn't totally unexpected for some, but for me it was a swift kick in the gut. I won't go into detail, that's another post for another day, just know that it was quite traumatic for me.

An event like this can have quite a toll on a new relationship. Especially if the two people involved are young like we were. Most boys wouldn't know how to console someone and would probably shut down and withdraw. And who could blame them? It isn't every day in a teenager's life you have to be present for a friend in need. At least not in need like that.

I was an emotional basket case. I am normally, but more so then, understandably so. But Andy stepped right in. He was my rock. He took off work and school to be there for me at the receiving and at the funeral. I have to say I was a little shocked. Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled to have a partner, someone who was just there to comfort me and no one else, but I never expected this of him. I didn't ask him either. I told him it would be nice, but I understood if he had other obligations.

And it wasn't just being there for me in my time of need. Not only did he have to lend a shoulder to his girlfriend of only 1 month, but he had to meet my ENTIRE family. He had never met my dad. My parents separated when I was 18 months old and though my dad was present he didn't meet my boyfriends right away. As a matter of fact, he didn't meet any of them, ever. But Andy didn't just have to meet my dad's side of the family, which is quite large and loud, but he also met my mom's side (larger and louder). He came through it beautifully. It didn't occur to me at the time how awful that must have been for him. Not to say my family grilled him or "stuck it to him" because that wasn't the point of the day, but he had only known me for a short time and my family is a lot to take in. I usually like to introduce people into it a little more slowly. You know, let them get to know my own personal kind of crazy and then introduce them to the fam. But Andy jumped right into the deep end. Willingly.

I don't think my knight will ever know just how much that meant to me then, and still means to me now. But that time together seemed to put a seal on our relationship. I knew he was someone to hold on too. Ever since then he's been coming to my rescue when I needed it. For that I am eternally great full.