The new gym is FINALLY open. A gorgeous 3-story fitness facility complete with a swimming pool, cardio theater, indoor track, tanning, smoothie bar, tons cardio equipment, free weights, and STAIRMILLS.
I love the StairMill.
The main gym is on the second floor. The first floor is dominantly the front desk, smoothie bar, offices, and the tanning company.
Luckily, the StairMill overlooks the first floor.
Get in a a hard cardio session while people watching = win. It helps stepping through hell easier.
Upon my ass-kicking sessions on the StairMill I notice this big buff (yes, please) man coming in the gym. He is in crutches with a big gym bag.
"Wow, that's dedication" I thought.
His friend carried his gym bag up the stairs and the man on crutches took the elevator up to the gym floor. They then start to work out.
The man with crutches is Marquis.
I was intrigued by him. I watched him work out. I watched him fight through the struggle and the pain and still continue to push himself in the gym.
He had a torn achilles.
After watching him a few months, I started to strike up conversations. He and I talked a lot about the gym. It was both our passion. He talked about his struggles, my struggles, his getting back into competing, and everything in between. He is so damn smart in exercise, fitness, and nutrition. It amazes me. He is literally a walking textbox. I have never seen anything like it before in my life.
We developed an awesome friendship.
We talked regularly, had great conversations, I knew he was single, and I assumed he figured I was single, and after 9 months of being friends, he had not even so much as asked me for my phone number.
I was a little annoyed.
We were good friends, we would flirt, and I got nothin' more.
Well in May of 2011 he gave me his business card.
Grrreat.
Since this dude was not asking me out, I was going to search his name on Facebook to see if he had an account (come on everyone does that). HE DID!. I could tell it was barely used, but nonetheless.
I added him and sent him a message.
"Hey babe! My best friend and I are going to Cosmo's tomorrow night, I would love for to come out! Here's my number blah blah and I hope to see you soon".
He texted, and literally the first ever text he sent:
"Hi Liz. You are so beautiful, even when you have no make up on and sweating at the gym. It's me, Marquis".
LOL. What a weirdo.
But he is my weirdo.
The Cosmo's plan was cancelled and he and I went to local bar/pub, shot pool, and had dinner. We were there four hours that hot June night in 2011. I had a blast. And I had a feeling "this was it".
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| First picture together; June 2011 |
That made sense and I completely get it. It does not bother me though. Number 1) I couldn't care less about what anyone has to say about my relationship. My parents had a 14 year age difference. Number 2) I have always dated older men.
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| August 2011 - Before UFC fights |
When he was graduating high school... I wasn't even born.
When he was fighting for our country in the Army, I was fighting naps.
When he was taking his first legal drink, I was taking my first steps.
We decided to give it our all and on June 15th, 2011 we officially became a couple. Like O-M-G, right?!
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| July 2012 - Myrtle Beach |
We had been SO busy moving me in, arranging the house, unpacking, and literally as we were walking out of the door to get dinner, he got one knee and proposed.
And then we went to Steak-N-Shake.
True story.
February 26th, 2013 we lost our first child via miscarriage at 6 weeks. I have never talked about that before, probably never will. Except right now. I don't need condolences. Only a handful of our friends and family know about this, and now my Blogger friends (I don't share this blog with my real life friends, this is just my little space)
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| St. Augustine, FL - February 2013 |
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| Thanksgiving 2012 |
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| Myrtle Beach, April 2013 |
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| Us now: August 2013 |