Gonna Party Like It's 1999

Fall of 1999:
Josh and I had been secretly dating for a few months.  His parents found out what was going on and......well, lets just say it didn't go over well at all.  I understood it.  He was 17 and I was 25.  He had plans to go to med school and they were worried I would ruin all of it.  The problem was, we were in too deep by that point.  Like I said before, whatever it was that clicked between us locked up and refused to be unbroken. We made sure we worked the same days since we both still worked at Red Lobster.  Every time a new schedule would come out, we would trade off with other people to make sure we were there at the same time.  He would come to my house before work to pick me up, we would ride to work together and then he would drop me off at night.  All the time we knew his parents didn't approve but we just couldn't leave each other alone.
One night while we were leaving work, I noticed a car sitting way off to the side in an empty parking lot.  I told Josh not to look but to get to the truck in a hurry.  We did and took off.  We flew around the mall, cut off at the Shops on the Circle and headed to my house.  Made it.  He went straight home and before he walked in, he put his hand on the hood of his parents car.  Hot.  It was them.  We knew it was.  He was forbidden to see me but the rebel I had created didn't listen.
We continued to sneak around as much as possible until it just became unbearable.  His relationship with his parents wasn't going well (mine was fine because they loved Josh!).  I don't know when or where it was decided but we decided the only way to be together was to get married.  School was ending soon for him and he was turning 18.
For about 3 weeks prior to his birthday, he would bring a couple of things at a time over from his house.  Just a few things at a time so it wouldn't be so noticeable. The day came.  June 2, 2000.  Josh turned 18 and we had a plan.
Josh was on the yearbook committee at school so that morning he told his parents he was going to school to work on it.  He didn't.  He picked me up and we met 4 of our friends at the courthouse.  We Was Gettin' Hitched!  We signed in and paid the fees then waited in the hallway for our turn.  We all watched the hall like hawks, waiting for his parents to turn the corner and stop the marriage.  Instead, the clerk came out and said they had a problem.  She said even though it was Josh's birthday, he was born at night so technically he wasn't 18 yet.  !!!!  Panic set in.  My heart fell to the floor.  BUT, then she said she was just kidding.  *LOL*
Josh was a nervous wreck.  He had some crazy rash all over his eyes that got worse the longer we were there.  All nerves.  Anyway, we went through with the ceremony and then went to IHOP with our friends! Ha! Ha! Ha!  His rash went away after we were married.

Josh's parents told him previously that if he was determined to see me, he would have to turn over his truck.  SO, after we all ate we had a friend of ours take his truck to his mom's work with a letter inside explaining what happened.  Josh knew she was going to be at work that day so after it was dropped off, we came home and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Nothing.
About 9pm, Josh decided to call his family since we hadn't heard anything from them.  His sister answered and they were all there.  Josh's mom was never at work.  She took off that day because they were going to surprise Josh for his birthday.  Cake and all.  Josh had a copy of the letter so he just told them to check their email.  LORDY, all hell broke loose from there!!!!
Cousins called. Uncles. It was crazy for a while but eventually it settled down.  What's done was done, no going back. 
A week or so went by and I received a call from his mother.  Josh was about to graduate high school and they had family coming in from out of town for a party.  She didn't like what was going on but she wanted to invite me anyway.  I went and I survived.
Things were pretty rocky for a while but eventually everything calmed down and we started our married life together.  We were in the duplex I was renting from Chip Bailey in a rather unsafe part of town.
Josh started college and I continued to work.  He was already working at the medical center so he kept pretty busy.  I worked 8-5, he worked 3-11 and had school.  We didn't see much of each other.  Like most newlyweds, we had growing pains.  We fought, a lot.  I was bad about wanting to run away from it and he was good about keeping the promise of our vows.  We traveled around here and there when we could.  We went to New Orleans for his 21st birthday. I gave him skydiving for his 20th birthday.  We went to San Antonio, visited family in Ohio and went to a few Nascar races (we were at the Daytona race when Dale Earnhardt died).

In San Antonio

He's saying "I Love You Baby!!"

My grandmother's health started to decline so my parents bought the house next to hers.  Since my parent's house was vacant, we decided to move there.  It was the house I grew up in.  Definitely not the best memories.  Things were still a little rocky but we were making progress together.
After being married about 2 years, we decided we wanted to have children.  I should have known, based on my past, that it wasn't going to be easy.....