thanks neo.

When I met {cv} at Georgetown, I learned pretty quickly that he loved dogs. I vividly remember my first trip to his {terrible basement} apartment in September 2005. He hadn't decorated at all, but I did notice one thing he'd put up: a picture of his Sheltie, Neo. 

{First Visit to Maine with {cv} - June 2007}

{Father's Day Weekend - June 2010}

Within the first month of our relationship, I picked up from {cv} that the "ILY"  had been dropped very early with his previous girlfriends. I'd only said "ILY" to {b}, my pseudo-boyfriend from my high school days. I didn't expect to hear the "ILY" for quite some time--because I think we both knew we shouldn't jump ahead of ourselves. We liked where we were going, of course, but neither of us wanted to screw it up.

Three months later, we hit our only rocky patch because {cv} found out he had a job in NC waiting for him post-graduation. During that Christmas break, we spent a lot of time reconnecting. Sure, it was on the phone, but it was a start. When we finally made it back to Georgetown in early January 2006, something clicked even more than it had in those first four months. Soon after we returned, I was almost BURSTING to say "ILY."

This went on until April. Yes, April. By this point, I almost blurted it out when we were together at the gym. Seriously. {How embarrassing would that have been?! OY!} I went into "crazy girl" mode trying to devise the perfect way to say it. I also had to figure out when I would say it, all the while, trying to prevent myself from spitting it out at an inopportune time.

My plan came to me in the strangest of venues: CVS. I spotted these fantastic Sheltie sticky notes. My brain starting working...I could write "I love you" on the note...and stick it in his wallet when he didn't know it. It seemed like a flawless plan. He would find the note one day soon after and would realize how I felt. 

So, I slipped the note in his wallet while he was in the bathroom during a study date. I thought I was pretty sly. Where I lost my slyness was when I told him {as he was leaving} that I'd hidden something on his person...

What did he do? As he walked away, he immediately checked his wallet. I wish I had a camera at the ready to record his face during that moment in time. The good news is that I have a pretty fantastic mental image of his smile when he saw first opened the note. He returned the "ILY" soon after...

Flash forward almost five years to today. I'm trying to pick up the apartment a bit and stumbled upon his old wallet. {He now carries some weird moneyclip...I'll never understand how that holds enough!} Tucked right inside his wallet, I found that note from April 2006. He'd probably changed his wallet two or three times since college, so I knew the note made the move. I couldn't help but smile.

Looking back on it all, I wish I could say thank you to Neo. Sadly, he joined my long-gone Brittany Spaniel, Daisy, up in doggy heaven shortly after our Father's Day visit last year. Neo really did help me find the perfect way to tell {cv} "I love you". Who knew dogs were such matchmakers? ;)

Have you ever said you loved someone first? Or did you think I was totally crazy!? 

I can't wait to hear your thoughts and stories!

On a totally unrelated note, tomorrow is Friday {hallelujah!}...and that means Friday's Fancies :) I'd love to see what you'd be wearing if the cost didn't matter...trust me, I'd be a much bigger fashionista! I'll have the link-up ready to go early tomorrow morning, so start dreaming away!

Have a great night, all! xoxo {av} 

P.S. Speaking of note paper, don't forget to enter my Minted giveaway!! :)