That's right, we're getting hitched.
First off, let me fill you in from how we met to the proposal. I'll make this short and sweet since everyone knows reading blogs (much less following one) is painful. (But thank you).
We met in 2009 working at a private ambulance company that was more or less just a paycheck until something bigger and better came along. Don't get me wrong, I owe the place a lot because without it we'd probably have never met and still be following the beat of our own drums, leaving broken hearts behind us resembling that of a civil war battle field. In fact it was our emotional disconnection and sarcasm that we initially liked about each other (fairy tale right?). Alright alright, I thought he was pretty attractive too (vice versa). We were partners which progressed quickly to friends, after work buddies, me ending a relationship, and quasi dating. See, we both detested relationships, in fact we not only detested them we bonded over the fact we had both sworn to never get tied down, hitched, the end of your sex life as people say, the beginning of a sweat pants drawer, whatever you want to call it. It wasn't going to happen, no way, no how, nadda. (Ha).
Eventually, despite our valiant efforts feelings started to emerge around the time we were split up as partners. So we backed off; sure we talked but feelings, they were bad and they only lead to bad things (insert sound of wedding bells here). So, we both tried seeing other people who we didn't really like as a bad attempt at a distraction. Despite the attempts my truck left me stranded on more than several occasions where he was there to fix it and get me on my way (or give me a ride). Daylight, moonlight, rain, whatever. Not a knight in shining armor or anything. nope. Not happening (besides, I'm the one with the horse). Distractions failed and finally, we had an honest talk about feelings.
Not too long after that we made it official. Attempted to dodge the countless I told you so's and it's been snowballing since. Somewhere in there I adopted a brindle mastiff mix from the pound. It was an impulse buy that I conned off as legitimate because I needed a running buddy and protection in case someone tried to you know, break in or something. After all I was living on my own with two female roommates. Although honestly if the robber made it past the schizophrenic roommate on the right he'd definitely bail once he made it to her tarantula room. Walls of spiders, leering, crawling, and caniving.
Anyway, the dog had rough edges in the beginning but alex fixed his destruction's and we loved him all the same.We were living together at this point. Not officially but he had a drawer at my place and well, that's a big deal. It's a practical I love you.
Eventually the dog, named Tank straightened up to be the best dog I am sure we'll have and will ever have. We moved into our own place, which is where we are currently, in the real estate limbo waiting on a short sale that's anything but short. Its too small for our stuff, it's horribly hot in the summer and bitter cold in the winter, it needs to be painted, the lawn guy sucks, but it was ours and more importantly, I have three lakes at me fingertips to lap in my running shoes from our front door.
We both made it through paramedic school which, if any of you have a clue how that's like, I assure you unless you actually went to paramedic school and worked full time (especially my paramedic school) you don't. Not only were we both in hell all for the sake of education and jobs neither one of us are making a career, we went to different schools on opposite shifts. I went on A shift (in fire/ems there are three shifts; A,B,C. Each is 24 hours and they repeat. A,B,C,A,B,etc). I worked for the county on B shift and he went on C shift. He also worked nights. Sometimes the only way I knew he was still living there was by the dirty laundry (and dishes).
But we made it through, surprisingly well. In fact, paramedic school is notorious for not only being responsible for break ups but for divorces. Instead, we got engaged.
Now onto the proposal.
For a month prior he had been teasing me with a birthday surprise. No clues, no guessing, and bound and determined not to give me an inch. See, I like to think of myself and kind of a Nancy Drew. Which in reality probably the only things we have in common is hell bent determination and the inability to quit (we also like to call that stubbornness). So, on my birthday we picked up one of my best friends and my older brother and on we went. We kept going actually for well over an hour on the interstate. Destination? Helicopters. Not just any rotar aircrafts but the rotar aircraft to end all aircrafts (in my heart), the UH-1 Huey helicopter and this bird was a 'Nam veteran much like her pilots. They were all more than nice and I probably couldn't ramble enough about how great they all were. Anyway, I figured this was just a birthday gift. I had no idea that they were putting him in a monkey harness because he was going to unbuckle his seat belt to get down on one knee. Which, he did, in mid flight. At first I thought he went crazy when I saw him unclip his seat belt, after all, the doors were wide open (which we were sitting next to the opening) and at some point there was going to be emergency "war" maneuvers. Not a good time to be unbuckled.
and then, well and then he got down on one knee and pulled not just any ring, our ring, the ring we picked out months and months ago. I hadn't seen it since and I couldn't quite remember what it looked like but when I saw it I knew it was the most gorgeous ring I'd ever seen in my life and it was mine with the stipulation I had to spend the rest of my life with the most amazing man I'd ever laid eyes on. Alright, you don't have to twist my arm.
Anyway,
that's the short and sweet version.
