The Story of Us

With Scot and my 5th Wedding Anniversary fastly approaching this weekend, I found this survey from I love You More than Carrots and thought it would be fun to reminisce about how we met and the story of US! I just changed some of the questions which were Valentines Day themed, to Anniversary!

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

Celebrating my 23rd Birthday at my mom's house

Going for a hike in Gatlinburg TN, which Scot introduced me to his passion for the outdoors

Scot and I had seen each other from afar, for awhile, but we actually met officially in March of 2005. We started off as friends, even though I had the biggest crush on him for the longest time! Then finally we started dating, but not exclusively until February of 2006. So to really answer this question, we have been together six years including dating and marriage.

Riding Beach Cruisers at Holden Beach

May 2006

(Look how small TUCKER was here.. Aww!)

1st time flying somewhere with Scot, when we visited his family in New Hampshire

July 2006

2. How did you meet? {What’s your “love” story?}

Scot and I had been checking each other out for awhile before we actually met, because he lived in my friend's neighbohood on Lake Norman, the area we live in, and he finally came up and introduced himself to me one night at Rusty Rudder ( a restaurant on the lake), while attending a private party held for the residents. We hit it off but he never asked for my number, so I wasn't sure if he was into me or not. Then mysteriously one day walking to my car (parked in my friend's neighborhood), there was a note stuck behind the window wipers from Scot and his number. I thought it was a ticket when I saw it at first haha! And yes obviously those were my hard partying days where I spent a lot of time at my friend's partying and then crashing at her house rather than driving back to my house.

I finally gave him a call after working myself up to get the nerve to do so, and we actually had our first official/unofficial "date" on Easter 2005 that evening. I came over to his house and we hung out and talked for hours! He was shorter than I remembered and I was younger than he'd remembered ha!

3. How long have you been married?
We will celebrate 5 years of marriage this Saturday, April 21st!
4. Where did you get married? Big or small wedding?

 Being that we met at Lake Norman, Scot and I wanted to get married outside looking out at the lake which was such a key part of how we met. We actually got married at The Point Country Club (just recently now owned by Donald Trump ha!) and were married in front of our close family and friends in an intimate setting of about 60 people. This picture pretty much sums up the intimate wedding and the lake setting that we had in mind when we started talking about where to have it.

One of the happiest days of my life, becoming Mrs Scot Gelinas

We did it! Hitched and after dancing the night away with all of our close friends and family, we headed home to start our life as "Mr" and "Mrs"
5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!
Scot likes to call me "Baby cakes" even though I hate it because it's the name my stepdad calls my mom. He does it because he called me that once before knowing it was their pet name, and when I cringed he thought it was funny, so he hasn't stopped since. He also calls me "Baby" and "Lulie", which is my childhood nickname my Mom has always called me. I call him "Love" and "Baby" and sometimes "Scooty".
6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.
Well the obvious answer to this would be he is the BEST husband and father any woman could have, but that's a given.
1). First and foremost, I LOVE that he is a Christian, and sets the example in our home. In fact, after youth group, I had gone through a period without leaning on God, but my own understanding, and after meeting Scot he brought me to church with him and it began my journey with Christ again. I will always remember this and be thankful.
2). He is very generous, always thinking of me before himself. He would let me have the last bite of something, or if we just had one K-cup of coffee left or something like that he'd let me have it. I'm much more selfish! Also he's always willing to get me gifts even when we've decided NOT to exchange them, he thinks of me before himself.
3). He never holds grudges! We've had our share of arguments over the years, as any couple does, yet he never holds a grudge and moves on. I'm the Queen of holding a grudge and could really learn a thing or two from him on this!
4). Okay I know I'm only supposed to name 3 things, but there are really so many more qualities I could list about the man I married, but overall, I married Scot because he was a wonderful example of hard working, and driven, and seemed to have it all. And I was very attracted to these qualities in a man and wanted to be part of his life. I loved how funny he was, and how he was big and strong and I felt comforted just being around him, and he would protect me, also that  he'd always provide not only for myself but for our unborn children too!
7. Tell us how he proposed?

October 13th, 2006

Scot wanted to plan a mountain getaway for the weekend, so he booked a hotel in Asheville NC and then we had plans to go for a hike at Chimney Rock and have lunch by Lake Lure. It was the perfect day and I had absolutely no idea of what was coming! In fact, I should have, because I'm such a clumsy person and Scot loves to tease me, and at lunch I happened to knock my drink over and it got all over me! Scot didn't say a word, which he usually does, so I should've known something was up. After lunch we drove by a pretty scenic creek and we wanted to stop and take pictures. Scot asked if he could take a picture of me and I obliged, and the next thing I knew, he then said "That's a great picture, because it's the last one of you being single." And he was on one knee, with just the ring, no cheesy box, and I just started crying and saying "Yes Yes Yes!!!".

But the real killer came when we got back in the car and immediately I said "I have to call my Mom to tell her the great news!" and he looked at me and said "Baby she already knows." And I looked at him and I will never forget that moment and how much it meant to me that Scot asked for my hand in marriage long before I knew anything. Just thinking back to that day makes me want to cry!
8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?
Really neither. I mean we do exchange gifts for holidays, but after being married and after having kids, things really changed and when we need or want something we get it. We make less big deals for ourselves and it's more rewarding to shower our kids with goodies. Don't get me wrong, Scot does get me flowers and champagne, and has a romantic side to him from time to time too, but it certainly wasn't a quality that attracted me to him!

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?
Lately we are more of a "relax watching a DVR'd tv show in bed after the kids go to bed" couple than anything, because that's just where we are in this season of life right now. However, if we're on a date than we are definitely a "dinner and drinks on the beach" type couple! Beach wins everytime with us and we long to live at the beach one day.
10. Tell us one thing you’d like to do with your significant other one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?
Traveling is a passion of ours, and I want to see the World with Scot one day! He has backpacked through Europe and been to so many cool places, but I have really just started making my way traveling. We long to go to Europe together and visit Tahiti, Austrailia, another trip to Hawaii but with our kids, Vegas together, Napa Valley, a Disney trip just the four of us, and so many more places! Our goal each year would be to take one long weekend trip just the two of us, maybe the beach or a Vegas trip and then another vacation as a family of 4! 

Boston

Christmastime 2007

 Our Eastern Caribbean Honeymoon cruise

April 2007

St John

May 2007

Maine

July 2006

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Anniversary.

 Maui, Hawaii

March 2012

We had originally planned a weekend getaway to Hilton Head Island, but after coming home from Hawaii and being away from the kids for so many days, we decided we really would rather stay in town and just have a night out and relax. So we have plans to eat at the restaurant we had our rehersal dinner at, and then walk the grounds at the Point Country Club where we got married. We had plenty of romance and time just the two of us while we were in Hawaii, and we feel like we celebrated our anniversary while we were there too!

12. Are you asking for anything this Anniversary?
No way! Honestly, I really just want a night with my man to talk and laugh and connect. And that's more meaningful than any gift he could buy me. I'm pretty easy when it comes to this. Don't get me wrong, I love gifts, as any girl does, but it's not what makes me the most happy! After having two kids I've learned our alone time is even more precious and limited, and I would rather have the gift of his company than any piece of jewelry or handbag! (okay that sounded really cheesy but it's true).
13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.
Making time for yourselves, and communication. How can the other ever know what you feel or think or what bothers or upsets you if you never voice it. When I first met Scot he never really talked but eventually he opened up to me and I know it's what makes our marriage work, as well as our Faith at the front and center of our marriage!

14. Show us a picture of what love means to you.

Okay. I cheated yet again and added two pictures, but these are precious moments that I will never forget! I love my husband and children so so very much and they are what love means to me.