Ricky and I were both students at the Illinois State University’s School of Theatre and had many mutual friends since the department was so small. We even shared a class together where we both secretly admired the other but didn’t dare say anything since we were both in different relationships at the time. Though we were at the same place, at the same time, with many of the same friends… we just never got to talk. On my part, I knew I liked him and I thought it would be inappropriate for me to start a friendship with him while I was with someone else.

At the end of our time at ISU, both no longer with our former boyfriend/girlfriend, we still didn’t confess our attraction to one another or even worked on a friendship. I was so over having a boyfriend (not being without one for more than a few weeks since Junior High) that I was determined to stay single for two years and just work on me. I honestly think everyone needs that. My mother always said that “you will be ready for your true love when you are ready to accept you for you”.

So I did just that, after ISU I moved to the city, worked on myself, my career, made friends, and went on dates if someone seemed interesting enough but never agreed to officially date someone. I truly feel having that time for me and surrounding myself with people who want to know and accepted me for me gave me the confidence to finally became Drea…not someone’s girlfriend.

Well a year and half later, I was getting into MySpace (I was a late adaptor to the whole social media world) and for some reason I thought of Ricky. So I started searching for him. Found everyone else I went to ISU with but not him. Literally the day after I stopped looking, I had a friend request from him waiting for me.

With in two days, we met up along with other ISU friends at a bar in Chicago. We decided we were going to start seeing each other but not exclusively. Besides, I just found my female independent power and was planning on moving to California. Also, he already had plans to move to LA the following New Years. Two days after that we were exclusive. A year and two months later we were engaged and on June 20th, 2009 we became man and wife.

Ricky is not only the guy I admired from a far in college, he is my best friend, my personal comedian, the person who accepts me for who I am no matter what, the man of my dreams and the love of my life. I am so lucky to be able to call him my hubby. (He’s pretty lucky too!)

*Andrea and I have known each other since Kindergarten. We went to school all the way through college together and now we even work together on some projects. She owns a PR firm called Flavor PR, you should check out some of her clients!*

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