My husband is my 100% best friend.  I trust him with every ounce of my being.  This isn’t the easiest statement for me to make.  Trusting is very hard for me, since I’m always getting burned.  But there is one person in this world that I know I can count on no matter what…. Jon.

When I am sick, he takes care of me.  When I am stressed out, he asks for a ‘honey do list’.  When I get down, he helps me look for the brighter side.  When I don’t know the answer (because he knows so many random facts… seriously, he needs to go on jeopardy), he is there ready to answer our 10 year old daughter’s left field questions.  When I worry about the future, he worries with me, but assures me that he is going to be there no matter what.  We have been together 8 years this May and he still calls me during his lunch breaks.  When I want to quit, he encourages me like nobody else in this world.  Because the person I trust so much believes in me.

The day he proposed, we were just leaving NEPA for our family vacation to Orlando, FL.  That’s right, we were driving (won’t do that again until the kids are older).  We were on the highway just outside of Scranton when I noticed a cop sitting in a spot that cops love to hang out at.  As anyone else would, I quickly slowed down (I really was going with the speed of traffic in slow lane).  Watching my mirror I noticed he pulled out.  Oh no!  That lump formed in my stomach and I was thinking “Don’t turn on the lights, no lights, no lights…”.  I guess all the wishing wasn’t going to help, there go the lights.  UGH!  I was following my stepdad and mom.  My stepdad was a PA State Trooper (retired now) at the time.  I quickly called him and was like, “OMG There is a cop pulling me over and I didn’t do anything!  What do I do?”  He said, “Um, pull over.” lol  Ok good call!

I pulled over where my stepdad did.  The cop approached and said our vehicle matched the description of a drive off at a gas station.  Really?  Come on, this is malarkey, we have a time schedule to keep.  He said the driver matched my (then) boyfriend’s description (he was riding shotgun).  He asked him for his license and Jon said it was packed in the trunk.  WHAT?! Why would your license be in the trunk?  Another groan.. UGH.  The cop asked him to step out and retrieve it.

I’m sitting in the driver seat freaking out.  This sounds serious.  Who is messing with us?  Then, I’m thinking, oh no.  There was very strategic placement happening in our trunk for a 2 week vacation!  There is no way he will find anything.  And surely, you should NOT step out of the vehicle in this situation, but I did.  I went to the trunk and he was leaning in.  I said I’d help.  He pointed me to the trunk and said maybe there.  I’m huffing and puffing, because I just can’t believe this is happening.

Then, I don’t know what made me turn around.  Jon may have asked me to, I just can’t recall.  I turned and he was on a knee on the side of the highway with a ring.  The cop was smiling.  I turned to the trunk and was like “OMG!” I saw my stepdad step out from behind the lifted trunk lid and my mom was on the other side with a videocamera.  OH.EM.GEE!  This is really happening.  He said some sweet things, I am sure, but honestly I was so overwhelmed I couldn’t tell you what he said, other than he asked me to marry him.  I said yes!  And if he was to ask me again, I would say yes all over again!  It was the best decision I ever made in my entire life full of bad and okay decisions.  Once I said yes, my entire life fell into place.  Everything finally got better.  I was happier.

We don’t live a lavish lifestyle by any means.  But I will gladly travel the life we have as long as we are in it together.  For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, with a busy life with 3 kids, a job and a business and when we are all alone and hear crickets.  We will do it side by side.  I’m pretty darn lucky!

And this is my ring. 🙂