A Romantically Random Tuesday

I told you that I’d be here today, providing you with some fun random Tuesday questions to go along with the fact that Gary and I just celebrated our 12^th anniversary. Thought I’d spread the love with some fun questions and answers about our meeting, wedding, marriage, etc.

First, though, how about a few pictures of us from so many years ago? Here are a few from when we were dating and then from our wedding (the one at the top was from our honeymoon). We really were kinda cute, weren’t we? And look at little McKenna? ( Bobby--I even put one of your handsome self on here for your enjoyment! lol)

Now to some romantically random questions for today...

* How did Gary and I meet?

I love hearing stories of how couples meet and I especially love the ones that involve cool, interesting, or “fateful” ways that they meet. And I definitely feel like our story is one like that! In fact, we would have never met if it weren’t for certain things that had to happen!

Gary and I actually worked at the same office building for 6 months and never knew each other (I was an editor, he was an accountant, and we were on two separate floors). We did, though, have several friends and co-workers in common; we just never met, for some reason. (It was actually good that we didn’t meet, though, because we were both married to other people at the time.)

After I quit my job to go back to graduate school (and in the meantime, my first husband and I had separated), one Saturday night I decided to go to a restaurant back in Birmingham (I was living in Tuscaloosa, about an hour away) to hear a former co-worker play in his band. I had worked with this guy for three years and he had asked me repeatedly to go hear his band play and I had NEVER done it before. It really was on a whim that I decided to go; I convinced my two best friends, Cheryl and Angela, to go with me that night and it all worked out that we were able to go. We went to watch Barry’s band play at a place called The Ox Restaurant and while I was there this really cute guy came up to me and asked me to dance. (I had never had this happen to me before, so it was really cool. Cheryl and Angela looked at me like, “Are you gonna actually dance with this stranger?” since they were really worried about me since my marriage had ended. They didn’t want me hurt again and were really watching out for me.) I said, “Yes” and had a great time dancing to one song with the guy who introduced himself as Gary. After the dance, we went back to our respective tables and then 15 or 20 minutes later, Gary signaled to me to come outside the lounge area. We sat there and introduced ourselves, talked a bit (including the information that I was separated and had a one-year-old daughter), and discovered that the reason we were both there on that night was that we both knew Barry. Gary had worked with Barry as well and often came to listen to him play (although that night he had really second-guessed coming, because of some different things going on). He asked me for my phone number, then we all got ready to go.

We left at the same time, and I saw him speed off in his little red Miata. He was sweet, so cute, and had a great car! Cheryl and Angela just looked at me and shook their heads!! (He called me several days later and because of my final exams we didn’t go out on our first date for another two weeks. But it was worth it…)

* How did Gary propose to me?

Remember the dance floor where we met? Gary proposed to me on the exact same spot, with the exact same band playing at the time. It was BEYOND romantic and just a perfect, perfect night!

* Was it love at first sight, attraction at first sight, or did it build slowly?

I knew I was in deep trouble the first time I saw Gary. I feel instantly in “attraction” with him (Gary laughs and says it was “in lust”) and when he kissed me for the first time on our first date (on a dance floor again—those things were really important in our dating history! Lol) I REALLY knew I was in trouble! While it was attraction that immediately drew us to each other, we feel in love too very quickly!

* Where did we get married and what special memories do I have of the day?

We got married on May 27, 1995, and our ceremony was at The Gorgas House on the University of Alabama campus. This is the most beautifl Civil War-era house on campus and was perfect for our wedding (it's really cool, because each time we go on campus for a Bama football game or other occassion, there it is to remind us of our day!). We had a small ceremony (about 20 people there), since we had both been married before. One of my favorite pastors in the world married us. And McKenna and I both walked down the aisle to Gary (and we both gave McKenna her own “wedding” ring). The gorgeous “Canon D” was our wedding processional and every time I hear it I remember what a beautiful day it was and how happy we all were!

Since we invited just a few people to our wedding, we invited everyone to our reception! We had it later that evening in Birmingham and had a live band, great food, drinks, and just a good time with friends and family! In fact, we didn’t even worry about leaving and hung out with everyone until the very end. It was a very laid-back, fun reception—one of the best nights ever!

* What is the most romantic gift I have received?

Gary has always been a great gift-buyer and giver (one of the reasons I love Christmas so much is that I know Gary will get me some wonderful, sentimental presents!). But the one that’s perfect to mention in this post is the wedding gift that Gary gave me. He bought me the coolest trunk (it has legs and actually looks like a stack of books, if you can understand that) and had it engraved with a poem he wrote about the night we met. I won’t tell you the entire poem, but it ends with the line, “my dreams came true the night I asked a dream to dance.”

It still stands in our den and I love to just stop and read the engraving every once in a while!

* Where did we go on our honeymoon?

We had a fabulous time in Aruba, where we stayed at an all-inclusive resort. We ate and drank and ate some more…until we couldn’t stand it any more! Aruba is the most beautiful island you can imagine—crystal blue water, the neatest interior that you can explore all day long, friendly people, and gorgeous sunset views. We loved it!! (I would love to go back some day!)

* What words would I use to describe our marriage?

I mentioned back in my Sunday post that I feel like our love has changed as the years have gone by. Our love is not as desperate and breathless as it was in the beginning; and we also don’t cling to each other like we did at one time (we spend plenty of time apart and are fine with that). We also have become more alike as the years have gone by (when we met, I would have definitely told you that we were a story of how opposites do attract; we almost broke up, in fact, over some politcal differences! ha!), and we share so many of the same values and priorities. Our love is more mature than it was at the beginning (although we certainly do know how to act silly and have fun; and those occasional nights of “parking” do help to remind us that even mature love needs to be breathless some of the time! lol). So... words to describe our marriage? Committed, strong, fun, loving, respectful, contented.

Now…if you made it through that entire post…BRAVO for you!! That was a long one!!!

And now, if you want to join in this Romantic Random Tuesday, I would LOVE for you to! If you don’t have the time or energy to answer all of these questions, pick out at least one to answer! Let us know the answer to at least one of these questions—

* How did you and your husband, wife, significant other, etc. meet?

* How were you proposed to (if you’re married!)?

* Was it love at first sight, or did it build slowly?

* When and where did you get married, and do you have any specific special memories of that day?

* What is the most romantic gift you’ve received?

* Where did you go on your honeymoon?

* What words would you use to describe your marriage?

If you’re not married, or you just don’t want to participate for some reason, that’s cool! But if you do, I can’t wait to hear all about you romantic fools!

Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday! (And that all of you had a great Memorial Day. We grilled out! did slip-n-slides! played with water guns! and generally had fun!!)

(Gary, aren't you excited that I shared all this romantic info with the rest of the world? Do you feel pressured to be a little more romantic today? lol Sorry sweetie....)