a love story

He stopped by to say 'hi' wearing a crisp white button down and his darkest Wrangler jeans. I was surprised to see him since he usually hung out at my apartment while I worked Saturdays at the Antique Mall. Although he lived over three hours away and was struggling to get his business off the ground while recovering from a broken leg, he'd come to San Marcos to see me almost every weekend for the last five months since we'd reunited. I liked to feel I gave him a safe haven to relax and recharge in after his hellish week in Bryan. We talked about where we might go for dinner that night and then he headed back to my apartment. I didn't even wonder why he had been all dressed up.

After work I drove home to meet him and we decided on a restaurant. I told him that first I needed to feed my friend's dog since she was out of town. On the way there we saw a turtle crossing the very busy road. Knowing my affection for reptiles, he quickly pulled over and I grabbed the little guy. He drove us to the river and I dropped off the grateful turtle.

We ended up at a restaurant on the San Marcos River and had a couple drinks with dinner. He seemed a little distracted but not enough for me to ask him about it. When we were done he asked if I wanted to go out to Five Mile dam, a favorite spot of ours but not a place we normally went on Saturday nights. We usually just rented a movie and stayed home. I was a little perplexed at his request but said I thought we should just head back to my place. Once we returned, he opened the fridge and pulled out a dozen roses. Wow. Then he said he'd forgotten something in the car and would be right back. I started cutting the stems and placing the roses in a vase when suddenly things started to seem in slow motion. He'd given me flowers in the past but he usually sent wildflowers, never roses. And what could he have left in the car? Something was afoot but my mind could not fathom that this might be "it." After dating a non-commital, immature jackass for almost five years and then finally walking away, I could not imagine that this guy I'd been dating for just five months would have the inclination or courage to propose to me.

He walked back into the kitchen of my apartment and asked me to sit down. I was really starting to have an out of body experience at that point and was glad to. He sat next to me and said, "I went to see your parents today." And I said, "What?! Why?" I was still not believing my ears. He waited for it to sink in and then pulled out a burgandy box and set it on the table. He said he wanted to know if I would be his wife and then he opened the box. I was in shock and still had not gotten past the fact that he'd gone to San Antonio that day and asked my parents for their blessings. I said, "Yes!" of course and he put the ring on my finger. He'd had it sized by finding out my ring size from my sister. Everyone had known about it but me! He handed me the phone and said we needed to call everyone because they were all waiting to hear the news. I could still hardly believe it, that we were engaged, but I was happy to spread the news.

He brought out a bottle of champagne and we went outside to drink it together. I lived in an old house that had been converted to apartments and so I had my own backyard. He'd built me a bench swing a couple of months earlier and that's where we sat, with fireflies blinking silently in the dark around us as we sipped our champagne and let it sink in. Our future together. What could it hold?

What will it hold? In nine years we've come so far. Farther than I could have imagined. And even though he had no running water when he asked me to marry him, I never once doubted he was solid in every way.
He has kept his word to my parents, that he would love me and provide for me.
He has surpassed my expectations and inspired me to be a better person.
He has grown as a man, a husband and a father.
He truly is a gift from God.



Happy 9th Anniversary Big Blue! I love you!