Our Love Story

I know I've shared most of this before, but it's Valentine's season, people! I'm feelin' the love! And lately with the new internship, school starting for us both, and my hormones back in full swing... I haven't been feeling much love (and sure haven't been sharing very much with Husband [in more ways than one]). So I'm hoping this will be useful not only to share our story once again (because it's my very favorite love story) but also in reminding myself just how much I love that Mister of mine.

I came across this link up while reading Blue-Eyed Bride. The original link-up is from From Mrs. to Mama. I'd love to read your story, too, so head over to Becky's site and link up!

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

Our first date was on May 7, 2009... So coming up on 3 years.  

One of our first dates together... When I arranged for us to go out flying in a small plane over his hometown.

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

We've known each other since I transferred to the University of Arts of Oklahoma in 2008 for speech-language pathology. He was the only guy in my speech-path classes (because he was the only male in the entire program). I noticed him right away, of course, because he was the only guy. He swears up and down he noticed me because of my red hair, but he never gave any indication that I even existed (his eyes stayed glued to his computer for 99% of our classes together). In April of 2009, after he was finished with his final exams for the semester, he asked me via facebook if he could borrow my blender to make celebratory daiquiris (we lived across from each other in the on-campus apartments). I offered him my roommate's blender, thinking he would come over and take it to borrow it. Instead, five minutes later, he showed up with his infamous "Bauer bag" stuffed to capacity with ingredients to make daiquiris. So we made them in my kitchen and sipped them in my living room (I can neither confirm nor deny I was of legal drinking age at the time). I was really surprised at how chatty he was (especially after a few drinks) because he'd always been so quiet in class! Anyways, the long and the short of it is, we ended up watching a movie and Gilmore Girls that night, back at his apartment (where we'd gone for more drinks [I swear he's not an alcoholic, y'all]. A little while after I went back home, he walked over to my apartment and kissed me at my door.

Yes, I realized I just said we kissed before our very first date. Sue me... Or blame the alcohol (Sorry if your reading this, mother or mother-in-law, or any relative of mine or his)

And the rest is history.

Kissing at the desk in the classroom where we first had class together. This was the night I graduated from the college where we met.

3. How long have you been married? 

We married one year after our first date, on May 7, 2010... Coming up on 2 years.

Photograph by Lezlie Andrew

4. Where did you get married at? Big or small wedding? 

We were married at First United Methodist Church in Lawton, Oklahoma (my home town and home church [at the time]). It was a much larger wedding than I ever thought I would have, seeing as we both had large groups of people who were on our list of "Must Have There"'s. I really have no idea what the final head count was, or if there even was a final head count. Most of our very favorite people were able to be there and the ceremony was exactly what I always wanted... All thanks to my mother and mother-in-law. 

Photograph by Lezlie Andrew. This shows half of the reception (the other half is behind the photographer).

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!

Well, all the standards like "babe", "baby", "dear", and "honey". I don't think we have any cutesy ones though... Not that those are bad, by any means. I call him "Bray". I guess that's about the only nickname I have for him.

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

1. I love how much he cares for and cherishes his family (and now me and mine). Family and his close friends are his top priority in life, and that is one thing we've always connected on and loved about one another. That is the first thing I remember falling in love with about him. 
2. I love that even when we are at odds with one another, I know he wants me to be happy and he always wants what is best for me (and us). We've always agreed that our marriage will be based on God and the premise that our main goal is to always do what we can to ensure the others happiness and well-being. 
3. I love that he is perfect for me. He is, literally, every last thing I ever wrote on any checklist growing up on "What I Want in a Husband" (and I have the checklist to prove it). He's funny, he's respectful, he's silly, he loves children, he loves family, he has dark hair and light eyes, he makes me feel safe, and most importantly, he loves God. I love that God brought us together at just the right moment in our lives.  

He truly is happiest when he's with family.

7. Tell us how he proposed? 

He took me out to his Papaw's orchard at about 9PM on a misty September night (Sept. 12th, 2009, to be exact... Just four months after we started dating). He led me through a field to a pathway of sidewalk lights leading to a clearing between the trees. In the clearing, there were several tiki torches surrounding a bird bath, which is where the ring was placed. He got down on one knee (in the mud) and proposed. I said yes, and as he kissed me, his brother and two best friends shot off fireworks from the hill we were facing.

True story. 

The morning after he proposed.

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

A combination, I guess? I don't think he would buy me a teddy bear, but he has definitely bought me my share of flowers and we both love strawberries and champagne. I would pass on the rose petals though (because I'd be the one who'd clean it up, ha). His plan of action for Valentine's Day, though, has been flowers and jewelry... And a girl could never complain about that, right?!

My gift for Valentine's Day 2011.

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

Um, can I be both? Obviously living in Oklahoma, we can't really make beach-going a frequent occurrence, but I'd love to go more if we could! But truly, staying at home and relaxing on the couch is our specialty. Another is going out the movies. I love that we enjoy (mostly) the same types of flicks. He's my favorite person to share popcorn with (because he lets me eat most of it and always gets the refills). Be still, my heart. 

Our favorite: lounging on the couch together <3

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

Well, we were really hoping to win an all-expenses paid week-long trip to Costa Rica, but that didn't work out. So now we're just hoping to go somewhere for a graduation trip. I'm thinking Destin, FL sounds about my speed, but we're open to suggestions!

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day. 

Well, like last year, Husband has to work on Valentine's Day, so we'll be celebrating the weekend after. I think our plan is to just do dinner and a movie in OKC.

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?

I mean, I don't think I did? I can't think of anything I want besides a date night!

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love. 

Some may say, being a newlywed, I'm not in much of a position to give advice yet. I know there is plenty we still have to learn about love and marriage. But I'd say, for us, one thing we always try to do is never say words out of anger that cannot be taken back. Many times, I leave the room or have to tell him that I just can't talk right now. Name calling is a no-no and outright meanness is really hard to apologize for and/or take back. Taking a time out is my go-to plan of action when things get too heated.

14.  Show us a picture of what love means to you.

It's not only our smiles I love in this picture, but there's a story behind that blue hippopotamus. This picture was taken this past Christmas Eve at my parents' house. I'm always teasing him about how he basically wants me to tell him what I want, every time there's a gift-giving holiday, instead of listening to what I tell him on a day-to-day basis and figuring out from that what I need/want. A few weeks before Christmas, I played him a Christmas song I'd never heard before that was so cute it became a new favorite ("I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" by Gayla Peevey). So for Christmas, he surprised me by buying me this little hippo, even though I never outwardly said I wanted one. I loved that he listened to what I told him a few weeks prior and put the thought into picking out a cute and sweet gift that I will cherish forever (even if it is a silly little hippo). The thought behind that gift was all I wanted for Christmas. I love that this picture shows our happiness and love for one another in that moment.