I hope everyone had a lovely Valentines Day and is enjoying the month of February!
Considering Valentines Day is the day of Love, I wanted to share a little Love story of my own. I won't go into every little mushy detail and won't focus on just one thing. I'll just hit on some amazing times I remember and moments that still make me smile.
Most of you know I just got married to my love, Brandon. Our wedding was in June and was absolutely perfect. We don't have an amazing story of how we met or how we were apart and fate brought us back together. But we do have a love story, the kind of love story that makes you want to find love, create love, and chase it down for yourself.
We met in May of 2003 through friends of friends. Seems a lot like fate to me that we were at the exact place with those certain people at the exact right time to meet each other {funny how everything lines up perfectly huh}. We talked through the night and even though I am usually the outgoing one, the one who always talks... little does Brandon know but I was a little bit nervous. I just knew I couldn't say something stupid and look like a total nerd in front of him (and if you know me, you know I say some pretty nerdy things). But what I didn't realize either was that Brandon was completely nervous as well and told me in later years that he was desperately hoping I was that one girl for him, as I was the prettiest girl he had ever seen. I gave him my number and got his but I was not going to be the one to call. Stubborn me. The next day, it seemed like I waited forever for him to call but really I was pretty lucky because he did call that evening. Can you imagine my excitment when I saw the name of that great guy I met the night before on my phone!!
The next week was just the beginning. Okay, well I have to share our first date because I still tease him about it to this day. It was a golf tournament!! And out to eat. Totally nothing fancy at all. But reality is thats me and Brandon. Anyone who knows us knows we are all about fun more than fancy. Our next several dates were a lot nicer but still included those occassional few that consisted of ice cream and a bike ride, or putt-putt golf, even the batting cages. I was completely head over heels for Brandon.
Some of our first dates....
The Aquarium, a hot air balloon ride,
and floating the river.
Some of our first dates....
The Aquarium, a hot air balloon ride,
and floating the river.
Our first OU Sooners game together
Okay so going on now.... In late summer of 2003, just a mere 3 months after we met I went to Florida by myself to see family. I was gone for a little over a week. We talked every day while I was gone. As I was arriving back to the airport at home, something changed for Brandon. Something huge. He tells me to this day exactly what he felt as I walked to him after getting off the plane. It was like slow motion, I couldn't hug him fast enough. Right then he knew he was completely in lOVE with me and knew I was that one girl for him. He even remembers what I was wearing and the look on my face. I was in Love and so was he.
It felt perfect.
His 20th birthday I attended with his family
(first birthday of his I was at)
(first birthday of his I was at)
Trip to Chicago with my family
in 2004
in 2004And the rest is history! HA, no I'm kidding! I'll keep going.
One thing you all have to know about Brandon is that he is such a romantic and crazy sweet. Over the next several years I received poems and letters weekly. He wrote them all himself. I kept every single one. I have boxes of love letters, poems, flower cards, napkins with the words "I Love You" on them, and so much more.
So as I was saying, we were completely in lOVE and enjoying being young and together. I met his family, he met mine. We all got along so well, it just all fell right into place. We went on several trips, I started college, we continued school together. I lived in my dorm and him in his apartment. Life was good.
One of the first Valentines Cards I made for him
Christmas of 2005 we are opening presents with my family. As always, I had a ton of wonderful stuff to open from Brandon. He tells me to open one very last. So after we were all done, I open this mystery box. Inside was a photo album with a piece of paper that pretty much explained.... since I had wanted to go to New York so bad for many years we would start saving up and plan to go next year but until then he would bring New York to me. "Awe how sweet", I thought. Flipping through this photo album there are pictures of New York City on every page. As my family is ooooing and awwwing at the pictures, we get to the last page. There lies our itinerary for our trip to New York in just a couple of days!! Oh.My.Gah! I think I even cried a little. Pretty much a girls dream gift right?!
A few days later we were packing for New York when Brandon left his carry on bag in the floor. I, not knowing a thing at the time, picked it up and started going through it finding a good little pocket for my camera. I put the bag down and kept packing.... thennn Brandon walked around the corner apparently noticing that the bag was a little disshuffled. He panicked. He starting asking me, "uhh what did you need in the bag.. uhh are you done with my bag." And proceeded to tell me he had everything in there just the way he liked it, all organized so if I needed anything in it just to let him know. "OKayyy Mr. Obsessive compulsive!" Well later I find out why he was sooo gosh darn worried about the bag.
On New Years Eve in New York we head down to Times Square to bring in the New Year. It was fabulous but honestly pretty freakin cold too. We had heard that you have to get to times square super early if you even remotely want to see the ball drop and have a good place. We waited forever. Lets just say all afternoon and evening was standing there making friends with some wonderful people from Jamaica while eating way to much New York style pizza. After much anticipation, midnight arrives. 10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1 Happy New Year!! I looked around me to kiss Brandon and there he was down on one knee. Okay so I have to admit this one little part, since I was really completely surprised and had no idea he was proposing. I almost said what I thought at that instant... "uhh Brandon get off the ground, we can get confetti later". But then I saw It. That shiny rock he was holding up at me. I grabbed him faster than I could think, obviously said YES and put that rock on my finger. I was the happiest girl in Time Square. I think our Jamaican friends were pretty excited too ( ;
Later I learned that my ring was in Brandons carry on bag and that he was convinced I saw it. Poor guy, he was freaking out. He also told me later that the whole time up until he asked me he was so nervous, not that I would say no, but because he didn't know how exactly he was going to ask. He at first thought maybe in Central park on New Years Day, or maybe ice skating at Rockefeller Center. But I think he choose the best way by far.
Engaged!!! Midnight January 1st, 2006
Me at Rockefeller Center
It was truly amazing. I know this is all mushy and might make some of you want to vomit but I really don't know how I got so lucky with Brandon. He is everything I could imgine in a husband. Now don't get me wrong we have our issues like all couples and sometimes we want to wring each others neck but I could not imagine my life without him.
We Finally got married June 12th, 2010. On our programs Brandon wrote a poem to me. He wanted for it to be a total surprise but that was kind of hard since my mom, sisters, aunt, and I were putting the ribbon the programs. I wanted to share the poem with you all and wish every one of you a love story like ours. Be patient, be hopeful, and know that there is someone out there just for you that will love you despite all your imperfections.
Love is a wonderful sometimes unimaginable feeling but not always easy either. I also believe that Love doesn't just walk right up to you, shake your hand, and begin a journey. I believe you have to find it in a sense, you have to be willing to open up to it, to be willing to give yourself fully. I believe that you have to "Create the Life you Love"
The End... and they are living Happily Ever After ( :
