February = Month of Mush

February is famous for being the shortest month and also the month of LOVE! In honor of the LOVE, some friends of mine are posting stories about their hubby and marriages. So, I will do the same as I brag on my lover! Thanks shaina and sarah

In the beginning.... 1992
Paul and I met the second day of our freshman year at college. We then hung out in the same huge group of friends for the remainder of our time there. In the Spring of our Sophomore year we had the DTR and agreed to date.

Fast Forward... Fall 1995
Paul and I had been dating for 1 1/2 years. We had also spent two summers apart as I went home for the summers to work. So here we were ditching school on that September 15th. We went to a cabin on the lake. Paul brought his guitar and we sat on the porch singing together while watching the loons on the lake. We took out the paddle boat, we played hide and seek, and just enjoyed the day. We had planned to have a fancy dinner so on the way to the cabin had bought the fixings for a candle light dinner. We even brought nice clothes to change into and yes we had told each other to bring gifts to celebrate.

Behind the scenes... August 1995
Unbeknownst to me, Paul had asked my dad for my hand in marriage while he flew down to Colorado for 1 night. The next day Paul and I left Colorado in my white Ford Tempo to drive to Minnesota for our senior year at Northwestern. My parents had known for 3 weeks what was coming... I still had no clue! Another thing I thought was odd is that every time I called Paul that summer he was working overtime... to pay for a ring which I knew nothing of = )

Back to the story...
After dinner, we slow danced. (which is a big deal considering there were strict rules about dancing at NWC ) Anyhow, after dinner and dancing we sat on the couch to exchange gifts. I went first I had gotten Paul a tie and a wrote a nice card. He then hands me an envelope... it contains the story of our relationship written in a way only youth pastors can = ) at the end of the story it said he bought me something with some "extra change" and to close my eyes. well, while my eyes are closed I feel him get off the couch and kneel in front of me. He then asked "Heather will you marry me?" I opened my eyes and he is kneeling there in front of me with this gorgeous ring and a hopeful grin (I love that grin) and I say "is this for real?" I know ... lame huh? I then said "Yes!" My next immediate thought was does my dad know? Paul then told me his end of the story.

We were married on May 31, 1996--- 2 weeks after graduation!