Blog Party..."I Said Yes!"

So, I am joining in with Jen from Mimi Bella Boo on the "I Said Yes!" blog party!

Here's the scoop on when he asked and how I said yes...

So, I didn't think my husband would EVER ask me to marry him. Ever. We dated for five years before he did. And I hinted. I asked when. I pushed. I wondered. I cried. I begged. And after five years...nothing. No ring. Nada.

So, imagine my surprise when it happened right after Christmas - Dec. 28th, 2005.

We met in a bar. Steve was the bartender and I was the barfly. It took a few months of flirting on my part and pursuing him at all loss of my pride and dignity, but eventually he asked me out. And we became inseparable. I knew after our first date that he was the one I would marry and I said so in my journal after I arrived home that night. Through the years, we had our share of troubles, but we pushed through them all.

Fast forward five years, and this is how the engagement started. Steve, my husband, told me that he wanted to have our friends, Jennifer, Green, and Colbey, over to his house for dinner...like a dinner party, but casual. I mean, he lived in a dirty, bachelor pad with a card table for a dining room table, flashing liquor neons, and blankets on the windows for curtains. So, I assumed it was casual.

The night of the party, my friend, Jennifer, called to tell me she would be late. No biggie. I got dressed in jeans, a t-shirt with a picture of a chihuahua on the front, tennis shoes, and my hair in a ponytail. Casual, remember?

I pull up to his house and I am the first one there. No surprise.

Until I walk in the house. Steve answers the door in slacks and a dress shirt, there are flower petals all over the floor and on the table, the lights are dimmed, there are candles lit, and music playing. The band playing was U2 because this is his favorite band of all time. Truly, he's obsessed.

I remember walking in the house and feeling confused. I remember thinking, "Wow, Steve went to a lot of trouble for Jennifer, Green and Colbey! He went all out!" I remember thinking that it was weird that there were flower petals on the floor when two of our guests were guys. Yes, I am dense. I still didn't get it. But, how could I? I had given up on ever marrying him. Also, my grandaddy had died two months before and he was still on my mind most of the time. Marriage was not.

So, I sat down at the table in my chihuahua shirt and tennis shoes and Steve brought me a glass of wine. He sat down across from me and I said, "Jennifer called to say she would be late." And he said, "Well, actually she's not coming." And I said, "Why not?" And he said, "Actually, nobody is coming."

I was still clueless and confused. I had no idea what was going on. I just thought our friends had bailed.

Then, slowly, Steve slid a ring box across the table to me and asked me to open it. And people, I still didn't get it. I still had no idea I was about to be engaged. It just wasn't registering that there was a ring in that box. Until I opened it.

When I opened it, I remember getting really nervous and sweaty. I got hot all of a sudden and my heart started beating super fast. Then, suddenly, Steve is kneeling on one knee in front of me. And honestly and sadly, I have no idea what he said. He doesn't remember either. We were both so nervous and emotional! Then, we drank champagne, ate the dinner he cooked (I have no recollection of what we ate either!! Maybe it is in my journal...), and called our family members.

I do remember that we both cried, just like we did five months later during our wedding ceremony.

We didn't want a long engagement, so we married on May 26th, 2006.

(images by Aus10 Photography)

And now three and a half years, one son, and another baby on the way later, we are still going strong. We have had our share of trials and troubles in marriage, but we always seem to come out the other side, stronger and closer.

I love you, Steve! Happy Valentine's Day!