What do ya think?

Ok, so we did see each other again and again and again. Clearly, he was smitten with me. I know, I wasn't surprised either. So we began spending what could have been our children's college education fund on phone bills. Chad made several trips to Arkansas, and I went home to East Texas some (though not enough to please my mother).

For Christmas that year Chad bought be an electric blanket. It was exactly what I wanted, but let me just say that when you get back to school in January and everyone asks, "What did he get your for Christmas?" the words "electric blanket" are immediately followed by "WHAT?".

But, let's back up just a moment...the day after Christmas 1999. Chad and I spent the day together. I honestly don't remember what all we did. I do know that about 8PM we went to an incredibly high-class restaurant called Taco Bell. We had gourmet tacos for dinner. Remember, we're poor kids at this point (now we're just poor old people). Afterwards, we went back to his parents' house and watched tv for a while. At some point they went to bed, and Chad pulled me into his lap in his father's recliner. He was so precious as he opened a small velvet box with a diamond solitaire ring. Remember, he is Mr.Communication. He said,

"What do ya think?"

Clearly taken by surprise (after all, I had only known this man about five months), I responded with, "That is pretty. Whose is it?" Apparently he didn't really appreciate my nervous humor because he just kind of laughed. Then he said, "ok, let me try this again" and went on to give me the sweetest speech that I don't even remember. Eventually in the speech, he asked if I would marry him.

I am sure you're wondering what my answer was, right? Obviously, I agreed to eventually marry him. I was no more of a risk taker then than I am now. June 2001 we did get married. (NOTE TO MY KIDS-->AFTER I finished college.) We just recently celebrated our 9th anniversary. I can honestly say the words "what do ya think" have been answered with the phrase "prolly, prolly so" about a thousand times in the last nine years, and every single time makes me smile with love for him.