Love Story Link Up!

In honor of Valentine's Day being next week, I'm linking up with the cuteness over at From Mrs to Mama, Becky, for her love story link up! :)

 

1. How long have you and your significant other been together? We were married in 2007 so FIVE YEARS of marriage next month! Holy moly. We started dating in December of 2005, so 6.5 years of togetherness. :)

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?} We met on MYSPACE. We're so mid-2000's. ;) Dave's cousin was dating my friend at the time and they encouraged us to hang out. Dave was at his internship at a big golf course by West Virginia and I was working at home. He was home twice all summer and BOTH TIMES he was supposed to call me and wimped out. My summer students and I started calling him Mr. Yuck because he would never follow through on plans. ;) We stopped talking, I opened my dance studio and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, right after Thanksgiving of 2005, he IM-ed me. (Again soooo 2005!) He finally initiated a meet up! He came to my house the first weekend he was home on winter break and we've been inseparable ever since. I texted my college bff during my first date with Dave and told her I knew I would marry this boy someday.

And I did. :)

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}  We were married on March 24, 2007. Almost five years!

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? It was BIG. 300 guests. I own a dance studio, Dave's got a giant family. It was so fun and worth it!
 
5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!  He doesn't have any nicknames for me. I call him Grave or Gravey more than I call him Dave, actually. I have absolutely no idea where I came up with it!


6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.
1. I love when Dave fights with me. That might sound weird, but I love that he stands up to me and fights for what he thinks is right about a situation or problem. He is my equal and never backs down.
2. I love when he tries to be funny. ;o)
3. I love his desire to provide a wonderful life for our little family. Financially, spiritually, lovingly, every way possible he just wants us all to be happy.

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?  Dave proposed in July, 2006. I was house sitting for my aunt and uncle and he called one Sunday to say he wanted to make me dinner that Wednesday. Then Monday morning, he called  again and said he'd rather do it that night. I was working and I told my assistant that I KNEW he would be proposing that night. She didn't believe me. ;)
Dave made me dinner (spaghetti and key lime pie. I HATE key lime pie. haha!) then told me he had one more surprise for me. He got down on one knee, right in the dining room of the house we now own, a spot we walk over 1000 times a day, where we've laughed, cried, talked, shared, fed babies, paced the floor during those long sleepless newborn nights and asked me to be his wife. Oh I'm getting teary just talking about it!

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals? Umm...neither. He's not the most romantic person on the world that way. I wish he was, but hey he's completely awesome in so many other areas. I keep hoping it will happen in time! ;)

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch? I'm up for any date where I don't have to feed kids first before I get to eat. For real. We saw a movie last weekend together and I can not for the life of me remember the last movie I saw with my husband that wasn't Harry Potter. It just doesn't happen much right now.
 
10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere? We were just talking about this! We're planning on Italy/Greece someday! SOON.

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.  I'm supervising a Parents' Night Out at the dance studio so...we'll probably wait until the weekend after to go out to dinner. Maybe even a movie. FANCY. ;)

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day? An afternoon to myself and a morning to sleep in. Amen.

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love. I got engaged at 21, married at 22, baby #1 at 24, baby #2 at 25. I've danced through the minefields of marriage and fast. The best advice I can give is this. Be honest with each other. If something is bugging you, say it right then. Don't wait. And no matter what people say, sometimes it IS okay to go to bed angry. I've been known to kiss Dave on the cheek and say we need to table the discussion and wait until morning. A lot of times a good night's sleep can help clear heads and settle emotions. Make it a point to revisit the issue, but don't stay up all night trying to solve life's problems. Relax. Let it come naturally. Budget. Save more than you spend. Take each day as it comes. It won't be easy. There will be days when it's not fun. Marriage is a marathon not a sprint. Work at it. Dog it. Commit to each other as many times as you need to. Take vacations with out the kids, even just a night away. Spend Friday nights with a glass of wine (or whatever!) and a tv show you both enjoy. Learn to laugh at and with each other. Respect each other's interests but realize you must remain true to yourself. Discover things you like to do separately and apart. Be proud of each other. Compliment each other to other people. Be conscious and try not to speak poorly to other people about your spouse. But above all else? Thank God every day for the wonderful man he has blessed you with and don't take him for granted. And kiss him when he least expects it.

14.  Show us a picture of what love means to you. At this time in my life, love to me means family. Dave, Kate, Rory and Trace. A little family with big hopes and dreams. That's love, baby. True love.