The Proposal

Knowing we wanted to get married and soon, I knew I had to fill in people that "needed" to know about us. So April came and I finally spilled. It was hard for me to open up to certain people about our relationship again because of a past experience. I didn't want to jeopardize our relationship at all because of someone else's manipulative actions. 

Summer was coming up and that meant he was getting block leave a whole two weeks. He was coming to Texas for a week and I couldn't wait. It was the week of July 4th. It was going to be the week when he finally proposed. (We had been talking about it so I knew it was coming) My only request was that he asked my step dad for his blessing and permission for us to get married. I knew that was something my s-dad would have wanted him to do. Regardless of his response or the out come we were going to get married, having his blessing on the whole situation would have just made things a little smoother. 

The day's went on and on, we were coming up on the end of his time in TX and still he hadn't gotten up the courage to talk to my s-dad about it yet. His second to last night in TX we were watching a movie and my s-dad told J to go in the garage to help my mom with something. I though it was very odd, I mean why didn't he go help her. Hello we're watching a movie here but whatever. The evening went on and I eventually had to take him back to his hotel were he was staying. 

On the way there he explained to me how he had asked my s-dad about us getting married. Instead of just making all three of our lives easy and agreeing and saying yes his response was...."You've gotta take that up with her mom." He replied asking if he'd be digging his own grave by asking her. 

We spent the whole drive back to the hotel trying to go over every single option and scenario possible. That was it, there was no way this was going to play out the way we had talked about and pictured. We might as well hang it and and go with plan B, I was frustrated beyond belief. (there's a whole back story to the way and reason's I felt the way I did and kept things the way I did but that's not for the blog, at least not now) How in the world could he leave it up to her. What was he thinking. I was heart broken and at a loss for words, he looked to me for encouragement. He said he needed encouragement and support to be able to go in the next day and talk to her about it. I had nothing, nothing at all. It was not a good place to be in. 

Sitting in the car in the hotel parking lot he took my hand and slipped off the ring he had mailed to me months prior. Said if he saw my hand with out the ring on it, it would help him find the courage to ask her. Next thing I know he's slipping my engagement ring on my finger, followed by "your mom said k". "Wait what, I'm not looking, take it off, you can't do this tonight, what are you talking about she said k, when? I don't understand." 

Mean while I'm sitting in the driver seat looking out the window with my eye's covered. He told me that apparently at some point that evening my s-dad had already gone and given my mom a heads up as to what they had talked about and that was why he had sent him into the garage so they could talk. That night in the garage he asked my mom and she said "k" along with something along the lines of "as long as you don't take here away". (the later part of the conversation I didn't find out about till months after we were married.) Really "k" was her response, typical. I told him that I couldn't go back to my house tonight with a engagement ring on my hand. I mean he had literally just talked to my parents about it. Don't ask me why but I couldn't talk to either of them about it at the time. Yes I know it sounds silly and getting engaged is suppose to be one of the happiest moments of my life and trust me it was. Chalk it up to my past and the experience's I had with previous relationship being ripped apart by someone who felt the need to have complete control over ever aspect of my life. So after much convincing I told him to take the ring off and ask me tomorrow. And that he did. 

He called J & A back in Hawaii and told them I said "no." For the record I did not say no, I never would have said no. I just asked him to wait till the next day. And he did. I picked him up that next day and we grabbed lunch for Schlotzsky's and headed to the park for picnic. It was then he asked "ok, can I give you the ring now, or are you going to say no again." 

I kindly excepted and we were Engaged. There was never a getting down on one knee "Will You Marry Me" moment but I was and am ok with that. From the beginning things were a little untraditional with our relationship, so why start now right. 

The day before and after we got engaged. I'll have to pull up my other pictures this weekend!!!

sidenote: I still to this day wear that very first ring he mailed almost 8 years ago on my right hand. Its nothing fancy at all. Its a thin band with 3 Hawaiian Hibiscus flowers on it. Its bent and molded to my finger and I never take it off. I'd be just as devastated if I lost it, as I would with my wedding rings. 

sidenote: There was never a moment when either of us asked each other out, or we became official boyfriend / girlfriend. We just kinda rolled with the punches and went with it. We've always said and celebrated November 29, 06 as the day we got together. The day of that random phone call that I never expected to get. 

My 1st Trip to Hawaii (part - 4)

We spent the next month and a half talking non-stop. Again till wee hours in the morning and later into the day. I couldn't get enough of him. I remember taking a cruise mid January thinking what am I going to do a whole week without talking to him. Whelp it didn't happen. He may have had a crazy high phone bill that month but it was worth it. 

At some point mid January we decided we just couldn't wait any longer. We needed / wanted to see each other again but when and how? He was in Hawaii and I was in Texas. He wasn't getting leave again any time soon so the option for him to come to TX was out. So I went to Hawaii. Yup, he flew me out to Hawaii over a long weekend. And it was the absolute best weekend ever. Very few people knew I went. Again I kept things very hush about the two of us because I didn't want anyone coming between us and at that time I knew of a few people that would try to. 

Just a week before Valentines day '07 I took the 2nd biggest leap of faith, flying across the Pacific to Hawaii. It was my very first time flying alone and on top of being completely excited and nervous the flight there was full of turbulence all the way there. Talk about being a nervous wreck. I arrived late that evening and he made it well known he was on time. The first night we staying at his friends J & A house since he was living in the barracks. The plan was to get a hotel for the rest of the weekend and go that route but J & A insisted we stayed with them. They had the extra room and it was a great way for me to get to know them as well. After all they were all such good friends to the hubbs. 

I mean who were we to argue and complain, it saved us money for sure. 

We spent the weekend out and about checking out the local area. He showed me around to some of the more popular spots around town. We had a couple date night and beach trips mixed in there as well. He even had a surprise dinner and carriage ride planned for one evening. 

I have more pictures from that weekend (& the weekend he came to TX there just on my external hard drive & frankly don't wanna get up to get it right now. ) but here are a few from our date nights. I had the best time ever. We hiked up KoleKole pass which quickly became our go to place when I move to Hawaii. 

The weekend went by way to quickly and before I knew it we were saying our "see you soon's" again. He was headed off to the Big Island for training just days after I went home. The distance and lack of communication sucked major. But we never, not once let it affect us or come between the relationship we had built. 

Mid spring that year, I can't remember when exactly it was but his mom came out to Texas to visit so we could meet in person. We had previously talked on the phone several times and I was excited to meet her as well. She knew we were serious and wanted to get married, she said she just couldn't wait any longer. Ok, fine by me. Forgive me as I don't exactly remember what all we did that weekend. If we're being honest I truly enjoyed it and was so grateful she came but my focus and energy was the relationship I was building with her son, not her. lol

(the proposal's coming up....)

When You Know, You Know..... Apples (part-3)

We spent the next 3 days together, I showed him all around the area were I lived. The day after he arrived we headed out for our first official date. We went to iHop for breakfast and then headed to The Ice exhibit at the Gaylord Hotel. Something neither of us had ever been to before. I'm pretty sure that it was his planning, finding the exhibit. I'm not a 100% sure but I don't think I knew about it. I didn't venture to that area much to have known it was there. We spent the whole day there just taking it all in, it was so pretty. I remember one of the pictures we took together there, we ended up printing and framing it for his mom. (more on that in a bit.)

The rest of the weekend consisted of random window shopping at a couple furniture stores, we went to a open house in a new housing development, we even went and looked at rings. I'm telling you when you know you know and we knew. It was completely random, but he said he wanted to get a idea of what I liked. I remember as we drove up to Jared's (the jewelry store) he told me "let me do the talking". Ok, I though. What could he have possibly meant by that. And then it quickly clicked, we went in and the gentleman who started talking to us, was asking all the typical questions as to "how we met", "how long we'd been together" and so forth. Light bulb....Me I would of been like....well if you must know "we met in person 3 days ago", "ummm we just started talking just shy of a month".... you get the gist. Well he had it all worked out and knew just what to say. He's a man of many words. He's always had a way with words and knowing just what to say at just the right time. 

For personal reason's at the time I kept our relationship between the two of us. Only a few other's knew but that was it. For me at the time that was what was best. Being a man of many words, he's also a very private one. He had mentioned how he wasn't sure he was going to tell his parents just how serious things had progressed. For him it was just easier not to have to explain to his extended family what was going on at the time. We had a picture of us printed off and we found a Winnie the Pooh frame (his mom's favorite) at Walgreen's for his mom. I remember something along the lines of him saying "he was going to give it to her when he got home but after everyone had left". 

It was a short 3 days, it went by way way to quickly. We weren't to sure when we were going to see each other again. I was heart broken driving through the airport having to take him back that evening. I remembered telling him "Don't Say Bye", he responded with "I wasn't going to". After he was all checked in I stood the there holding on as tight as I could knowing eventually I'd have to give in and let go. I've never been good with "Goodbyes" lucky for us we weren't saying "bye". As he was going through security I sent him a text that said "look" as he turned around I had my arms wide open, showing him how much I loved him. Little did I know it was the first of many "look" messages to follow as we've said our "see you soon's" countless times since that day. 

He couldn't hold back, he told his mom and dad everything that night when they picked him up from the airport. He even gave her the picture frame on the way home. It was the most touching thing ever, talk about butterflies. I remember him telling me that she asked him if he wanted her to put the picture away while the family was over for Christmas and he said no. 

Not only did we agree to not say "Bye" that night when he left to go back home but we agreed to not say "Bye" or "Goodbye" when we hung up from talking to each other on the phone. So most of our conversations ended with "ok I'll talk to you later, I love you" click, "I miss you to, have a good night" click. It was as if we couldn't finish the conversation but we couldn't bring ourselves to say "Bye". He told me one day he was talking to his good friends in HI, J and A about it and how he felt bad about each of us just hanging up on one another. 

He said "I got it, I know what we can say instead of just hanging up". "APPLES" Really Apples, that's completely and utterly random. Like Apples and Banana's but just Apples. So it began, very awkwardly we would end a conversation and before hanging up we would say appppples. It was either quick or really drawn out at first because it still made no sense. 

Eventually it became normal and now to this day we never say "bye' its always always "APPLES". It's not awkward, it's not random for us, it's habit. Neither of us have to think twice about it now. Before we hang up the phone with one another it always end's with Apples. 

If you know us at all, your used to it. It's something we only use between the two of us. 

(for everyone else, its plain 'ol goodbye, peace out, good reddens lol)

It's funny to the ones around either of us when we do hang up who've never heard us end a conversation. The response is always, "did you just say apples?" Of course then we have to explain. 

Every couple has their quirks, what makes us any different?!?!?! Nothing at all.

(more to follow, tomorrow)

I Promise I Wasn't Late (part-2)

I couldn't believe it he was really coming to see me. We'd only each see two pictures of each other from online and that was it. Two very not so great pictures. (Of course my aunt new all about "this guy." It was so nice to have some one to talk to about him and not have to worry about someone trying to come between us and break us apart) Prior to him coming we shared so much about our lives, we knew the in's and outs of each other. The good the bad the ugly. We knew we wanted to spend forever together but neither of us said anything. I knew I loved him, call it crazy but when you know, you know.

I wanted to wait till we were in person to tell him. I wanted to see his reaction I wanted to be in his arms. So badly I longed for that moment, even before "knowing" him a whole month. Talking to my aunt I knew I'd be nervous to make the first move and kiss him. I was / am still a bit of a shy person when I first meet you. Some how we came up with the idea to get some mistletoe. She knew just were to get some and it was real at that. I left it at her house till shortly before I went to pick up J from the airport. At that point it had been a few days and it had been stored in a plastic baggie and was nice and moldy.
I took it any ways.

I left work and arrived at the airport, parked, went inside and was ON TIME. I went left instead of right to look for his baggage claim area were we agreed to meet. I quickly realized I had gone the wrong direction and turned around. Before I knew it J was standing in front of me with is arms wide open. It was my last first hug ever!!! (no kiss yet) It felt just right, just as I'd imagined. He gave me such crap because "I was late". To this day if you ask him he will tell you I was late picking him up. But I wasn't I was there on time, I'd just got the wrong way. Hey I was nervous alright.
But he couldn't tell you what either of us were wearing.
(me: orange crop top with dress pants, him: blue jeans and a plaid orange and brown flannel, which he still has by the way)

We left the airport and headed to a friends house from work so she could meet him. She was also in on the whole deal. Driving along chatting away I was a bit nervous but comfortable at the same time. We stopped at a red light, I knew I had to make a move or it was never going to happen. I quickly picked up the bag of moldy mistletoe and held it over our heads. Quickly giving him a little peck on the cheek and then turning back to look at the light. My heart was racing, "did he think I was crazy, or was that to soon?" It couldn't have been to soon with everything we'd already talked about.

Later that evening we arrived at my aunts house and visited with her and the fam for a bit before heading back to were we were staying for the weekend. When we got back, I had asked him something about the "Kiss and Mistletoe". He said he just kept waiting and hoping we'd get stopped by another red light so he could kiss me again. But we NEVER did, true story of the 10+ lights we went through non of them turned red when we came up to them.
With Christmas being just a few days away we of course had bought gifts and exchanged them.
I made him a build-a-bear named lucky (because we met by pure luck) and he gave me two Hawaiian Kukui nut necklaces. I'm pretty sure there was something else but honestly I don't remember.

Laying on the bed talking late into the night that first night he said "I think I'm falling In Love with you", "You Think!!" I said. "I mean I love you", he said and that was that. He told me he had wanted to tell me for a while now but wanted to wait till we were in person. I'm so glad he because it couldn't have been more perfect!! If I hadn't fallen hard enough for him already I fell even more that night.

(part 3 & 4 coming soon)

The Phone Call I Never Expected (part-1)

(I've never told our story)

Driving to my Aunts house one evening, November 29, 2006 I received a phone call. Little did I know that simple phone call would change my life. It was from my friend H's phone who was stationed in Hawaii at the time. (back story, H and I grew up together, went to school together, church together and so forth). I'd kept in touch with H after he join and moved away but we were strictly friends. He wanted more out of it, he always had a huge crush on me but I was just not at all interested. 

After a long day at work and previously already talking to H that day I was curious as to why he was calling back again. I answered and quickly realized it wasn't him. But some strange guy on the other end. I wasn't quite sure who this other guy was and there was so much commotion going on in the back ground I wasn't really sure what was going on or what to say. The phone was being passed around to a group of guys asking me 50 different questions. "Did I like him?" "Were we together?" "Why were you talking to him before?" "How do you know him?" "Did yall date?" "What can you tell us about H?" The questions went on for a good minute while this group of PVT's waited for the bus to pick them up for training and take them back to post. 

Eventually for some reason I said "put me back on the phone with whoever called me." By this time I'd pulled over in a parking lot because the conversation's just kept going and I didn't want to be rude and go into my aunt house on the phone. They put me back on the phone with J (my now husband, who doesn't go by his J any more(that's another story)) and we chatted for what seemed like just a short few minutes and before I knew it H was asking for his phone back because the bus had arrived.

 There was something there, I couldn't tell you what or how either of us knew but we did. I remember the night like it was Yesterday but the conversation after that not so much. H continued to ask for his phone back and so J asked "Hey man can I have her number?" H refused and wouldn't give in. Mean while I'm still here on the phone and can hear their conversation. "Hello, I'm here you can just ask me for my number." Light bulb moment right there yall, yes I married a winner. Only Kidding. He took my number and honestly I don't remember if I took his or not. With in a few minutes of him boarding the bus and heading back to post we were texting as though we'd known each other for months. 

Needless to say I never made it to my aunts house that night. I headed back home. We spent the next several weeks talking nonstop. Because of the time difference from Texas to Hawaii, I spent many late nights up talking to him and he had some very early mornings with me as I drove to work each day. 

I remember so many of our conversations like they had just happened. One in particular were he told me he'd never get married or he would but I'd have to get rid of the IRS first. Well crap there went any chance's I had with this guy. He was pretty firm on not getting married but I was bound and determined to change his mind.

The holidays were coming up and we were desperate to meet each other in person but how? He was going home for two weeks for Christmas to AZ and me making a trip out there just wasn't do able at the time. We'd talked about making a road trip out of it and meeting half way. But in all reality it didn't sound logical. Late one night I was at my aunts house and he called to chat, he asked what I would be doing on Dec. 19 at 3pm. "Umm well I'll just be getting off work why?" " Well I'm gonna need a ride from the airport." What your kidding, don't even joke around like that I though. There's no way.