It's a love story...

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Since I loved doing my first link up so much, I decided to do another one! This is one that I've seen floating around the blogs lately and I think it's perfect for Valentine's Day as well as telling you a little more about Dt and my love story. 

Thanks to Becky for creating this link up!

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

When people ask us this question, our answer is 6 years. We started dating my freshman year of college but we did have a 6 month break in there around my sophomore year. We believe that that break is the reason we are where we are today (which is sooooo in love!) and while it was painful at the time, it happened for a reason and I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. So, 6 years in total!

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

Are you ready for this nerdy story? I don't think you are. Dt and I met in biology lab at Clemson University. Yes, we were lab partners. Ahhh, it was love at first sight when I saw him in those snazzy lab goggles. Ha, not! When we were first paired together, I noticed he was cute but didn't think much about it after that. But as the weeks went on, we realized we had a similar sense of humor and started flirting and it went from there. He started walking me to my dorm after class and finally got up the nerve to ask me out on a date. For lunch. Via AIM. That's AOL instant messenger for all of you who don't know. It was a really low key, lunch date but I had so much fun and we laughed the whole time. A lot of our "dates" consisted of parties at his off-campus apartment (he was an upper-classmen, swoon) but we were young and in college so where else were we supposed to hang out? We were college sweethearts, and while we had some bumps along the way, 6 years later we're still going strong.

The first picture we every took via my pink razr phone. 

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}

Despite our 6 years of dating, no, we are not married. But I know I will marry him, just not entirely sure when. First of all, we're only in our mid-twenties. We are not that old despite what people here in the south think. I know we've been dating for a long time but that's just because I was lucky enough to find the love of my life at a young age. We are also broke college students (technically, I graduated 6 months ago, but I'm still broke and he's trying to finish his Ph.D. then hoping to go to med school) so financially it's not an option right now. But one day...

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?  If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?

Even though we are not engaged, and probably aren't going to be for some time, we totally know what we are going to do for our wedding. It may sound crazy to some people to start planning your wedding before you're engaged, and there are lots of delusional girls out there who do this, but I don't fall in that category (I hope!) The difference is that Dt talks about our wedding and what we'll do and where we'll be. I think that's the thin line between delusional and relatively sane. If your bf is excited for your future wedding and is willing to plan it with you, he's serious about marrying you one day. At least in MHO. 

So, to answer the question, Dt and I want to get married at my family's house on the St. Lawrence River.

This is my favorite view from our house, right on the front porch.

It's actually where my parents got married and my family has vacationed there every year since I was born and my father's family has been doing it since long before that. This is my favorite place on earth and it means so much to me. I'm so lucky to have found a person who loves it as much as me and understands the beauty of this place. Growing up, I never imagined getting married here but after Dt had visited a few times, he thought we should, so this is where it will be. It means a lot to me that it was actually Dt's idea too. It will be a small wedding with immediate family and the wedding party but we will have a huuuuge party when we get back in SC for everyone that couldn't travel to upstate NY for the wedding. Kind of like a destination wedding? Whatever, that's our plan!

Here are some sunset pictures.

My wedding pics are going to be fab haha!

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!

We are really weird and have some strange nicknames for each other... we are also one of those gross couples that uses the nickname babe. Dt calls me babe 95% of the time. If he says Emily, it's weird and I feel like I'm in trouble haha. He also calls me monkey. I call him honey, baby, love bug, really sappy things like that. 

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

My favorite thing about Dt is his sense of humor. He makes me laugh like no one else and we have fun doing absolutely nothing because we are constantly joking with each other. I also love that he thinks I'm funny and gets my weird sense of humor.

I love how smart Dt is. And he has no idea! He's getting a Ph.D. in molecular biology so he has some idea but he doesn't know the extent. He's so creative and thinks outside of the box which is pretty unique but the best thing is that he doesn't act like he's the smartest guy in the room. Talking to him, you would never know that he does breast cancer research all day long because he prefers to talk about football and movies and manly things. He's the ultimate combo of a guy's guy and an intellectual.

Finally, I love how caring, patient and kind he is (and yes, this counts as one). He constantly puts up with my craziness in the calmest way imaginable which blows my mind daily. No matter what I throw at him, he handles it and still loves me at the end of the day. Goodness I love that boy!

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?

Well, he has not proposed so I can only imagine what I want... I've told him multiple times that I want to be dressed up with my nails done and some one to take pictures of it. I don't want to look like a hot mess in the pictures of us on our night of our engagement so I need to be tricked into getting dressed up. I want my nails to look nice for the initial ring photos, you know you'll take them! And lastly, I would like our proposal documented. I think those pictures are so sweet and fun to have in the future. In the end, as long as he puts some thought into it and it's sentimental, I don't really care (but shhh, don't tell him). I just want it to be special even if I'm not ready for pictures when it happens. I also know I don't want him to do it on the jumbotron at Death Valley like he jokes about. I'd die. 

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

If I were to choose one, I'd say the strawberries/champagne guy. He made me chocolate covered strawberries and dinner last year and he always does something romantic. He puts thought into it which is nice. 

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

This is a hard one. I would love to have a sunset dinner on the beach for an occasion or two but I could live without. I couldn't live without our movie/cuddling time though. We are kind of homebodies these days, we don't go out to bars as much anymore and movies and the couch are an ideal Friday night. As long as we are together, we're happy!

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

This is another hard one... I want to get married to him, I want to have babies with him, and I want to live the rest of our lives together! But if I could go anywhere? I'd love to go to Bora Bora. This is my ideal honeymoon but I don't know if we'll be able to afford it right after our wedding so it might have to be put off. 

I would also like to travel with Dt to the places that I visited when I studied abroad. Being in the city of love without him was a little depressing so I would love to re-visit Paris, London, and Florence with him. 

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.

Usually, we do big, expensive dinners on valentine's day and our anniversary. In Clemson, we went to the same restaurant every year, Calhoun Corners, and I loved it! These days we have to find other options but it's usually something like High Cotton or Ruth's Chris. This year though, we are taking it easy and he's making dinner for me (which is unusual unless it involves grilling) which will be special. 

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?

I didn't know people asked for things on Valentine's or I would have asked! (I keed, I keed). I don't expect much but I always like a box of chocolates, flowers, and a card. Keep it simple but make it special ;)

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

I think it's important to remember to be friends as well as lovers. If you can enjoy hanging out with each other while grocery shopping or exercising or the basic, non-romantic, everyday things, then you'll be able to enjoy the keep your relationship going. I also think romance should definitely be a part of every relationship but you need to love each other, and show it, every other day of the year that's not Valentine's day too. 

14.  Show us a picture of what love means to you.

So this is obviously not Dt and me but to me, this is love. I think a forehead kiss is so much more than just a regular kiss. I think it shows caring, protection, and love. I also think the girl look so comfortable, carefree, and perfect. This is love.

And come on, who is more in love than these two kids?

Happy Valentine's Day! Go link up! And you can leave a comment here if you do it so I can read your love story!