Since it's February {the month of love} and Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I decided I would link up with
From Mrs. to Mama and tell our love story!
1. How long have you and your significant other been together?
Gene and I have been together since September of 2005.
2. How did you meet: {What's your "love" story?}
I started as a dispatcher at my hometown police department in February of 2005. One afternoon, a month or so after I started, I walked into the dispatch center and sat down across the room from an officer that had his feet propped on a desk, eating a Subway sandwich. He had gorgeous blue eyes and a smile that made me weak in the knees (and still does!). He looked at me and then continued talking to the other dispatchers in the room. He left not long after that and I didn't see him again for a couple of months. When I moved to the shift he was working for training, I would go downstairs all the time to try and see him. It rarely worked because he was rarely at the station. However, he started coming upstairs every day that he worked to eat his lunch in dispatch before starting his shift. He would gradually move closer to me and flirt and everybody knew something was up because he had never spent that much time in there! :) He eventually got my number from another dispatcher and called me the first time on a Wednesday night after I got home at 10. His shift ended at 1 am and we talked almost the whole time! Except when he was working something. Our first date was that following Saturday, at my apartment, where we watched The Longest Yard! I was absolutely smitten and after he left I told my roommate (and best friend, Steph) that if that man proposed to me right then I would say yes!! He's also 13 years older than me and I was surprised myself when I fell so hard for him! Gasp! Age is only a number and has never been an issue for either one of us.
{Four wheeling date with friends!}
3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry?
We were married on December 14, 2006!
4. If you are married, where did you get married? Big or small wedding? If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?
Gene and I didn't have a wedding or a reception of any kind. We sort of got things out of order and I was pregnant when we married. Six months pregnant, actually. Honestly, not how I pictured things, but knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have done it differently! So, we were in the middle of building our house and were both on our days off from work, when we went to the courthouse to get our marriage license. We were walking around Lowe's looking for bathroom fixtures, while I went down a list of Justices of the Peace, looking for one that was available. We were married in a little old house in Fayetteville, by an 82 year old man that looked just like Colonel Sanders! Red bow tie and everything. He was so sweet and absolutely precious. It was just Gene and I. I would love to renew our vows on our 10 year anniversary and actually have a ceremony.
{One of the happiest days of my life!! And I can't believe I'm posting this, with me looking so horrid!}
5. Do you have any nicknames that you call one another? Do share!
I always call him Babe and he calls me Woman (yes, yes he does, because he knows it drives me crazy!!), Babe or Mama.
6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.
1. His dedication to our family. He works so hard, both in his career and at home, to provide and care for us. 2. His ability to make me laugh. He drives me more crazy than anybody sometimes, but it is impossible for me to stay mad at him, because he ALWAYS makes me smile and laugh. 3. His fathering. He loves his kids so deeply and would lay down his life for any of them. He's serious when it's necessary and goofy the rest of the time! 4. (Because I'm a rule breaker!) His arms. :) He works out religiously and stays in shape, which I find incredibly sexy!
7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?
My husband is faaaaaaar from a romantic. Seriously. I know I'm the only person that has ever seen his mushy, sensitive, lovey side because he is just not an emotional person. And I'm ok with that! So, on our one year anniversary of being together, he shows up from running errands while I'm getting ready for work. I keep walking past the bed and finally notice that there is a little gold gift bag lying there. I see a black box inside of it. He had bought me a diamond cross necklace for either my birthday or Valentine's Day, but the chain had broken, so I thought he had just bought me a new chain. I was hurrying to get ready, so I didn't open it. Well, until he finally asked me (after standing there staring at me for forever!) if I was going to open the box, I finally did! And was surprised by an engagement/wedding band set!! I was floored and so proud of what he picked out, because we had not even looked at anything! I tried them on, but they were too small. I don't wear jewelry. Ever. Especially rings, so he had no idea what size I needed! It was torture waiting to get them back after being sized! And....he never even really asked me either. He just stood there grinning the whole time. Stinker.
{One of my favorites of us! It shows his goofiness!}
8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne and rose petals?
Ummmm...he's not really either. Remember? He's not a romantic. However, I have received flowers for various different things at work. Which is one of my favorite things ever! But normally, he just gets me something I've been wanting or talking about.
9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?
I guess I'm a little bit of both, but more the relaxing movie girl. I love going out to eat, but I also love staying in and snuggling on the couch.
10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant other one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?
Go on our honeymoon. :) We never took one and have only been on one other trip together. Sad, I know. Finances don't normally permit trips!
{Christmas 2010}
11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.
I have no idea. Since it falls on a week day, we probably won't do anything on the day of. I don't know if we'll go out this weekend to celebrate or not.
{My birthday, 2010}
12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's Day?
Yes, an iPhone 4s! :)
{Silver Dollar City}
13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.
Respect each other and learn to pick your battles! Most things aren't really worth fighting over.
{Us with the boys before Colt's junior prom!}
**Sidenote: Gene was married once before and they had two boys. Therefore, I have two stepsons, Colt (oldest) and Corey! They were 11 and 12 when Gene and I got together and are now 17 and 18. I love them just like my own though and I don't really know what I would do without them in my life!
14. Show us a picture of what love means to you.
My family of 5! And what's horrible, is this is one of the very few pictures of all of us together. And it's 2 years old. :(
