In One Year

Exactly one year from today is the biggest day of my life so far.  It is the day that I get to stand before my family, friends, and God hand in hand with my best friend as we dedicate our lives as one,  aka MY WEDDING DAY!!!

My gorgeous ring!  I can't find the pic we took right after the proposal  :(

Yes, I know this is a rediculously long engagement, since we got engaged in May of this year, but growing up I only knew one thing about my wedding... that it would be in the fall.  It's hot as hell in Alabama for a lot of the year, in case you didn't know, and this girl is not a fan of thigh sweat.  So that left us with either a 6 month or 18 month engagement, and who couldn't use a little more time to plan procrastinate and save money?

I thought this would be a great post to blab a little about one of my favorites, my fiance.  So, here's our story... I know, you're pumped... just fake it :)

Ryan and I met right before I graduated high school at the local drag strip ( I never said anything about being classy).  I had left this detail out when I told my parents I was sleeping over at friend's house and was a little worried that I would be killed in a car crash and they would find out I had lied, but I was there to be a good bestie and support my friend in her being set up with a potential prom date, who she is now married to.... success!  I first noticed Ryan as a part of the group of guys we were meeting and was immediately attracted to him, because he was so tall  looked a good bit older. Much to my disappointment, he was only a year and a half older than me, haha.  Our version of flirting involved me telling some extremely filthy joke and some random craziness that I am known for spewing at any given second while he impressed me with his mad shotgun skills.....Natty Ice, not 12 gauge.  The next day, a friend asked if I cared if he gave him my number and THREE weeks later he called while waiting in like to see the new Star Wars movie... yep he's that guy, and the rest is history.

Us on a beach trip in 2007 and the earliest pic I can find

We are the definition of opposite, minus the big issues.  I love country and pop music and he likes screaming whatever you call it and just random crap.  I love books, and he spent a good deal of our first date trying to convince me that he couldn't read.  He is a big gamer, I'm a crafter.  He loves to watch the History Channel and educational television, I can quote any episode of Honey Boo Boo ( I wish I had an extra thumb so I could grab me some more cheese balls!!)  and Grey's Anatomy. He loves cars and I do good just to be able to drive one.  I think you get the picture   Anyways, I learned that those things aren't what matters in a relationship.  We can make each other laugh, challenge each other at all levels, and never stop learning from each other.  That is what I love most about us.

At a wedding in 2008

Over the next 5 years we had our share of ups and downs, managed to only break up once and made some great memories.  About 3 years in other friends started to get engaged, and I started to pressure ask him about when it would be our time.  Luckily, he is the one with sense and I made it through college without trying to juggle more than I could handle. After graduating nursing school and struggling to find a job I actually wanted for months weeks, I was offered a great opportunity that would potentially open a lot of doors for me in the future career wise... it just so happened to be 3 hours away.  I was bawling when I told him about the job offer, because I knew I had to go, but I knew he most likely wouldn't... but he did.

4th anniversary trip to Memphis- 2009

Christmas 2010

2 weeks later we were 3 hours away from everything we'd ever known, all our family and friends, low crime rates.  We were suddenly living together after 5 years of basically only seeing each other on the weekends.... that was not fun, but we got into a rhythm pretty quick and even became parents to our precious Ali girl just 1 month later.  We became adults together, at a time in life where lots of people grow apart, we grew stronger, we were a team no matter what came our way... kicking ass and taking names.

Baby Ali!!  Isn't she the cutest?!?!

It wasn't really unexpected that he proposed, I mean we had been together almost 7 years, but it was definitely a surprise when it happened.  We had just relocated.. again, bought our first house, and started new jobs.  We had been planning a trip to the zoo once we were settled, because I am secretly 12 that is my all time favorite activity.  I could watch animals for hours, especially the elephants.  We had finally picked a day to go, and of course it was raining and we couldn't.  I did what any mature 25 year old woman would do... I went into spoiled brat mode and pouted all day, not my finest moment.  The next day  I was in stinky animal heaven!  I was shoving small children out of my way to get closer gawking at the elephants when Ryan turned to me and asked if I knew that elephants mate for life... being the mean ass know it all that I am, I corrected him saying that they are more of the hit it and quit it type.  We moved on, and I was none the wiser that he was carrying my ring in his pocket around the zoo for hours while I insisted we watch the  giraffes try to get it on.  As we went to say goodbye to the elephants, because I know that they cared I was leaving, Ryan was standing behind me.  He asked if I remembered him asking if elephants mate for life, and when I turned to once again correct him, he was down on one knee holding out a beautiful ring and said "well I think they should".  He then asked me if I would marry him and I immediately started crying and said yes.  It was the most perfect proposal I could have imagined.

Over the past 7 years, he has been there for me in every way.  He has pushed me when I needed to be pushed, kept me grounded when I was getting out of control, supported me when I needed it most, was tough on me when I insisted that I was a princess, had a snappy reply to every smart ass remark, and has been nothing short of  my best friend. He balances my crazy with his overly laid back-ness.  I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with this man.

Okay, sorry to lay all that on you guys.  Now that I'm reading back over it, it really isn't the most exciting story, but it's mine, and isn't that what this whole blog is about :)  Now that we are at actual planning time, I'm sure I'll have some crazy wedding planning posts headed your way, yay!!! 

I hope you guys all have a fun and excited weekend for me to be jeally over on Monday.  I will be working.  Oh, and don't forget to turn back the clock after you are done watching Bama stomp all over LSU!!  While you are getting that extra hour of sleep, I will be working an extra hour.... thanks daylight savings!  Nope, not bitter at all.  Happy Friday, skanks!