Weddingbee bios

I’m a recovering vegetarian, engineer transitioning to law student, Chicago implant.  I used to be pretty crafty but the demands of college and life got in the way… our wedding is bringing me back to my crafting roots.  I love to work out, I just hate waking up to do it.  I LOVE chocolate and it was almost a deal breaker when I found out Mr. SL preferred vegetables (yes this was still in my vegetarian days).  I was a vegetarian for 13 years, but when I made Mr. SL some chicken noodle soup I succumbed to the urge to eat meat.  I’ve lived in Oklahoma, Texas, California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, and now Illinois.  My parents currently live in Utah, so that’s where “home” is.

He’s a nerdy-at-heart, but hates to show it, computer programmer who gets his heart broken every year by the Cubs.  He the smartest person I know, and my best friend (even when he convinced me to run the Chicago marathon the year they ran out of water).  He spends his spare time programming iPhone apps, reading, dealing with my wedding questions, and partaking in fun with his long time friends in the city.  He loves to find new music and pass it on to friends – I think most of my music collection I owe to him.  He grew up in a suburb southwest of the city and moved to Chicago proper right before we met. 

 

 

 

<h1><span style="font-size: x-small;">June 16, 2006 :: We Met</h1>
<h1 style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Summer of '06 Mr. SL was enjoying life in the city, living in his new condo, and commuting to work out west of Chicago (45 min train ride).  I was interning at a nuclear power plant in Michigan, and traveling a lot to visit friends in other, more exciting, cities.  I drove out to visit a friend, who at the time lived in a suburb of Chicago, this weekend and rode the train back into the city to stay with our other good friend.  The train we took happened to be the same train that Mr. SL rode back into the city.  It was on the Union Pacific West Metra line that we were introduced.</h1>

<span style="font-size: x-small;">Later that evening Mr. SL asked me if I wanted to go grab something to eat at Clarke's, a late night joint to enjoy breakfast.  Mr. SL did not even flinch at my reply, "I don't know you, and I don't really know Chicago, so no - I won't go get breakfast with you this late at night."  He proceeded to invite my two friends out to breakfast as well.  Not only did he figure out a way to get me to go to breakfast, he then paid for all of our meals at the end of the late night snack.

<h1><span style="font-size: x-small;">June 17, 2006</h1>

<span style="font-size: x-small;">Mr. SL decided to meet up with us after our day of eating at The Chicago Diner, The Garden Walk and general Chicago fun.  Persistant as ever Mr. SL asked me out to breakfast, again to Clarke's, and this time I said yes.  We spent hours talking into the early hours of the morning.  When Mr. SL dropped me off where I was staying he asked me for my number.  I didn't give it to him at first, saying "If you're not going to call, don't worry.  You don't have to ask for my number." Somehow he forced me to be reasonable and give my number to him.  He said he would call Monday. I was pretty doubtful.

<h1><span style="font-size: x-small;">June 18, 2006 :: Sunday (not Monday)
</h1>

<span style="font-size: x-small;">Mr. SL called me on Sunday, a day earlier than he said he would.  When I asked why he said, "I wanted to make sure no one else called you first."   [this is where I always swoon]

<h1><span style="font-size: x-small;">August 4-6, 2006 :: Lollapalooza
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold;">
<div class="UPJFE-Photo-Shadow" style="margin: 20px 0px 0px 8px;">

<span style="font-size: x-small;">Two months after we met I came up to Chicago for Lollapalooza, a 3 day music festival downtown.  Not being able to pin-point exactly when we started dating we use the festival to mark the date.  One of our friends who introduced us took one of our favorite pictures (above).  

<h1><span style="font-size: x-small;"> August 7, 2006 through February 20, 2009 :: Dating
</h1>

<span style="font-size: x-small;">We were not geographically in the same place for the first year and a half of our relationship. We would take turns visiting each other.  I came up to Chicago to help Mr. SL paint his condo, Mr. SL's car broke down driving south to see me at Purdue.  When I drove up to Chicago I would stop by Fairoaks Farms and grab a grilled cheese for Mr. SL.  Mr. SL had to 'witness' many things over the phone with me, like the time I had to get in a dumpster because I accidentally threw out my keys (and wanted him to stay on the phone in case anything happened).  Thankfully seeing each other became a lot easier once I got my job in Chicago, and moved in with Mr. SL.  And, luckily, he didn't get sick of her insesant need to sleep as much as humanly possible and she got over his natural ability to wake up at 5am, everday (even on the weekends!).

 

 

 

 

 

June 16, 2006 :: We Met

The Summer of '06 Mr. SL was enjoying life in the city, living in his new condo, and commuting to work out west of Chicago (45 min train ride).  I was interning at a nuclear power plant in Michigan, and traveling a lot to visit friends in other, more exciting, cities.  I drove out to visit a friend, who at the time lived in a suburb of Chicago, this weekend and rode the train back into the city to stay with our other good friend.  The train we took happened to be the same train that Mr. SL rode back into the city.  Itwas on the Union Pacific West Metra line that we were introduced.

Later that evening Mr. SL asked me if I wanted to go grab something to eat at Clarke's, a late night joint to enjoy breakfast.  Mr. SL did not even flinch at my reply, "I don't know you, and I don't reallyknow Chicago, so no - I won't go get breakfast with you this late at night."  He proceeded to invite my two friends out to breakfast as well.  Not only did he figure out a way to get me to go to breakfast, he then paid for all of our meals at the end of the late night snack.

June 17, 2006

Mr. SL decided to meet up with us after our day of eating at The Chicago Diner, The Garden Walk and general Chicago fun.  Persistant as ever Mr. SL asked me out to breakfast, again to Clarke's, and this time I said yes.  We spent hours talking into the early hours of the morning.  When Mr. SL dropped me off where I was staying he asked me for my number.  I didn't give it to him at first, saying "If you're not going to call, don't worry.  You don't have to ask for my number." Somehow he forced me to be reasonable and give my number to him.  He said he would call Monday. I was pretty doubtful.

June 18, 2006 :: Sunday (not Monday)Mr. SL called me on Sunday, a day earlier than he said he would. When I asked why he said, "I wanted to make sure no one else called you first."   [this is where I always swoon]August 4-6, 2006 :: Lollapalooza Two months after we met I came up to Chicago for Lollapalooza, a 3 day music festival downtown.  Notbeing able to pin-point exactly when we started dating we use the festival to mark the date.  

August 7, 2006 through February 20, 2009 :: Dating We were not geographically in the same place for the first year and a half of our relationship. We would take turns visiting each other.  I came up to Chicago to help Mr. SL paint his condo, Mr. SL's car broke down driving south to see me at Purdue.  When I drove up to Chicago I would stop by Fairoaks Farms  and grab a grilled cheese for Mr. SL.  Mr. SL had to 'witness' many things over the phone with me, like the time I had to get in a dumpster because I accidentally threw out my keys (and wanted him to stay on the phone in case anything happened).  Thankfully seeing each other became a lot easier once I got my job in Chicago, and moved in with Mr. SL.  And, luckily, he didn't get sick of her insesant need to sleep as much as humanly possible and I got over his natural ability to wake up at 5am, everday (even on the weekends!).

 

Feb 21, 2009

With much anticipation, and fearfulness, I had recieved acceptance to law school that week (not where you thought this was headed, right?). To celebrate Mr. SL planned the celebration for Saturday, leaving the location a surprise for me.  An amazing meal ensued in Trump's Chicago restaurant, Sixteen, that included 10 courses - 3 of which were dessert. Course after course, wine pairing after wine pairing all I was thinking was about how lucky I am to be with someone that was willing to go this extent to celebrate just the acceptance to law school. After deciding to forgo meeting up with friends Mr. SL mentioned he had gotten an independent film, "Question", that he wanted to watch. It's not uncommon for either of us to find a weird/Indy film to watch, so I (maybe a little hazed by the wonderful food and wine) didn't catch the hint. When home Mr. SL put on the movie, and it was only the point where I saw her brother, the first one holding a sign, that I really realized what was happening. Not wanting to look away from the movie, but unwilling to not look at Mr. SL, I had a hard time capturing everything that was happening. In tears by the end of the movie, after seeing family member after family member holding signs that said, "Say Yes" Mr. SL got down on one knee and asked the question! It was everything that I could have dreamed of for a proposal - private, thoughtful, family inclusive, and full of love.

I'm going to try to make a more anonymous link to the video and then post it. It's a slide show of pics set to the Old 97's song "Question" Here are the lyrics:

She woke from a dream
Her head was on fire
Why was he so nervous?

He took her to the park
She crossed her arms
And lowered her eyelids

Some day somebody's gonna ask you
A question that you should say yes to
Once in your life
Maybe tonight I've got a question for you

She'd had no idea
Started to cry
She said in a good way

He took her by the hand
Walked her back home
They took the long way

Some day somebody's gonna ask you
A question that you should say yes to
Once in your life
Maybe tonight I've got a question for you
I've got a question for you