Our Love Story

I saw this Love Story Questionnaire over on A. Liz Adventures this morning and thought is would be a fun little Valentine's thing to do. (Especially considering I'm spending Valentine's Day with my pug since the husband is on call in the hospital) Here's my link-up for the original post over on From Mrs to Mama

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

Derrick and I have been together since March of 2004, so that's almost 8 YEARS!

2. How did you meet?

We met for the first time in November of 2003. My long term boyfriend had recently broken up with me and I was at a Carolina-Clemson football game with one of my roommates, Amanda. We walked over the student section to go meet some guys that lived in our apartment building in Charleston that she was friends with. One of them happened to be my future husband. I may have been slightly intoxicated and hugged him the first time I met him. Not weird at all. Our first date wasn't until March of 2004 when he asked Amanda to bring me to the movies with them. (At the movie theater in downtown Charleston that was in the Notebook) Amanda sat in between us because she had NO CLUE the reason Derrick had asked her to invite me. :-)

3. If married, how long have you been married?

We've been married for 4 years this June!

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?

We were married in Columbia, SC at the same church my parent's were married at in 1982. It was also the church where my paternal grandparent's are still members and my maternal grandparent's were also members while they were still alive. Our reception was at our country club in Columbia, SC. With me having a mom with 13 brothers and sisters, there was no way our wedding could be small and still invite anyone other than family. We had the perfect big southern wedding I had always dreamed of complete with 8 bridesmaids and 8 groomsmen.

5. Do you have any nicknames that you call one another? Do share!

Okay, this is probably boring but no, we don't really have any nicknames for each other. I call him poopyface sometimes. (seriously) Other than that, we stick to the typical hubby and wifey. :-)

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

Only 3?

- I love his love for others especially seeing him love on our sweet little pug. I can only imagine how that will translate when we have children.

- I love his dedication to what he does. I think anyone who has been through the journey of medical school and residency would definitely tell you it's not an easy road. It's pretty much taking your 20's away from yourself and giving them to the hospital. I have such great respect for the people who choose this path for their lives

- I love the way he looks. :-) Okay, superficial maybe, but I think it's important

7. Tell us how he proposed?

I loved our proposal. We were leaving for Europe for 2 weeks a week after July 4th for vacation with my family. He told me a couple of days after July 4th that we had an event to go to for MUSC in Waterfront Park here in Charleston. I remember thinking that I didn't know you could rent out the waterfront park in Charleston but maybe it was just something special for MUSC. We parked in the garage near the water and started walking. Derrick told me to hold on that he had left his "wallet" in the car. (His "wallet" was actually my engagement ring) We got down to the park and I noticed that there was no one else there and knowing us there's no way we got there early. Derrick got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. I didn't cry but I did shake uncontrollably (I can't handle surprises :-) ) We went to dinner afterwards at our favorite Charleston restaurant, Cypress, and then met up with friends for drinks.

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

He'd be a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy :-)

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

I'm definitely a pop a movie in and relax on the couch. I mean I love a sunset dinner and all but that's definitely something I wouldn't enjoy if it happened too often.

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

I'd love for us to travel back to Europe and visit some countries we didn't hit last time. A nice month long vacation visiting Greece, Italy and Spain. Ha, maybe in 50 years when Derrick finishes residency :-)

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

We already had our Valentine's Day celebration. We went to the North Charleston Performing Arts Center last night and went to An Evening with Darius Rucker performing the songs of Frank Sinatra. It was so fun and it was a benefit for the MUSC Children's Hospital where they raised over $200,000 on ticket sales alone. Darius did the performance for free as he and his wife are board members at the Children's Hospital.

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

This is actually the first Valentine's Day where I'm not asking for anything. We're "doing" things together for this Valentine's Day instead. Of course my sweet husband brought me home a treat from Starbucks where he drew on a insert for a portable coffee mug. Love it.

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

Well with our years and years of experience....

I think the best piece of advice I could give is to be supportive of one another. You should be the person your significant other wants to call when they need support. I know, especially with events in the past year of our lives, that Derrick is the most supportive husband I could ask for.

14. Show us a picture of what love means to you. (Well I chose 3)