So I'm apparently into trying new things these days - yesterday my first Spring Sale and today my first link up! A group of bloggers are hosting a series on LOVE and since I don't think I've shared too much of our story on the blog, I figured this would be a great way to do it! (P.S. trying to pick my favorite pictures from dating until wedding was one of the more difficult things I've had to do in a long time... so prepare yourself for picture overload!)
We met when we shared a class in Dale Hall at OU. I was running
late, as usual, so I slid into a seat in the back row and Brandon happened to be
sitting a row in front of me. It appeared that everyone had handouts so I leaned
up and asked Brandon where he had got his and he told me they were in the front
so I had to make the embarrassing walk all the way to the front of the large
lecture hall while the professor was speaking. The next class period, I was
late AGAIN and this time when I slid into the back row seat Brandon just handed
an extra copy of that day's handouts over his shoulder to me. I instantly knew
he was a great guy and we became great friends over the course of the semester.
[*Note: To this day, Brandon blames me for getting him a "B" in the class]
We went on our "FIRST" first date to a hibachi grill in Norman. I am a super picky eater but Brandon convinced me that a little green wouldn't kill me and I have loved hibachi ever since! (He later talked me into trying sushi... I still can't believe that I love the stuff!) The date went great - it was evident from the start that he was a complete catch - but the timing just wasn't quite right so we remained friends.
Over the next six years, serendipity kicked in and our paths would cross like
clock work at least once a year. Each time we would go on another "first date"
and have a great time but the timing still wouldn't be right... back to being
friends. {NOTE: I, admittedly, was not always very sweet - one time he asked me if I wanted to go grab ice cream and I texted him back saying that I would go but I wasn't putting on make up, nice clothes or fixing my hair. Unfortunately, my sweet husband has a steel trap mind and has not forgotten any of those not so sweet things! I am still trying to make up for those six years!}
Finally, in the last week of February 2010, Brandon called about doing a rotation with my uncle's family medicine clinic in my hometown. I had always told him he was more than welcome to go spend a month playing at the lake and practicing a little medicine when he got too sunburned, so he decided to take me up on it. We met in Bricktown so that he could give me some paperwork to take to my uncle and we grabbed some ice cream and caught up. After ice cream, Brandon suggested we go try the new hibachi grill in town. So we went a few days later and the restaurant was a disaster but we didn't even mind... the timing was finally right! {**One of my all time favorite Craig Groeschel quotes perfectly sums up our relationship, "God's timing is rarely early, but never late." Amen!!}
My law school graduation day was the day we became "officially" a couple. Brandon was scheduled to work that Saturday so he very sweetly drove to Norman before we left and delivered beautiful flowers (he even wore his scrubs to throw me off!). I was disappointed he couldn't make it, but completely understood. After graduation, the OKC Civic Center was mad chaos. I was trying to find my family and tell many of my law school friends goodbye when I saw my grandmother talking to this handsome guy. To my surprise Brandon had switched his schedule, attended my graduation AND found my family, having not even met them before!! They were already enamored with him and my grandma beamed as she said, "I was just getting to know your boyfriend..." We hadn't really talked about it, but I wasn't going to correct her! And from that point on, he was all mine! We spent the rest of the summer studying together - I had the Bar Exam and he had his Medical Boards. It was a hard summer but we survived because we had each other! When our tests were over we went back to my hometown so Brandon could rotate with my uncle for the entire month of August. That was one of the best months of my life...
The picture above was taken on the day I realized that I was going to marry Brandon. We had picked up my little nieces, Blythe and Zoe, and headed to Frontier City for LifeStock - a fun day of praise, worship, concerts and baptism that LifeChurch holds every summer. The girls were of course beyond excited to ride all the rides, but unfortunately there wasn't much that Miss Zoe was tall enough to play on... except the tea cups. I hate the tea cups. I get sick as a dog doing non-stop spinning and neither of the girls were big enough to make them spin by themselves. Brandon very sweetly bit the bullet and volunteer. I'll never forget standing outside the ride watching them whirl past me - Brandon smiling from ear to ear and the girls laughing hysterically. I knew in that moment, that this man was my husband.
Brandon was doing a rotation in Miami, Florida during the month of April the spring we got engaged. Easter was right around the corner and I was not super excited... Easter is usually
one of my favorite holidays because my family all goes to Circle A Ranch and
plays softball, eats yummy food and sits around talking all evening; however
this year wasn't going to be near as fun. Brandon was in Florida. Zac was in
Creede, Colorado visiting a friend from college. My cousins Callie, Levi,
Lyndsey and Casey were all going to be out of town as well. On top of all that
it was raining and cold. I was bummed and blatantly pouting.
Saturday morning rolled around and my parents promised a fun filled day to cheer me up - the first stop was our family ranch and when we got there we went for a little drive to see the progress dad had made on cleaning out a couple of acres. When we pulled up there was an Easter basket sitting in the grass and eggs were scattered everywhere down the little hill. My mom mentioned that my cousin and his wife had probably taken their girls to hunt eggs and had forgotten a basket... I totally fell for it. So I pulled on some rain boots and went to pick up the mess. I shook the first egg (thinking they may have accidentally left a prize egg!) and found a note folded inside. I started to open the note and read "I love you bec..." I quickly closed the note, thinking that my cousin's wife had written it for her husband and now I was reading their personal stuff! My parents, who were now out of the truck, saw the weird look on my face and asked me what it said. So I opened it back up and read it to them, "I love you because you trust that I'll be a good husband." For the first time, I realized the note was written for me! So I quickly grabbed the next egg - "I love you because you're debt free" which is an inside joke among my family and close friends. I knew Brandon was up to something...
After opening 48 eggs and reading all 48 reasons why he loves me, Brandon couldn't stand it any longer and came out of his hiding spot. I was so thrilled to see him that I hugged and kissed him until finally he broke free. He told me the Easter Bunny had one more egg for me to open. In his hand was a little stuffed bunny holding a big egg. He quickly got down on one knee and opened the egg, then the box inside and asked me to "make him the happiest man alive." I, of course, said YES! After a lot of hugging and a few more kisses, Brandon said the sweetest prayer over our new little family.
After pulling off the perfect proposal, he had one more surprise up his sleeve. All of the sudden my little brother, Zac, came out of the woods where they had been watching all along! I was so shocked since I thought Zac was in Colorado. It was a fabulous surprise and I was so thrilled to be able to share our special moment with my brother. (Turns out, Zac had been in on the plan all along and had stayed the night at the lake house with Brandon and helped him get everything ready at the ranch, all while texting me about how awesome Creede was... little sneak)
Four short months later, we got married at the Ranch about a hundred feet from the place where Brandon proposed. It was truly the perfect day and I will forever appreciate my sweet husband for agreeing to marry me at the Ranch - a place that is so incredibly special to me. We have now been married a year and a half and every single day I love him a little more. We are so incredibly blessed!
Be Blessed!
Raegan
We went on our "FIRST" first date to a hibachi grill in Norman. I am a super picky eater but Brandon convinced me that a little green wouldn't kill me and I have loved hibachi ever since! (He later talked me into trying sushi... I still can't believe that I love the stuff!) The date went great - it was evident from the start that he was a complete catch - but the timing just wasn't quite right so we remained friends.
Finally, in the last week of February 2010, Brandon called about doing a rotation with my uncle's family medicine clinic in my hometown. I had always told him he was more than welcome to go spend a month playing at the lake and practicing a little medicine when he got too sunburned, so he decided to take me up on it. We met in Bricktown so that he could give me some paperwork to take to my uncle and we grabbed some ice cream and caught up. After ice cream, Brandon suggested we go try the new hibachi grill in town. So we went a few days later and the restaurant was a disaster but we didn't even mind... the timing was finally right! {**One of my all time favorite Craig Groeschel quotes perfectly sums up our relationship, "God's timing is rarely early, but never late." Amen!!}
My law school graduation day was the day we became "officially" a couple. Brandon was scheduled to work that Saturday so he very sweetly drove to Norman before we left and delivered beautiful flowers (he even wore his scrubs to throw me off!). I was disappointed he couldn't make it, but completely understood. After graduation, the OKC Civic Center was mad chaos. I was trying to find my family and tell many of my law school friends goodbye when I saw my grandmother talking to this handsome guy. To my surprise Brandon had switched his schedule, attended my graduation AND found my family, having not even met them before!! They were already enamored with him and my grandma beamed as she said, "I was just getting to know your boyfriend..." We hadn't really talked about it, but I wasn't going to correct her! And from that point on, he was all mine! We spent the rest of the summer studying together - I had the Bar Exam and he had his Medical Boards. It was a hard summer but we survived because we had each other! When our tests were over we went back to my hometown so Brandon could rotate with my uncle for the entire month of August. That was one of the best months of my life...
The picture above was taken on the day I realized that I was going to marry Brandon. We had picked up my little nieces, Blythe and Zoe, and headed to Frontier City for LifeStock - a fun day of praise, worship, concerts and baptism that LifeChurch holds every summer. The girls were of course beyond excited to ride all the rides, but unfortunately there wasn't much that Miss Zoe was tall enough to play on... except the tea cups. I hate the tea cups. I get sick as a dog doing non-stop spinning and neither of the girls were big enough to make them spin by themselves. Brandon very sweetly bit the bullet and volunteer. I'll never forget standing outside the ride watching them whirl past me - Brandon smiling from ear to ear and the girls laughing hysterically. I knew in that moment, that this man was my husband.
Saturday morning rolled around and my parents promised a fun filled day to cheer me up - the first stop was our family ranch and when we got there we went for a little drive to see the progress dad had made on cleaning out a couple of acres. When we pulled up there was an Easter basket sitting in the grass and eggs were scattered everywhere down the little hill. My mom mentioned that my cousin and his wife had probably taken their girls to hunt eggs and had forgotten a basket... I totally fell for it. So I pulled on some rain boots and went to pick up the mess. I shook the first egg (thinking they may have accidentally left a prize egg!) and found a note folded inside. I started to open the note and read "I love you bec..." I quickly closed the note, thinking that my cousin's wife had written it for her husband and now I was reading their personal stuff! My parents, who were now out of the truck, saw the weird look on my face and asked me what it said. So I opened it back up and read it to them, "I love you because you trust that I'll be a good husband." For the first time, I realized the note was written for me! So I quickly grabbed the next egg - "I love you because you're debt free" which is an inside joke among my family and close friends. I knew Brandon was up to something...
After opening 48 eggs and reading all 48 reasons why he loves me, Brandon couldn't stand it any longer and came out of his hiding spot. I was so thrilled to see him that I hugged and kissed him until finally he broke free. He told me the Easter Bunny had one more egg for me to open. In his hand was a little stuffed bunny holding a big egg. He quickly got down on one knee and opened the egg, then the box inside and asked me to "make him the happiest man alive." I, of course, said YES! After a lot of hugging and a few more kisses, Brandon said the sweetest prayer over our new little family.
After pulling off the perfect proposal, he had one more surprise up his sleeve. All of the sudden my little brother, Zac, came out of the woods where they had been watching all along! I was so shocked since I thought Zac was in Colorado. It was a fabulous surprise and I was so thrilled to be able to share our special moment with my brother. (Turns out, Zac had been in on the plan all along and had stayed the night at the lake house with Brandon and helped him get everything ready at the ranch, all while texting me about how awesome Creede was... little sneak)
Four short months later, we got married at the Ranch about a hundred feet from the place where Brandon proposed. It was truly the perfect day and I will forever appreciate my sweet husband for agreeing to marry me at the Ranch - a place that is so incredibly special to me. We have now been married a year and a half and every single day I love him a little more. We are so incredibly blessed!
Be Blessed!
Raegan
Posts
sweet sweet post! your wedding pics are GORGEOUS!!!!
ReplyDeleteStopping by from the link-up... What a perfect post!
ReplyDeleteWedding pictures are absolutely gorgeous!
so glad you joined our link-up! Such a sweet story and I totally believe in serendipity! Also, BEAUTIFUL wedding dress!
ReplyDelete