I’m probably not ever going to be described as a romantic woman because I’m far too practical for the descriptors that come with it. Most romantic movies don’t do anything for me because they offer such ridiculous plot lines that lead people (okay…they lead women) to hold men and relationships to an unrealistic standard. I don’t do schmaltzy.
My husband would probably say that the first three words that come to mind when describing me are: beautiful, energetic, and nymphomaniac . I know this because as I’m typing this post he is sitting across from me eating a cinnamon roll and I said, “Kenny. The first three words that come to mind when describing me. GO.” This is an interactive post I suppose.
We met when I was 19 and beginning my sophomore year of college. At first I wouldn’t go out with him because he was nice. It’s like the kiss of death for nice guys, isn’t it? My taste would have rather been someone who was treating me like shit because, well, that’s what I was used to and tried to stick with it. He called my girlfriend, Tammy, almost every night at 9:00 pm and asked what she could do to get me to go out with him. Finally, I conceded and we went with a group of friends to see a concert at the U of I (that’s for Illinois, you Iowans. Illinois.) and there was a little confrontation between me and another girl for something totally asinine. I told her off something fierce and for some reason, this turned Ken on. He pursued me for weeks before I gave in and agreed to go out with him. He didn’t seem to mind that I had a 4 year old and when he met her for the first time he brought a teddy bear (his mom collects them) and she named him KennyBear.
KennyBear still sits on her bed today. Is your heart exploding all over the computer screen yet? Yeah. Me, too.
Since my body is just bound and determined to get pregnant NO MATTER WHAT, Mason was conceived and born right after I turned 20. (I’m not kidding. If I’m ovulating that man has to sleep in the garage and steer clear of me.) Ken was just graduating college and would get a job soon, but when we talked marriage I was terrified that he would leave me soon after and tell me that he only married me for the baby. Like any rational, practical woman I wanted him to marry me for me. We waited two years before we tied the knot just as I graduated and got my first job offer. Our entire engagement lasted eleven days. It was the most un-romantic, gritty proposal in the History of Man.
Ken: So, you took that job offer, huh? You’re bringing the kids and living here?
Kelly: Yeah. I was wondering. This whole marriage thing. We gonna do this or what?
Ken: Sounds good to me. What are you doing next weekend?
Kelly: Nothing. Wanna get married?
Ken: Oh, yeah.
With that, our friends pulled together and made our flowers, decorated the church, got a friend to make a wedding cake (which was FANTASTIC) and planned our reception at another friend’s gorgeous Victorian home where I had been living while I finished my student teaching with Mallory and Mason. One of Mallory’s kindergarten friends had a mother who gave violin lessons and she called and asked if she could donate her services since she played with a string quartet to play our wedding. It all came together perfectly.
My mother offered the best advice at the time since Ken and I had already lived together, broken up, and dealt with so many issues prior to getting married. When I asked her if she thought I should pursue him she replied, “Kelly. Don’t marry the one you can live with. Marry the one you can’t live without.”
Every single day for the past 15 years Ken has made me laugh and dealt with the crap I bring into our lives and he handles it like a pro. He’s married to a strong, no-nonsense woman and usually shakes his head at me when I’m doing ridiculous things, but he has admitted that he married an Alpha Female and has had to learn how to be an Alpha Female Handler. Normally, I wouldn’t advise two competitive people getting married, but it’s working for us and it’s been at least 4 years since he accidentally broke my toe while we were wrestling in our living room. So there is that.
Happy Anniversary, Kennimus Maximus. Twelve years of marriage looks good on you, babe.
Ha! You asked him to marry you! I should have known! Happy Anniversary!
Oh I love it! Happy Anniversary Kelly and Ken. What a sweet story. Mom was right. And my 2 cents: if you enjoy wrestling with the guy, he’s the one ;^)
wow, my heart is finally dripping down the screen so i can see to type this! That is an awesome story! Congrats to you both!
Mocha,
That is sweet and romantic. Although maybe the title should be Catch me after you break my toe.
I think sometimes it is easy to get caught up in grand romantic gestures (like the movies.)
Reality is rarely that way and love that falls together is very romantic.
Nora
Somehow not the proposal story I expected to hear. I envisioned you as more of a romantic than you turned out to be. Anyone who can survive twelve years of marriage and a 15 year relationship and still be in love as you are has a responsibility, dammit, to write down and patent that mojo. Or is it as simple as you’re a nympho?
(Mochita – I got the digital Rebel XT!)
AWWWWWWWW!!!! I love your last line to him….thats just so sweet!
…had to learn how to be an Alpha Female Handler.
Just curious, does this involve a chair and a whip?
I can’t stop crying. I must be WAY hormonal. This is the sweetest thing I’ve read today. I can’t tell you enough how much I adore you. I feel like family.
You want an even better marriage proposal story? I blogged about how Doug proposed to me. It’s so not romantic. I don’t know what I’m going to tell my grandchildren.
Happy Anniversary Kelly and Kenny! -super blog family hugs-
Aww, Happy Anniversary!
I love the Alpha Female Handler bit – such an apt description! I think lots of husband have become adept at just that.
I’m glad girls outgrow their bad boy phase. Most girls at least.
It’s nice to find a good one, isn’t it? Happy Anniversary!
Oh Kelly! I’ve been waiting to hear the story of how you two met. Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary! And I have to tell you that, in my mind, Ken’s “Oh Yeah” reply to your proposal sounds VERY Isaac Hayes. Wait–make that Barry White. I can’t get behind Isaac since the whole Scientology connection.
Happy Anniversary!
You reminded me of something from about 8 years ago. We wanted our kids about two years apart. Things didn’t work out that way and there were delays. I was talking to a woman at work, and she asked when the next kid was coming.
I said “We’re trying. Can’t complain too much about that, I guess.”
She replied, “You white people crack me up! ‘Trying’! My husband looks at me funny and we end up with another kid!”
Well, we’ve got our share now.
Congrats again, and send him to the garage!!
Hey Kelly,
Happy Anniversary to you both… you may think you aren’t romantic and it’s true that there are way too many fluff stories out of Hollywood but honestly I think your story could make a pretty decent movie too!
Congrats on 12 years and may there be many many more!
mt
Congrats you two, that’s really fantastic. Thanks for sharing your sweet story.
Congratulations Kelly and Ken… 12 yrs is a feat to be proud of something to boast about. May you have another amazingly rewarding 12 yrs and more ahead of you!
Ciao bella,
KC
Happy Anniversary, you two! It sounds like you two have a great relationship, and I hope to find a love like yours one day!
Happy anniversary! Wow…you and Chris (Three Hour Tour) and Sue (Jayhawk Fever) all have your anniversaries right here together in June. Guess that comes from living somewhere other than the South. A June wedding in NC? Talk about a sticky situation (because of the humidity if nothing else).
I love this post. But daggnabbit you put it up AFTER I made up the Tour and I’ll be gone next weekend, so I won’t be able to link to it then! Come on now, get with the program woman.
Speaking of which, I have an article from the Charlotte Observer on my site that you might find interesting from a professional perspective. Drop by and check it out if you get a chance.
Oh, and I’ll ask again…does Kenny have a single, straight brother by any chance? *grin*
Take care, Lady.
Excellent. Happy Anniversary. Have a great getaway!
All I could think when you mentioned KennyBear on the bed was “Awwww…”
Hope you had a great anniversary!!!
You don’t like romantic movies???? You just wrote one! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. I can see why he married you, too!
EZ
Happy anniversary! That’s awesome…at least I know I may still have a chance…you may know how times I’ve heard the “nice guy” thing at me
Anniversaries. Are we supposed to remember them or is it your job? I think I’m up to 13 and a half, maybe… I’d ask my wife, but I suspect she wouldn’t be impressed that I don’t have it memorised and/or tattooed somewhere prominent.
I tried to read the whole post but my brain got stuck on the ‘beautiful, energetic, and nymphomaniac’ part. After 12 years he is still describing you like that! I need to get my wife high on crack or something. I got jipped.
Nice story, Mocha. I’ve been married…let’s see….carry the one….um…almost 14 years (couple of months away). Not quite as nice a story as yours. We actually planned it and had a year and a half to pull it off. Now, if we could just get that honeymoon taken care of….
I knew a girl in college who did the same thing. After she finished law school she finally agreed to marry the guy. She wanted to be sure it was for real and not about her six-year-old (yes, she made him wait six years after the birth of their child).
Awwww. That was cute.
KM
Hey hun…You won’t be able to access my blog for awhile. I have been fighting with MSN because they claim I have been in violation of their code of conduct by having an image that was copyrighted. As soon as they notified me (on Wednesday) I deleted the image from the old astrology post. They had given me 48 hrs to do it… and I did it immediately. But they have closed down my space regardless stating I did not comply… and I am in an email battle with them.
I might have to start from scratch at the rate that their going. Out of the millions of blogs – they pick on mine – one image that I deleted immediately upon notification – I think I probably pissed someone off with my recent posting – who knows… but I am extremely frustrated. All that work I put into that place is gone… time to get my own domain I think… It’s time.
I will continue to stop by and comment and will let you know shortly where and when I have a new place to rest my thoughts.
Ciao bella,
KC
That all sounds incredibly romantic to me. Well maybe minus the “we’ve been married 12 years now” part, not so much. But the whole story? Perfect and sweet. Happy Anniversary!
(oh, and P.S. TWO careless moments -IN MY LIFE – two babies… but I hadn’t thought of the garage as a remedy.)
You always have the sweetest stories–I hope C and I are as in love as you guys are 10 years from now!
Congrats and have a great vacation!
R
Well, my first thought was, “Hmmm… she finally has something in common with GW; she has a handler.” (snicker)
Happy Anniversary to both of you.
May you keep each other busy and laughing… for all time.
*s*
I’ll catch up with you in a few weeks. My internet goes down tomorrow. (SHRIEK!) And we are packing up the truck on Wednesday.
I’m just hoping we can keep laughing through this whole thing. What a test moving is!
Take care,
Natalie
What a wonderful way for a relationship to begin!
Have a Wonderful Anniversary! Enjoy Each Other!
Jennifer
Awww, congratulations on 12 years!
*searching for a tissue AGAIN!*
Happy Anniversary!!!! You made me cry, damn it!
We are so lucky to have wonderful hubbies aren’t we?
Yick! Now there’s sweet all over the place.
Tee Hee!! He’s a keeper that’s for sure. Love the blog!
Happy Anniversary, Ken & Kelly!
According to my almanac, which I happen to have here next to the laptop, the 12th anniversary requires a gift of “silk, pearls, or colored gems.”
Hmmm, now why the heck would anyone need those things when they’ve had twelve fun-filled years behind them and the prospect of many more ahead of them?
Congratulations…and now I’m going to read about your anniversary trip…
I love anniversary stories! The best marriages aren’t Romeo and Juliet traditional romantic crap. (although it might be nice once in awhile). We tease Drama Queen about being in heat during certain times of the year because all of her children are born in February. We did look for chastity belt, but no luck yet.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AND MAY YOU HAVE MANY MORE!
: ) sue
Hi Kelly, me and hubby need 10 years to go to get to your number. Yes, we’re new. I wrote something about it in my blog.
Thanks for the wonderful post, dear.
Happy Anniversary to both of you!
Awwwww!!! That is so sweet! I love to see happy relationships. It gives me hope. I have been with my bf for six years now, and I still love him more than anything and I can’t imagine living without him. Congrats to you both!
Have a great weekend,
Monny