Part 4 - Our 10th Anniversary & Giveaway

(If you missed it, you can still read Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3 )

… Months turned into a year. It became more and more apparent that the two of us would be inseparable.  I wish I could tell you that one afternoon, in front of family and friends, Daniel bent down on one knee… looked me deep in the eyes, told me how much he loved me, and that he couldn’t bear to ever live without me… and asked me if I would be his wife. 

That was not at all the case.  Actually, to be honest, he says he proposed twice and I didn’t realize it… ladies, please help me out here… let me place the setting… tell me, would you have known what was going on?

Daniel was working offshore as a deckhand… the boat had docked for the night and the captain was going home. Usually when this happened I would drive to the landing and visit Daniel.  This particular night, we were lounging around watching T.V. .. kind of making small chat, when this conversation took place.

DANIEL— (not even looking at me), “What would you say if I’d ask you to marry me?” 

ME—“I would say yes, you know I would say yes…. IF you would EVER ask.” 

He didn’t say anything more about it that night. I drove home and went about my business.

About three months later… we were at his home, in his room, when this conversation took place…

DANIEL—(not even looking at me), “What would you say if I’d ask you to marry me?” 

ME— “I told you, I would say yes if you would ever ask”

DANIEL— “I’ve asked you twice already and you keep saying that!”

ME –-quiet for a moment… confused

ME— “You never asked me if I would marry you, you asked me what I would say IF you’d ask me to marry you!”

DANIEL— “Well, I’ve asked you twice… so will you?”

ME— “Yes… you know I will.”

DANIEL— “O.K. Then”

ME— “So… for real? You really just asked me… sort of… and I said yes?”

DANIEL— “Yes”

ME— “ So… we are engaged… for real?”

DANIEL— “Yes”

ME –-“So… I can tell people… like your mom and your sisters and stuff?”

DANIEL— “Yes, if you want”

ME— Smiles…. But secretly, slightly disappointed.

ME— “So when will we get married?”

DANIEL –-“What year are we in?”

ME— “2000”

DANIEL –-“2002 then”

ME— “What day?”

DANIEL— “Valentines?”

ME— looking on my phone calendar “That’s on a Thursday”

DANIEL— “My birthday then”

ME— “That’s on a Thursday as well”

ME –-Figuring and calculating… “If we get married the day after your birthday… it will be February first.. And still the month of Valentines. It’s on a Friday, but we can get married late in the afternoon?”

DANIEL—“Sounds good to me.”

So.. That was that. We were engaged… I went to his moms the next day, and while having a conversation with his mom and sister I realized that I had sort of forgotten we were engaged… and told them that he has asked me. The day after that, my Aunt was going to a jewelry store to pick out a birthday ring for herself… and I rode along. I looked at, and picked out my wedding ring. (I was still young, and didn’t want him to have to spend much money on me, so I only looked at the discounted, and sale jewelry) but I found the perfect ring… and it’s sitting on my ring finger as I type this.

Two years flew by really fast… before we knew it, it was the big day… and the doors opened… I was standing there looking at him… he was standing there looking at me… and I began walking toward my husband… my future… the beginning of the rest of my new life as his bride.

I was so nervous, I can’t tell you what the details were. I had only one person video our wedding. The recorder went dead before I was able to view it. They were going to copy it and send it to me within the next few weeks. A month later their home burned down, and with it my wedding video.  I thank God that we were lucky enough to have a lot of people take pictures!

I hazily remember placing the ring on his finger, him placing my ring on mine… the kiss… and walking back out towards the limo to head to the reception.

The reception was just a line of picture after picture after picture… I was tired, my feet hurt, it was cold for the first time in weeks… I mean really cold, but I was happy.

For two nights following our wedding, we stayed at a local motel… I was sick from the cold the night we were married on, my nose was stuffy and I started to cough… but we had fun.

Throughout the years, we have had four children, four beautiful children, a Daughter… a son… two more daughters…  we have always stayed by each other’s side. We’ve experienced deaths, births, joys and sorrows. It has been a roller coaster of emotions at times, but I promise you, there is no one else on this earth I would rather hold on tight and ride this roller coaster called life with.

In a couple short weeks, we will be heading to our very first Vacation as a couple… after 10 years, we will have a Honey Moon… of sorts. We will stay in a Cabin… stand on the beach… and renew our vows.

When we first got married, I thought I was marrying my best friend… now, 10 years later… I know I did.

I had no clue what I was getting into, but I would not go back and change it for anything in the world.

I love my husband… I know that he loves me… we are happy, and that’s all that matters. 

I will post Anniversary pictures next month gals.. !

Thank you so much for coming with me on this trip back through time...