Recently I have had someone write in and ask how it was that Topher (my hubby for any new readers) and I met. It was kind of unconventional. Way back in the stone ages, I worked as a model (believe-it-or-not).
I just returned from a two-day photo shoot in Dallas where I hadn’t slept for 48 hours. I walked through my front door and played the messages on my answering machine (remember those?). It was from one of my best friends, who also happened to be my hairstylist and and makeup artist. She was doing a big photo shoot that night and I HAD to be there.
I collapsed on my bed, deliberating on how long a twenty-year old woman could actually go without sleep before death set in … and then the phone rang again, and my friend was on the other line begging me to come. I knew she would not stop calling until I caved. She promised it would only take two hours.
The project was called “100 years of Hair”, and they had split groups of people into each decade: turn of the century, the 20’s, 50’s etc., up until the present day (which was the 90’s). My hairstylist also happen to cut Topher’s hair during that time, and she talked him into being there too (he worked for beer back then). He ended-up being placed in the roaring 20’s and was dressed up like a mobster. I wasn’t until the 80’s, so I was wearing 6-inch stiletto heels, a black drapey jumpsuit, huge poofy curly hair, and heavily made-up blue shadowed eyes.
We all arrived around 6PM, and I didn’t finish my shots until 5AM. I had not slept for 3 days. I was delirious at this point. Some guy named Topher had been talking to me throughout the night and asked me out for breakfast. Being that exhausted, I have no recollection of what we spoke about that morning, but I remember sitting in Denny’s with Topher in a zoot suit, and me dressed-up like Pat Benatar’s backup dancer, getting some odd glances and not caring.
He made an impression, and I was interested enough to give him my number when he asked … and the rest is history. Later on, when I was talking to my stylist friend about this great new guy I started dating, she started shouting “That’s him! The guy I’ve been trying to set you up with!” As it turns out, she had been speaking with both of us, trying for years to get us together. Crazy!
Plus, it’s fun that we have a video (about a century of hair) of the night we met — in fact, it was put to a decent soundtrack, each decade had period-specific music to go along with the theme.
Little did he know a million years later, he would be coming home from work daily to help mix-up paint, lift heavy furniture, rewire vintage lights, take pictures, do blog maintenance and updates, and then get up early to proof my articles. He is just as big of a part of Restoration Redoux as I am.
People have asked if he is a big romantic when it comes to Valentines Day … he is not a fan of Valentine’s Day. He says “If I show that I love you every day, why is it necessary to do it more on a day everything costs twice as much?” I have a tough time arguing with him since he is romantic in the little things he does throughout the year. Whether it’s grabbing my favorite magazine when he runs to the grocery store, picking up my favorite cupcakes on his way home from work, writing a sweet message to me on the bathroom mirror in soap (which we have since learned is a big mess to clean up), or driving me all the way to St. Louis so my mom and I could go see Oprah.
So for Valentines Day, I will probably make a nice quiet dinner at home since waiting in line for three hours at a restaurant isn’t appealing to either of us. Although, we will probably go out this weekend … and he got me something I wanted from Decor Steals which is my newest, favorite shopping site. I will show you that soon.
So No, my Valentine probably won’t be standing under my window with a boombox over his head blaring Peter Gabriel, or whisking me off to Paris to dine underneath the Eiffel Tower, but there will be many times during the year that I tell myself how lucky I am to have him.
What a great love story!!
Great story! My husband does little things through out the year too.
I’m a hairstylist and have been since, well let’s say the 80’s…LOL! So I can so understand the big hair and all the style changes.
Thanks Denyse! We were very highly flammable that night!
Cute story! : ) I always thought you guys met in high school or something.
Thanks Kari! Nope we grew up in different towns and didn’t meet until we were 20 and 21.
Isn’t it the best feeling in the world to know that we don’t need a specific day to be shown the love our better half”s have for us. I told mine that there wasn’t a store in the world that could sell him anything to make me feel more loved… There isn’t a day that goes by that mine doesn’t surprise me and go beyond my expectations, dreams and fantasies. We are blessed women! BTW, I was so thrilled to finally meet you at the craft show! You are even more beautiful and kind in person! Thanks for all the info you shared with me! Oh, and I wanted to tell you, my first piece that I have made for selling purposes, the coffee table, has sold. I was also asked to look for a bedroom set that I can redo for the same couple. Very excited to tackle such a huge undertaking, but also very scared. But I still have to find one first before I worry too much. Happy Valentine’s Day! <3
Congratulations Lisa! Stepping out on that ledge is scary but worth it in the end. I was thrilled to meet you too! I love that I got to put a face with some of the names I have got to know. Yes, I am very lucking to have found my little Topher. He is a great husband, a wonderful father and even better tech support lol! I probably don’t tell him that enough. I’m so glad you found your honey too. Life is so much better when you have someone to share it with. Hope you had a great Valentine’s Day!
So cute!! I hadn’t heard the story before. 🙂 LOVE the pictures!!! You need to post some from the night you met, if you guys have them. I want to see this 80s outfit of yours: you had me at “jumpsuit.”
Posting those pictures might make our future niece or nephew disown us. Not to mention the unnamed child! As far as the jumpsuit went, I looked like I walked out of a Gloria Vanderbuilt ad. Your probably too young for that reference, you might have to google it lol!
I have a video of the photoshoot and Shanna is right – that was some seriously big hair! Topher looked like a handsome gangster (even toting a gun!) and Shanna was a be-yoo-tiful Disco queen. I should share the film with the unamed child. Good times!
This couple is super sweet I know them both Happy Valentines Day Topher and Shanna….
a couple who will always be! !
True Love Dwells!!!!
Yahoo!!!
Good Morning Shanna, sounds like you have something special, and it’s easy to believe you were a model, you’re lovely. Happy Valentines Day.
Jeannie
Thanks for your kindness Jeannie! Have a great weekend!
Could you two be any more cute? I think not! I would LOVE to see that shoot footage if possible. Just a thought. Have a very Happy Valentine’s Day! Mu-ah!!
Oh Ivy, I’m not sure that I could handle that kind of humiliation! I haven’t seen this video in years. I might have to take a look and see how ego damaging some screen shots would be. Hope you had a great Valentine’s Day!