The Story of Us

I got this idea from my friend Amber at a Little Pink in the Cornfields. Consider it kind of a belated Valentine's Day post, the story of us, me and my husband, Eric.

1. What are your middle names? Mine is Alison and his is Scott

2. How long have you been together? Our first date was June 21, 1999—the first day of summer.

3. How long did you know each other before you started dating? We both worked at the same company—he started working there right after college and I was already working there as a part-time receptionist. We knew each other for 3 years through work before we started dating. Since he was management, we wanted to keep it a secret for as long as possible!

4. Who asked who out? He asked me out.

5. How old are each of you? I always say I am 28 years old, no matter what! He is 6 years younger than me—but you can probably guess he is NOT 22—ha ha!

6. Did you go to the same school? No, not even close

7. Are you from the same home town? No, I am from Des Moines, Iowa and he is from all over—his dad was in the Air Force.

8. Who is the smartest? Well, he is the smartest when it comes to logic and analyzing things and doing math. I am the smartest when it comes to language and the written word and verbal skills. I am more creative and a faster thinker. I am right brained; he is left brained. I hate to admit it, but he probably has a SLIGHTLY higher IQ than me.

9. Who majored in what? He majored in Business and Economics or was it Finance? He initially started out studying Engineering. He went to the University of North Dakota and also Wyoming. I went to school for fashion & design in Minneapolis.

10. Who is the most sensitive? I think he has a hidden sensitive side, but he would never show it. I am emotional and can cry at the drop of a hat and am very empathetic towards animals.

11. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? Well, we have been to Jamaica, the Bahamas and Hawaii—whichever is furthest?? I don’t know!

12. Who has the worst temper? I would have to say me—I am more apt to get mad and let you know, but then I am over it pretty fast. He, on the other hand, never gets mad—he keeps everything inside. But, boy, when he does get mad, watch out. He can explode. Which is why I don’t believe in internalizing things—it will give you an ulcer.

13. How many children do you want? We are not having any children. We have pets, that is good enough for us!

14. Who does the cooking? He cooks for himself, but I don’t eat what he makes since I am a vegetarian. I like to bake though.

15. Who is more social? Definitely me. I am the outgoing one. He calls me the social butterfly. He is more quiet til you get to know him & then he will talk your ear off about boring, technical things.

16. Who is the neat freak? Neither one of us are neat freaks, but I am probably the messier one. I tend to throw my clothes everywhere and there is makeup all over the bathroom counter.

17. Who is the most stubborn? Me. He always gives in to me because I am so stubborn & I won’t give in.

18. Who wakes up earlier? I am the early bird even on weekends. I have to get up earlier for work than he does.

19. Where was your first date? A Mexican restaurant called Rio Bravo in Bloomington. It is not there anymore.

20. Who has the bigger family? He does. I have a super small family—just my mom & brother now. Whereas he has his mom and dad, two sisters, their husbands and 3 nieces and 1 nephew and a grandma still living and a million aunts and uncles all in New Hampshire it seems.

21. Do you get flowers often? Do I get flowers? All the time!! For sure I get them on our wedding anniversary in December, the anniversary of our first date in June, Valentine’s Day and my birthday, but also if he has been a jerk or is on an extended business trip, I get flowers. Or if he just wants to cheer me up.

22. How do you spend the holidays? We like to go away at Christmas, usually to California. I don’t really spend Christmas with my own family anymore since my dad died. A lot of years, he will go visit his family right before Christmas and then we will go on a trip. We spend Thanksgiving by ourselves normally—usually we go to a nice restaurant. A lot of times we spend the 4th of July in New Hampshire with his family. On Easter we do have a tendency to spend it with my mom. Halloween we like to stay home and hand out candy and dress up my dog!

23. Who is more jealous? I would have to say he is – he gets annoyed when guy friends or old boyfriends text me, and then there is the fact that I am a huge flirt so that could have something to do with it.

24. How long did it take to get serious? We started dating in June and I remember him telling me in August that he was falling in love with me. I moved in with him that following March when my lease was up on my apartment.

25. Who eats more? He definitely does. I eat a lot of smaller meals. He can sit down and eat a huge meal—I just can’t do that.

26. What do you do for a living? He is the Director of Information Technology for a financial company and I am the receptionist for a bath and body company.

27. Who does the laundry? We each do our own. Can you believe that? I don’t want him ruining any of my clothes and I am never going to be the kind of wife who does her husband’s laundry. I am just not!!

28. Who's better with the computer? Well, on the technical side of things he definitely is considering he works in IT! But I am more versed in social media and word processing.

29. Who drives when you are together? He always drives—he hates being chauffered around in a car by a woman (ha ha!) and he hates when I put the top down on my car and the wind messes up his hair.

30. What is your song? We don’t have a special song. Is that weird? We don’t even listen to the same kind of music. I like current top 40 and alternative rock and he likes music from the 70s.