Our Story

Andrew & Stephanie

Est. 2014

Our Love Story {in a nut shell}

9/24/2011 - - We met

10/5/2011 - - Committed to a Long Distance Relationship

3/31/2012 - - She went to Wales for the first time

6/12/2012 - - He popped the question…

6/12/2012 - - She said, YES!

12/9/2013 - - She filed for a fiancé visa

5/15/2014 - - He interviewed with immigration…

5/15/2014 - - Immigration gave the green light!

9/10/2014 - - He moved to America

10/17/2014 - - The best is yet to come

Now for a little bit more detail on how we met...

Friday, September 23, 2011

I met Andrew this day!  It was late evening we were at The Sargeant's house having a few night caps before the big wedding the next day.  I didn't think much of anything at this point other than I was just trying to keep up with conversation {the welsh accent took a bit to get use to} but really I was satisfied just listening and smiling.  Have I mentioned that I L.O.V.E. the UK, all their accents and Lesley's family?!  I was so excited to finally be able to meet Lesley's family after all these years of being friends.  They were everything I had expected plus more.  I always felt like a second daughter to Carole and Barry but when I was accepted and loved by all, it was heartwarming.  The evening continued with laughs, sharing of memories and expectations for tomorrow all while catching up.

Lesley {the bride and my best friend} was stressing and wanted to make sure everything was in order and ready to go for tomorrow.  I went back to her room to help her pack, make her laugh and try to take her thoughts away from stressing.  I was so excited and blessed to be asked to be part of her and Lane's big day.  I was going to have fun, no matter what! {I am normally pretty shy when I don't really know anyone}

Saturday, September 24, 2011

The wedding day was here and everyone was so excited.  I hung out with the girls and we did our thing.  Everything was perfect at the wedding, the ceremony was beautiful everyone looked fantastic and all went smoothly {well at least from my eyes, I know I wasn't the bride}.  When it was time for the reception I was ready to dance the night away.  My good friend Robbie was meeting me at the reception and Robbie and I always had a good time together and it had been awhile since we had seen each other so a good time was sure to happen! Robbie was playing shy but I kept pulling him to the dance floor because I wasn't going to sit! At one point while I was dancing I noticed the family table and all of the people still sitting down me being the social butterfly I am {may or may not be after a few glasses of wine}invited them to the dance floor to join our circle.  The little girls couldn't have been more excited {and let me just mention how much cuter the accent is from little ones} to dance with all the big girls, but Andrew on the other hand, I couldn't get to dance if my life depended on it.  I tried over and over again.  I was going to dance with him! I was determined, very determined!  Everyone around us was trying to help me with the process nothing was working.  FINALLY {the last song of the night}...Journey's Don't Stop Believing started playing and Andrew agreed to a dance.  It was perfect.  There was something about this moment that was different and special.  I couldn't put my finger on it but this dance wasn't like the ones I had with anyone before.

Once the song ended Andrew disappeared.  I couldn't have imagined the dance, it was real I knew it!  I couldn't find him anywhere and I had to, I had to figure out what I was feeling and find out if he felt it too {I know totally cliche, right}.  My fairly tale was unfolding and I didn't even see it coming.  I never found him that night and after I helped clean up some I went back to my room and just replayed the night over and over in my head while still enjoying my time with Robbie.  I didn't say anything to anyone because first, I wasn't sure what I was feeling and second, it was Lesley's, my best friend's, cousin...is that weird?! This wedding was everything and more than I expected.  It was the start to Our Story!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Robbie had gotten up pretty early and wanted to head back home.  I got up and said good bye to him.  On my way back to the room I noticed that the family was having coffee in the restaurant area, so I was going to go say good morning and see how everyone was feeling then quickly decided probably shouldn't have the second meeting of the family be in my PJs! I decided to head back to the room, change grab some caffeine {I wasn't feeling so hot in the morning}, and go sit outside on the bench where it was cooler and the sound of rain was calming.  It was this bench that I got to know Andrew.  Andrew joined me not long after I had been outside, I was secretly hoping this would happen because after that dance I was NOT leaving without knowing more.

Andrew walked out and thanked me for the dance asked how I was feeling then sat down.  We sat on this bench for two-and-half hours just talking.  Simply put it was...AMAZING! My heart was happy and the butterflies in my stomach were all over the place.  I loved every moment about being on that bench.  It was this bench that we both believe was the start of our relationship although we didn't put a date on it until later.  Honestly, I couldn't tell you specifics about the conversation because most of it I was smiling and nodding as if I was understanding him.  : ) I was so happy in every way nothing else mattered.  We were waiting on Lesley and Lane so we all could go to breakfast but I didn't want this conversation to end.  I do remember Andrew telling me that he had been married before and had a horrible experience and he would never get married again.  I couldn't believe it.  How could I be feeling these emotions for him and not going to be able to make something out of them? Once he told me this I couldn't think of anything else.  Could I change his mind?

We went to breakfast at Shoney's and I am pretty sure everyone thought it was a date for Andrew and I.  Everyone must have picked up on the vibes that were being sent out.  Breakfast was nice but unfortunately it was the end of the end of the wedding weekend.  I had a 6 hour drive home and it was still raining.  So, I said my good-byes to everyone leaving Andrew for the last.  It was one of the hardest things I have ever done.  I wasn't done sorting through my feelings but we had to go our separate ways.  He didn't let me go without a kiss on the forehead.

I made it home safely but stopped at my parent's house told my mom, "I have met the most amazing guy of my life and not sure I will ever see him again."

For the few days Andrew pretty much took ownership of Lesley's phone and we text back and forth constantly.  We decided that we wanted to spend time together and make the most of the time we had before he went back to Wales.

Sunday, October 2 - Wednesday, October 5, 2011
God Bless Lesley for meeting me in Martinsville so Andrew and I could make the short visit possible! I still had to work but we got together in the evenings for dinner and more chats.  Without ever saying it at the time we were both sorting our feelings and making sure we both understood how this relationship would work.  We knew from the beginning it wasn't going to be easy, we knew the time difference would be difficult, we knew we wouldn't be able to see each other as often as we wanted, we knew we would have to be stronger than ever, we knew we HAD more things against us than for us.  We knew what we had was special from the start and we knew once my family met him and once I met his family that they would all be in support of us as a couple.  Most of all we wanted this and were willing to do what we had to for each other...for US! I took Wednesday, October 5th off so I could take Andrew to meet up with his family in Indianapolis.  This was more difficult than I had ever imagined.  I think I cried the whole trip back home.

These were our first pictures together and we did not plan the outfit coordination :)

This was "see you later" on October 5, 2011 I held it together until I got back into the car and headed north

I actually called my mom and asked if I could meet her in Warsaw for dinner because I wanted to talk to her about Andrew. I knew Andrew was special and that he was my prince, I had to tell mom! Without ever really saying it, mom knew I was happy and I have finally found the man of my dreams.  I had to look all the way across the world, but I found him! I. FOUND. HIM!

Our forever will be perfect in perfect timing! We have each other, each step of the way and that is what matters.

The story continues on the blog...