Our Love Story

Last week I stumbled upon From Mrs. to Mama's blog and decided to join her Valentine's Day link-up. I love any opportunity to share mine and the hubby's continuing love story so I immediately knew I wanted to participate. With Valentine's Day being just a few days away, I decided I'd better hurry up and link-up.

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

We've been together since December 2009.

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

Well it's a long story but I'll try to condense it for you (The longer version is on a previous blog). Since I was a little girl I have always loved corvettes! One day in the summer of 2007, I passed a young guy driving one very sexy new Corvette. I had no idea who he was but I passed him often and my eyes were always drawn to him. One day at the end of August, I was on myspace (this cracks me up everytime I think of it... seriously? It's like AIM now... deceased!) and I recieved a friend request from a guy I did not know. Before adding him, I decided to check out his pictures to double check that I hadn't met him before and just forgot. Well as I was flipping through pictures, there was that gorgeous Corvette so I added him... simply to comment on the picture. Little did I know he was online and sent me a message and we suddenly began chatting. He had seen me numerous times out at the ball field with my boyfriend and he just wanted to message me to see who I was. Little did I know that that message would start an amazing friendship. For two years we stayed friends, both of us dating someone else. When the two of us broke up with our significant others everyone told us we were meant for each other but we just kind of laughed it off and said "we're just friends". No one bought it because we did everything together. We would meet for dinner, go to the movies, hang out all the time, and talk non-stop... but we never were really dating! Then one day in October, I realized that somehow, somewhere I had fallen in love with Kevin but I knew we were friends and I couldn't tell him that because it would change things. But thankfully one night in December, as we were hanging out, Kevin asked me a simple question that I can never forget. He turned and looked at me and said, "Sara, do you like me or do you love me?"... I was shocked. I had two options.. lie and risk nothing or tell the truth and risk everything. After a brief moment, I chose to answer honestly. I said "I guess you could say I love you". Then he rolled over and didn't say anything! I was sick to my stomach. I just knew I'd ruined it all. But then ten minutes later he rolls his butt over and says, "Well I love you too!". I couldn't believe it. For two hours we talked about how we didn't know when it had happened but somewhere along the way things had changed. That night we decided that we wanted to get married. I know you probably think that's crazy but you've got to understand, Kevin and I had talked almost everyday and pretty much hung out everyday for two years. So it wasn't like I was wanting to marry a complete stranger! But I do always love to tell people we were talking about getting married before we were ever dating! 

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}

We've been married almost nine months! I can not believe it. We were married on May 21, 2011 at 5:30pm and it seems like just yesterday that I was waiting outside in that hallway waiting to walk down that aisle to become Mrs. Holt. 

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?  If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?

I was married at my home church. I have grown up in that church and all of my family members were married there so it was fitting that the two of us would continue that tradition. As for the size, the two of us come from huge families and we both value our families tremendously so needless to say, we had a large wedding. However, I will admit, we originally had almost 275 people invited but thankfully only 180 showed up!

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!

We do! Back when Kevin and I first met in the summer of 2007, Kevin and I used to chat all the time on AOL instant messenger (ancient!). Well one night Kevin and I chatted on there for four straight hours. As we chatted we got into a name calling match and somehow the last two names we called each other stuck. I called him a loserface and he called me a punkface and he's been my loserface ever since!

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

1. I love my husband's disposition. He is the most laid back person I know... next to my dad of course. He just takes things and goes with them. He doesn't allow things to ruffle his feathers or upset him. He accepts things for what they are and takes them at face value. I wish so much I could be like him. But thankfully I have him and whenever I'm upset he is the one who always reminds me that "it'll be okay!" or "things are going to work out".

2. I love that he can make me laugh! He always has me laughing at something or another. I never know what he's going to say or do next and I love that about him. And you know, I can seriously be in the worst mood ever and he somehow manages to make me laugh. If I'm angry, he'll push and push until I eventually give in and burst out laughing. He's the only guy in the world who can do that and not get slapped! :P

3. I love that he is so hardworking. Kevin is always working overtime to make sure that we have plenty of money saved in case of any emergency or that we have plenty of money put in the bank in case I decide I want to stay home when we have children instead of work. It can be frustrating at times that I go six or seven days without spending quality time with the hubby because he's working but when I think about the reasons, I can't help but soften my heart and smile. He works so hard for us and our future family. It just shows me more and more how I married such an unselfish gentleman.

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?

Well two weeks after Kevin and I had that discussion about getting married, we went looking at rings. By the end of February, he had had my ring designed. He tried to keep it a secret; but in typical Kevin fashion, he couldn't keep the secret very long and ended up telling me about it. Much to my chagrin, he made me wait till May to get the ring! See Kevin had told me several times that he did not want to be engaged more than a year. So since we had set our wedding date for May 21st (even though I still didn't have my ring), he planned to ask me on that day so it would be one year to date. He had this elaborate plan all laid out for that night. Sadly, I had to work and did not get off until after 10pm.. which shot Kevin's plan out the window. So the next night, Kevin put another trick up his sleeve. On the night of May 22, 2010, Kevin and I attended the Barn and Dinner Theater with his work. Since we were in Greensboro, he asked if I wanted to go anywhere so I told him to run me back to my apartment because I had forgotten something.  When we arrived and got out of the car, I noticed Kevin put on his WINTER coat... it was MAY! I thought it strange considering Kevin was hot natured but I thought "whatever". When we went in my apartment, I went into my room and got what I needed but as I tried to leave the room, he blocked me in at the door. He put his arms around me and asked if I'd had a good night. I told him yes He then asked me if I loved him. I said "DUHHHH!". Then he said, "well, do you love me enough to marry me?" I grinned and said yes and asked him the same. He told me to hold on and he'd tell me. As I waited, he pulled a box out of his pocket, got down on one knee, opened it, and asked me to marry him. I couldn't have been happier and it couldn't have been a better place to ask considering the two of us had spent many long nights in my apartment and we had made a ton of memories there.

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

Well, truthfully, he's really neither. Kevin would tell you he isn't "a sentimental guy". I beg to differ. Kevin is a sentimental guy; just in his own way. He'd rather make memories than buy materialistic things. So rather than buying flowers, teddy bears, strawberries, or champagne, he plans opportunities for us to do something out of our norm or to spend more time together.

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

Honestly, I'm both. Why can't you have your cake and eat it too? I love getting dressed up and having romantic evenings with my man. And yes, I do go to the beach and spend at least one evening walking the beach with my hubby and watching the sky turn from blue to orange, to pink, to purple. But I'm also the girl who absolutely loves her evenings on the couch with her hair in a ponytail, wearing sweats, piled up on the couch watching a movie with her hubby and sweet little dog. Either way, it's perfection to me!

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

If I could do anything with my husband, it would be to go on a mission's trip together. Since Kevin and I began dating, his relationship with God has grown immensely. We have talked several times about going on a Mission's trip together and I'm hoping that we will be able to do so within the next two years! We've talked about going on a mission's trip to a different country each summer because we have so many missionaries from our church who would gladly welcome us into their homes for a few weeks in the summer. So I'm praying that God will open the financial doors to get us there! Who knows, maybe you'll be reading about that opportunity this summer!

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.

Kevin and I are heading to his work's Valentine's Day party. That sounds corny to most but Kevin's work knows how to throw good parties! The party itself is being held at The Belmont House; a huge Southern Plantation in our hometown. They have hired the finest caterers and the most amazing musicians to come play so that couples can dance. They will also have a photographer on staff to take pictures of the couples at the huge staircase that is in the center of the house. I can't wait because this is where tons of brides have their photos taken; however, I chose not to but I love the staircase and have wanted to have my picture taken there before. I'm so ecstatic that now is mine and Kevin's chance! (Do I sound like a couple  getting ready to go to prom?!) haha

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?

Well as I mentioned, the husband and I do not exchange gifts. So this Valentine's Day, we planned to take a much needed vacation together! We'll be heading to Gatlinburg in six days! 

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

Don't give up! There will be days that you don't want to be around each other and you feel like you've had enough. But trust me, it will change. Just because you don't have butterflies doesn't mean you give up or file for divorce. It means you just work on it and fall even more in love. 

14.  Show us a picture of what love means to you.

Being surrounded by those that matter.. God, Husband, Family, & Friends!