Life As We Know it: June 28, 2005

Jimmy and Carla had invited the entire restaurant staff out to their farm for a bonfire and sleep over. I of course had to work at the pharmacy so I was very late to the festivities. As I pulled up in my little mustang, "The Hot Young Waiter" pulled up in his big red GMC Jimmy. Oh I melted, he was so HOT... and so YOUNG, I reminded myself. As I got out the car we exchanged hellos and I asked him why he was so late and he gave a much similar answer as mine. He had been working late at the hospital (The Half Step was a second job for both of us).

We both proceeded to the party where we set up our tents, played some ping pong, had some Jimmy Newton ribs, followed by a few too many beers and settled in by the fire for the night. So, this story could go on forever. I could tell you every detail down to the pink shorts I wore and the backwards hat and muscle shirt he wore or the loft house cookies, I brought, which just happened to be his favorite. However, my point here is that this was the night that I fell head over heals in love with the "Hot, Young Waiter." As we swung in that AMAZING hammock, we shared our first kiss. He did not kiss me on the lips but so softly on the forehead. I almost melted right there in his arms. This guy really had game!! ;)

After that night we were inseparable. The corner ice cream store, Steak N Shake until 2am, Marquette park, the lake house... Wherever we went we just could not stop talking. That, I think, is what makes or relationship so strong. From the very beginning we did nothing but talk. We talked about everything under the sun. We knew each other better, in the first week, than some couples know each other their entire lives.

One year later... June 28, 2006, Ben took me down to the lake house for a week long vacation. Brad and Ashley had gotten married on Saturday and we left Sunday afternoon after they had opened all of their gifts up at Bob and Bev's house.

The entire way to the lake Ben could not stop listening to Jack Johnson. It was making me laugh the way he just kept listening to that same CD over, and over, and over again. He was so quiet the whole way. Which was pretty strange for the quiz-master.

I was hard at work studing for my pharmacy technician certification when suddenly Ben shouted over the music, "Crap, Crap, Crap, Crap!!" I answered with a startled, "What?" "Nothing..." He responded. Humm.... I thought, what a weirdo, and went back to my business. At the Kingdom city stop, Ben stole my pharm notes and would not give them back. He had gotten on the phone with someone and wrote something down, a really LONG something, and decided that I could not see it. Hmmm... Weirdo!!

So, after spending the first two days at the lake maxin and relaxin we decided spontaneously, or so I thought, to go to a fancy dinner at JB Hook's to celebrate our first year together.

We made our way accross the lake and had a delicious meal at JB's and then went into Laurie to sit by the lake. On the way home Ben decided that we needed Pizza Hut pizza. Hummm... We had just eaten a HUGE meal but, whatever, if he was hungry again I was not going to argue with him.

We got home and I decided to take a shower and change clothes. When I came downstairs Ben was down on the dock. I walked down the long stairway and out onto the dock where Ben had lain out a late night picnic of Pizza Hut on china, by candle light; my favorite!! By this time it was almost midnight.

We sat on the dock and ate pizza and drank champagne that he had found in the dock fridge. How lucky! It was around 1 O'clock am when he finally could not wait any longer. He had wanted to wait until 2 O'clock am, which is when we had shared our first kiss a year ago, (I told you he had game) but just could not wait any longer. He later told me that he was afraid he would get too dunk and drop the ring.

That's right the ring! So, as I sat there completely oblivious to what was going on, Ben pulled out my pharm math notes and began to sing a song he has written me, to the tune of Jack Johnson - Do You Remember? His song was called, 29 Reasons I Love You. I still could not figure out what was going on. As Ben came to the 29th reason he pulled something out of his pocket and got down on one knee. So, there is only one thing left to do, Only one question I have for you... My mouth fell open and he asked me. Lori, will you marry me? Are you serious??? I answered. That is the same thing your mom said, he laughed. Yes! Yes! Yes!!!! was the answer I finally gave.