Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make me a match...

The future Mr. & Mrs. Derek Bockhorn

Well, in the name of LoVe, I thought I'd share a story of real beginnings and forward-looking, 'happily ever afters'.

It started in 2005, while I was dating a certain boy, that I met my friend Derek Bockhorn. He was best friends, teammate and roommate to my current bf at the time. Therefore, we were around each other...A LOT. I got to know him really well & our own friendship began to grow. I even met his parents at one of their baseball games a couple times (who, by the way are super friendly & so nice). There was another roommate involved who had a gf at all times too, so Derek always happened to fall into the position of what everyone knows as the '5th wheel'. Not a cool position for anyone to be in. Don't get me wrong, he had no problem getting a girlfriend, he was just tired of wasting his time on the 'nobody's'. I learned this information in a little 'heart to heart' convo we had about his previous girlfriend and how bad she sucked at being a girlfriend, haha. So, pause this story for another segway below.

On one of the first days of junior high school, I met my friend, Brandi Cantrell. We played sports together & had the same mutual friends coming into Jr. High. She came to my birthday parties & we did some awesome, fun things through junior high and high school. She's just an all-around great girl and her family is so sweet. Through all of those years, I saw her date several people & knew she wasn't really 'looking' for anyone at the time in 2005. She was just focused on school at ASU and getting things done and didn't care if she did it with, or without, a boyfriend. Kudos to her! :) But that wouldn't last for long.

One day near Christmas in December 2005, I had an epiphony. I thought about Derek & I thought about Brandi. For some reason, they were both on my mind at that time. They were two very similar people with very similar families. So similar, it was actually almost kinda creepy. Both sets of parents are 'country-loving types', so sweet, tight-knit families, with 4 members each, & the weird kicker was that Derek's younger sister's name is actually Brandi (with an 'i') too. And if that's not good enough for you, both of their middle names are 'Nicole' (enter twilight zone music here). When I told Derek that, he said..."ohhh, that's kinda weird...not sure if I can get over that"...haha. Well, it also happened that Derek's dad has a nickname for him while he's on the field in which he refers to him as 'Duke'. And what do you think is the name of Brandi's dog?? You're correct. It's Duke, too! haha. Totally random, but a funny coincidence all the same.

I thought, 'hmmm, maybe they could really have a chance at something fabulous'. Maybe he'll be game for meeting her and vice-versa. I'm gonna take the chance and ask 'em. So, I had called Derek to tell him that I got him a potential girlfriend for Christmas & told him enough about Brandi to get him interested. Then, I called Brandi and pitched the idea of Derek to her. They were both having it, so that leads me to the process of their meeting below.

Sooo, I happened to be at the bowling alley in San Angelo with the boys on a Friday night and knew she wasn't busy that night, so I called and asked her to come up there and hang out with all of us. So, she did. They immediately (after a small introduction) got to talking and hit it off right away. It was just like 'that' (insert finger snap here) and the rest is soon to be made into vows.

I am going to San Angelo this weekend to be there for their wedding. I am so excited for them and so happy that everything has worked out so beautifully between them. I feel a small sense of accomplishment that I could help two wonderful people find each other. I have no doubts that they will live a fabulous and extremely loving life together from now until forever. I want to wish them the best of all things and a happy, long, blessed life together. You two are awesome people and I've very blessed to have you as my friends! I can't wait until the wedding! :)