Thursday, February 9, 2012

Our Love Story

In the spirit of the Valentine's holiday I thought I would join in the fun of sharing the story of Ben and I. I came across the link up on I Love You More Than Carrots who linked up with From Mrs. to Mama. I started the blog after we were married so besides bits and pieces here and there, I don't think I have shared any details about the Hub and I and how we came to be. Plus, it's always fun to remember back to those early days of love! Here is the fun little survey she posted:

1. How long have you and your significant other been together? We began dating in October of 2004 so about 7 1/2 years.
2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?} Ben and I were neighbors in the dorm beginning our second quarter of freshman year of college. I walked past his room everyday to get to my room and would wave. We began hanging out mostly with his group of friends and a couple of my girlfriends. By the end of freshman year, I was hanging out with those guys practically every weekend. We all parted ways for the summer. Ben is from Texas so he went home to San Antonio for the summer.


On the 4th of July I got a call from Ben. I was surprised since we hadn't talked since school got out but it was fun to say hi and I didn't think anything of it. About a month later, I got another call. I had just had knee surgery so I think I was a little out of it and Ben later told me that I was short with him and not very nice. Whoops!

Sophomore year came and I had moved into an apartment with a girlfriend and Ben had moved into a house with 4 other guys. We ran into each other a couple days before school started and I picked right back up where I left off spending a lot of time hanging out with the group of guys. One day, walking home from the bus, I told my roommate that I thought I liked Ben. I was definitely questioning it though because I no idea if he liked me and I didn't want to ruin any kind of friendship with him or any of the other guys if things didn't work out. We continued to hang out, my feelings grew and then one night we all decided to go to a movie together. Ben apparently thought that this was our "first date" however, I had no idea that was the case because it was me and a few other guys going to a movie. Well, I had been hanging out with my roommates boyfriend before the guys came to pick us up and let's just say we had been indulging a bit in some beverages and I did not put my best foot forward that night. So, I felt pretty stupid after that and a couple of weekends later, a group of us went bowling. 

We were all having a great time and my girlfriend decided to take me aside and told me she had some exciting news. In a really immature, middle-school, girl type fashion mature way she told me that Ben liked me. {Seriously, how awesome were we?! "Liked?" Come on now, we were mature sophomores in college but still getting all giddy over a boy...oh brother!} Anyway, after that I totally let my guard down and started flirting. I think he realized my feelings as well and started flirting back. Well, that night we had our first kiss and after that basically became inseparable. 

I think we did end up spending maybe a little too much time together right away and probably annoyed our roommates quite a bit but I think all of that is so hard to tell when you are just starting to date someone. Looking back we would probably do things a little differently but it obviously worked out alright! ;)
3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell} We have been married for 2 1/2 years. We got married in August 2009.

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?  If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small? We got married at a little "farm" in a smallish wedding of about 120 friends and family. We then got to take our honeymoon for a few days in Colorado and then headed down to San Antonio for a reception of family and friends there. 
5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share! I feel like we used to have more nicknames but they have faded out and there are mostly just a lot of "honeys" and "babes."
6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey. I love the way he loves me--strong, sure, without fail and good days and bad. I have found a new love for him in the way he loves our daughter. He is always supportive of me no matter what crazy thing I am doing.
7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal? I love it because I was completely surprised!

We were living together and Ben was about a month away of graduating college. It was a Sunday night {Mother's Day to be exact} and Ben told me he had to go to campus late to work on a group project because his group-mates were getting back late from Mother's Day. We said bye and I climbed into bed to watch Desperate Housewives. Gosh, I literally remember this like it was yesterday and it was almost 4 years ago! About 20 minutes later, I got a call from our friend to say he had wandered up on this hill on campus and had lost his keys. It was dark so he was having trouble seeing and could I come get him to take him home and get his spare. Ben had been checking to see where my cell phone was for a little bit before he left which I had noticed but hadn't really thought anything of. I reluctantly got out of bed and drove a few blocks to pick up our friend. I saw him by his car, I got out and he handed me a rose with a note saying, "Meet me at the top. Love, Ben." I looked quizzically at our friend but he just smiled and got in my car and we drove to the top. I honestly, still, at that time did not suspect a proposal. I thought he was just doing something romantic. 

We got to the top and our friend walked me down the dark path and came to the clearing where a wooden tower sits at the top of the hill that overlooks the city. The city where we fell in love. The stairs were lined with candles, as was the platform once I got to the top and there was my love. He shared his feelings with me and got down on one knee and said the magic words. I didn't give the reaction he wanted because I was in shock. It took me a second to say yes but once I did, he scooped me up, we kissed, and he shouted, "We're gettin' married!"
Not super flattering but SO happy!


8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberrieschampagne, and rose petals? Probably not a teddy bear but definitely flowers and a card.
9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch? Well who doesn't love to be on a beach?! However, we have always been a movie on the couch kind of couple. We are homebodies which is obviously one of the many reasons we are so compatible. 
10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere? We would love to go to Disneyworld together. He loves it there, I have only been to Disneyland so we will do this someday. There have been talks of going at Christmas one year, so we will see what happens. 
11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day. Since it's a Tuesday, we won't go out but I will try to put some effort into at least being dressed and making dinner. 
12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day? Just the hubby home for the evening since he has been working such crazy hours!
13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love. Communication. If there is one thing that Ben and I have always done, it is talk about everything. There is never anything that I would hesitate to tell him or discuss with him. This was, we never let anything stew or build up or harbor any negative or angry feelings.

14.  Show us a picture of what love means to you.
Happiest moment of our lives.
So fun taking a walk down memory lane. I love my honey so much and don't know what my life would be without him!

Go link up!


2 comments:

Holly said...

I love your proposal story!! And your wedding dress was super pretty!

Meg said...

Aww thats a such a cute proposal story! I love it! We go to Craven Farms every year for Halloween! Small world :)