Ok, I say yes

On this night 17 years ago Drew asked me to marry him.

I've never been a fan of valentines day. 2 boys broke up with me on that day. One even took my candy filled heart box right out of my hands as he walked off with his friends. Izzy..that was his name. I hate that name.  I think it all worked out in my favor.  But Drew always asks me what I want for valentines day, and I usually say the same thing, "make me something".  Those of you who know drew know that he is creative. He makes awesome stuff when he puts his time and mind into it. So I knew whatever he was going to make me 17 years ago was going to be awesome.

It was a blizzard that Valentines Eve and Drew asked me out on a date and proceeded to drive me all over the place showing me places where we spent time together. I was a little annoyed I have to admit. I had a ton of homework to do and the last thing I wanted to do was be out driving around in a snow storm. Remember those cards that used to be popular with the kids in the black and white photo with the red rose, you remember, right? They were always dressed up to look like adults. They were cute. He took like 12 of those and wrote something sweet in them like a poem or scripture. For example, the first place he took me was the library at the school we attended.  That was the first place we told each other we liked one another. We were in the back of the library sitting on the floor weeping because we were both scared and didn't want to like each other but we couldn't deny that we did. We were best friends and we didn't want to screw that up. But that day, we became more. No kiss. No secret hand shake. Just a conversation filled with lots and lots of tears. He said to me that snowy night, "This is where we confessed our love for each other, this is where you first taught me the virtue of love".  And he gave me a card that had writing in it about the virtue of love. It was sweet. But then he drove me (in the winter storm) to several other places all over town that were monumental to our relationship. First kiss...first movie...first fight...and then we ended up at the church where we were going to get married.  He said, "This is where we will get married and where you will teach me the virtue love again".  He handed me the last card and I thought, "holy moly this is it!" but there was no ring, no proposal. So I thought that was a nice night before V-day gift and he drove me back to my apartment (in the snow).  When we arrived, he walked me to my door and my friend Ryan was leaving. I thought that was strange, but he lived across the parking lot (with Drew) and so I didn't think much of it. I opened the door and all the lights were off. Candles were lit. (this is now seeming QUITE cheesy, I have to admit) and I could see my roommates hiding behind furniture. Yup, this was the moment he was going to pop the question.

He sat me down on a blanket where a picnic of mac-n-cheese and tulips were placed and then he said, "You told me to make you something for Valentines Day, so I thought I would make you my wife"

       ********************INSERT AWWWWWW'S HERE************************

17 years ago I forgot to say yes. But even so, here we are. I'm so blessed to have this man.
I love you drew.

smiths + 1