Weddingbee Blog

Nine years ago, the man now known as my fiance asked me to be his girlfriend. We were slow-dancing at my high school Valentine’s dance and he had just slipped a necklace over my head. It was just a cheap keychain hanging on a red ribbon, provided by the school. But I thought it was very sweet. I think Mr. Sunrise was nervous, but I couldn’t really tell over the loud pounding of my own heartbeat. I answered “yes” and then he kissed me for the first time.

I remember being super-shy and nervous. It was the first time I had asked a boy to accompany me to a school dance, and definitely the first time I had gone to one with a college boy. I’m an old-fashioned kind of gal and I don’t normally do the asking, but you see, this dance was called The “Turnabout” Dance. The girls were supposed to ask the boys to the dance. I knew Mr. Sunrise from my part-time job at the local supermarket and although we hit it off at work, I wasn’t sure if he would want to go to some cheesy high school dance with me.

It took me weeks, but I finally mustered up the courage to ask him.

He quickly responded that he would have to check his calendar first, but he could probably “pencil” me in. My heart sank. At that moment, I felt like the biggest fool and mumbled something like, “Oh! Uhh, that’s okay! You don’t have to. Nevermind!” I’m sure I turned 3 shades of bright red. And before I could turn away, he broke into laughter and told me he was only kidding. Then he said, “Of course I would love to go with you!” What a mean joke. Big meanie.

And the rest is history.

This picture is funny. But I like it because it is our very first picture together, and the only one I have of us before he asked me to be his girlfriend. We were young… I was only 17. He was 19.

And here I am, moments after I officially became his girlfriend… sporting the fancy necklace that he gave me. It was February 2nd, 2001.

Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe that nine years have passed already. But it’s true. We have spent nearly all of our twenties together and have done so much growing up together. This past February, we celebrated our last anniversary as a non-married couple. After the wedding, there will be a brand new date to celebrate. It has been an amazing nine years, but I’m excited for the future and I can’t wait to start our new life and family together.