To say I was boy crazy growing up would be an understatement. Each page of my teenage diary had the name of a different guy. I didn’t like being boyfriend-less. I wouldn’€™t dump one without knowing there was another waiting in the wings. That pattern continued until I got married. In fact, when my future husband asked my dad for my hand in marriage, my dad later took me aside and asked, “€œNow, which guy is this?”
My husband, Secret Agent Man, and I have been going together for many years. I have to admit that I was a little concerned about my own ability to be faithful to one man, given my history as a serial dater. But, when Secret Agent Man came into my life, I gave up my wanton ways and never looked back.
Despite having more than a decade of wedded bliss under our belts, I would not recommend getting together the way we did. We were pen pals for two years and hardly knew each other when we got married. Mind you this was before the Internet was widely in use. Most of what we knew about the other was what we were willing to divulge in a letter.
After two years of writing back and forth, I visited him in California. Then, he turned around and visited me in Colorado. We spent the total of one week getting to know each other, in real life. At the end of that week, he asked me to marry him.
I was taken completely by surprise. I had no idea he wanted to marry me. We had never even talked about it. But when he popped the question, I didn’€™t even think about it. I said yes so fast, just in case he thought better of it and wanted to take it back.
Secret Agent Man went back to California the next day. Our engagement lasted three months and we spent most of that time apart. So, after we got married and moved in together was when we really got to know each other; our faults, our habits, our pet peeves. Maybe it was better that he didn’€™t know until after we were married that I had bad credit, left a lot of hair in the sink and blew my nose really loudly.
My dad did try to warn him. When he finally figured out which one of my boyfriends was asking for my hand in marriage, my dad said, “Are you sure you want to marry her? She’s annoying, you know?”
Thanks Dad for tipping him off. And thank you, Secret Agent Man, for not listening to him.
-Annie Payne
Author: Mile High Mamas
Pregnant Bride
I met him at church – we both thought the other one was smokin’. After our first date, we were always together, either in person or on the phone. Could NOT get enough of each other. After 2 1/2 months of dating, we decided to get married, and then the stick turned pink. We were worried about what our families would think but were absolutely thrilled.
We were engaged about two weeks. We had the date set, but the Hubs didn’t formally propose till Valentine’s Day, and then we were married on Leap Day.
So we were married 4 months after we met, and this year we’ll have our fourth (OK, 16th) anniversary.
Thorny Tree Lady
In the immortal words of Van Halen, “How do you know when it’s love? I can’t tell you, but it lasts forever!” What a fun story for you two!
Melissa
I know what you mean about your diary being filed with old boyfriends. I actually sometimes feel bad about reading it sometimes cause it will be about makeout sessions or wondering if we were getting seriouse enough to talk about marriage. My husband wont read them ever 🙂 i wonder why
Lizzy
I had boyfriends but I was so mean to them. My hubby was smart because he went from best friend to fiance in just one day. and skipped the whole abused boyfriend route.
Anne Bradshaw
Hi Annie! Just letting you know that you’re tagged today on my blog at http://www.annebradshaw.blogspot.com for “Seven Things About You.”
Shannon
Awww, that is such a romantic story, in a victorian lady writer kind of way . S.A.M is lucky to have such a catch as you, and you are lucky you did not end up with one of those boyfriends of the week. Except for that one guy you dated, I still think of him (but with speedos ) sometimes myself. MMMnnnnn……. S. in SF
aubrey
what a cute story. i love knowing a little bit more about you!
elasticwaistbandlady
I heard you blow your nose live and in person. I thought it was quirky and cute.
My mom liked Papi waaaayyyyyy before I did and kept inviting him to eat with us and I’d be like, “Moooooommmm, why would you go and invite that guy to eat with us? We don’t even know him, really.”
Anyway, we had our first official date at Pancho’s Mexican Buffet on the very day they found Kurt Cobain’s dead body. We were the married parents of a newborn daughter precisely 13 months later.
elasticwaistbandlady
My step-mom was the anti-Papi and fixed me up with an acquaintance of hers right in front of him!
SJ
My husband and I met in Virginia and started dating in 1994 by chance. I was friends with his brother who introduced us to each other one random day. In 1997 we both graduated from college and decided that we were going to pack our bags and head to Colorado to enjoy life together. No plans, nada. Just for fun. He asked me to marry him in 1998 at Christmas time and in the fall of 1999 we got married in front of friends and family in Virginia. Here we are, close to 9 years later, still togehter with 2 beautiful sons, enjoying life in Colorado like there is no tomorrow.
http://andallthejonesmen.blogspot.com
Nancy Face
I met Kris Face when I was 16 and he was 17. We dated for a year and a half, then became pen pals for two years while he was on a mission in New Zealand. He proposed two months after returning home, and we were married three months later. Now it’s been a whopping 25 years! By the way, I’m pretty sure my mom liked him more than she liked me, haha! 😉
b.
I was nearly engaged to 2 other guys when Hoss asked me to marry him. We had come home from a date and I walked into a fully decorated apartment. There was a huge balloon with a stuffed Roger Rabbit inside with my ring sitting on its ear. I really did not know for sure that it was Hoss’ doing….I thought maybe I was going to have to break up with him right then and there. Imagine my relief when he dropped to one knee and proposed!