My Awesome Husband Blog

"Greg on the Rocks," Dec. 13, 2008, Uwharrie National Forest; Jeep driven by good friend, John Craven. Please note: This photo has absolutely nothing to do with the content of this post, other than that they both have my husband in them. Any resemblance that John's Jeep -- and/or the pile of rocks beneath it -- bears to the description of my father's car is strictly coincidental.

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This post has been a while in the planning. You'll note the title -- "My Awesome Husband..." Well, even though December 19 was the anniversary of the day Greg asked me to marry him, I had to wait until I was actually feeling his awesomeness at the same time that I happened to be blogging! At last...

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On December 19, 1972, Greg asked me to marry him. Although I remember stuff like that, I'm not a stickler about commemorating the occasion with dinner out and a bouqet of flowers -- I just like to remember.

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I also remember what I was wearing that day (a forest green wool tweed jumper that zipped up the front and a dark green turtle-neck) and how my hair looked (green highlights, because I'd tried to cover up a botched "frosting" job with semi-permanent hair color, and after the first shampoo, everything that wasn't "natural" was green).

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I can still see Greg pulling up in front of the trailer that temporarily housed the savings & loan association where I worked. (I don't remember what he was wearing, but if I ventured a guess, I bet I wouldn't be too far off -- he just didn't have as many cute outfits as I did!)

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He was driving my dad's beat-up old car (the make of which I also don't remember -- just that it was a "clunker"). That was because he had filled in for Dad that morning on his round of office-cleaning jobs. My sister's boyfriend had also helped, and that's how Greg came to find out that Dave had let Bev in on his little secret -- that he was going to give me a diamond ring for Christmas(!!) Of course once Greg realized that Bev knew, he worried that his surprise might not remain a surprise, so he decided to lose no time in springing it on me.

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Now here's where I'm going to share my little secret -- I saw it coming! Yep, Greg liked to play this little game where he'd have me guess what he was giving me for Christmas. He'd say, "It's something round," and I'd say, "Umm, a record?" (IFor those who don't know that that is, picture a CD or DVD, only much bigger, and less shiny.) Somehow, though, I knew that he was going to give me a ring -- I just never dared to guess that. After all, there were plenty of other "round" options at my disposal: tire, plate, wheel...It's funny, though, that he was so sure I'd never guess.

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Anyway, the way he popped the question was a big surprise -- sticking his head in that trailer and asking me to step outside for a minute. I was too curious to be concerned that something might be wrong. I just remember looking at Head Teller Jane for permission, and her saying, "Sure, go ahead," with a what-th... look on her face. (I guess curiosity must have gotten the best of her, too, because even though she was sort of like a mom to me, she didn't even tell me to grab a coat -- although it was probably like 10 degrees outside!)

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So how romantic was that?! I climbed into Dad's junk heap on the driver's side, probably pushing trash off the seat and crushing it onto the floor. (Sorry, Dad, but you know how your cars were!) I remember Greg getting in and starting the engine, just to keep warm, and -- now I might be making this part up, but I'm pretty sure I remember seeing H.T. Jane peeking out the window right about then.

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I remember the look on Greg's face (How could I forget such total cuteness?) as he told me he wanted to ask me something. And I'm pretty sure I knew what it was as soon as he put his hand in his pocket. (Hey -- I just remembered something else -- He was wearing a jacket!)

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Of course I said yes with absolutely no hesitation -- and then, giddy with excitement, I had to go right back in and be a teller for the rest of the day. Needless to say, I don't remember any of that -- Hey, we could have been held up by Trailer Pirates, and I'd probably still only remember December 19, 1972, as the day Greg asked me to marry him.

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Which, of course, I did. (Sept. 28 post, "Happy Anniversary to Us!"