It kind of just slipped out. Amanda and I had been dating for two weeks and were sitting on the couch watching TV together.  I turned to her and said, “I’m going to marry you.”   

I held my breath.  If the etiquette for early dating were actual laws, I would have just committed a felony.  I couldn’t help it though – we had a connection that I just couldn’t describe.  I had spent the previous few weeks humming country love songs because I felt like I was in one.  

This was more than just new relationship excitement: it was something more.  I was sure of it.  I knew that she was the one.  The real question though, was, did she?  Did I just scare her away?  Did I just ruin everything?  I moved over a little bit in case she wanted to run out the door. 

To my relief, Amanda cocked her head, looked back at me, and said, “You know, that’s kind of scary, but I feel the same way.” 

A year later I picked her up from work on a Wednesday night and proposed as soon as we got home.  I just couldn’t wait any longer.  

The following Spring we contacted 30 of our closest family members and friends and gave them an address of where to meet for our wedding – we didn’t tell them any details.  We had them gather in our favorite neighborhood restaurant where one of our close friends married us using a ceremony that we wrote ourselves.  A party bus then picked everyone up and took us around the city to multiple locations for adventures of food, drink, and fun.  Having everyone we love in one place on such an important day meant the world to us.  It was truly something we will never forget.

Does marriage have its ups and downs?  Of course it does, but we couldn’t be luckier to walk through life together, holding hands.  We are both in the medical field with crazy schedules, but coming home to one another is always the best feeling.  One of our favorite expressions is, “It’s like having a sleepover with your best friend every night!”  

We love being married to each other so much that we can’t wait to “Not” marry each other again!  This one though, neither of us predicted on the couch that day…