"Our Story"

I never wrote an "engagement post" on here.  It's kind of weird that I didn't; I feel somewhat guilty, especially given the amount of angst and anticipation I felt leading up to that wonderful day and Will's perfect proposal on October 25th, 2014.  I kept wanting to write one; I just couldn't ever find the words to say to give it the meaning it deserves.  So, I did something I rarely do and kept silent.

However, I've been working on our wedding website and it has a section called "our story."  Naturally, this is the last page of the website left incomplete by me.  Again, I've been so scared to not give it the correct words or weight it's due.  But then I had an idea.  I started this blog with a post called "Where I'm from."  This came from an idea I encountered during my Fellows year where you tell your story with images from your life.  You can find that post here.  That's where I am from. That's my story.   What follows in this post is where WE are from.  It's "our story."

One year ago as of yesterday, January 10th, the future Mr. and Mrs. William Hopson Sanford are from:

-Good friends and family who thought highly enough of us to introduce us to one another
-A blind dinner date at Central, in Montgomery with Kim and Rob
-A bowling alley with Kim and Rob
-Board games (beating Kim and Rob)
-Rounding out a first date by staying up until 2 am just talking (no, seriously guys, we were really just talking)
-A next day breakfast invitation by a girl totally "in like" just trying to be polite "and put herself out there"
-A hearty acceptance of said breakfast invitation by a hungry boy also in like but who really just loves a good meal
-A long breakfast with a dear friend and her family
-4-wheel rides in January, sitting in the freezing and both wishing they could cuddle together to keep warm, but neither knowing the appropriate level of touching on a "first date part b."
-A drive back to Birmingham for Anne blasting what she calls "happy Taylor Swift" songs in disbelief of how much fun she had with this "farmer from Prattville."
-10 days of silence
-Every possible question and emotion running through Anne's head
-Meanwhile, Will is happily living his life on what Anne will later come to affectionately refer to as "island time."
-A much debated and reluctant two line "funny" Facebook message sent from Anne to Will
-A small novella of an immediate response back from Will to Anne, giving his phone number and asking for hers (Note: he claims he had gotten her number from Kim just before he received her Facebook message)
-A plan for a second date, this time in Birmingham
-The intermittent weekend: Anne flies to Virginia for a dear friend's wedding during Snowpocalypse 2014
-Two iPhone apps and many many texts and calls as Will diligently tracks Anne's progress up the East Coast, including her two delayed and one cancelled flight out of Atlanta
-A little voice in Anne's head saying "wow, this guy is really making up for not calling."
-A wedding weekend of late nights, each ending with a phone call from Will to Anne because he had waited up to talk to her
-A second date in Birmingham
-A trip to Avondale Brewery
-Hiking up the stairs to Vulcan
-The (thankfully) cold weather that allowed Will to put his arm around Anne for the first time as they stood at the top of Vulcan and looked out over the city
-A stop in at Church Street Coffee to meet Laura and Ryan
-Dinner at FIVE
-A late-night viewing of Midnight in Paris until about 3/4 of the way through the movie when the power went out all over Crestline
-A sign from God, according to Anne, that Will should DEFINITELY go for that first kiss
-Confidence from Anne that it was about to happen
-Instead, this question from Will: "Hey, have you ever been on any foreign mission trips."
-Happening inside Anne's head: "WTF?!?! Are you kidding me?!" Happening on the outside: "No, but..." and she begins telling her mission trip history.
-A few minutes later, the first kiss (Anne would like to thank her Baptist upbringing, former Youth Minister and pastors who took her on said mission trips and earned her that first kiss from her future husband.)  Oh, and it was a good one!
- [Side note: Will says he was just trying to get to know Anne and wanted to kiss her but didn't want to scare her away.  The mission trip question is just what came out.  Anne believes him and loves this about him.  She also loves that shortly after that hilarious question, he came to his senses and kissed her.]
-Since that day there hasn't been one where Will and Anne have not spoken, or a weekend where they have not seen one another.
-A Valentine's date with flowers, the Lego Movie and Bottega Cafe
-An afternoon at the farm with Abby and Holder (site of Anne and Will's first photo just the two of them)
-An evening of playing "heads up" with Jana, Will, Laura, and Ryan
-Will meeting Sus and Greg as they pulled back into their house from Jamaica at midnight.  Not quite what Anne had planned for the first meeting
-Will's introduction to Otey's--and Emory and Thornton
-Anna and Perry's Wedding
-Watching MBHS win back to back state basketball titles at Nancy Driskell's house with Jana and Will Flinkow
-A Birmingham date at Railroad Park and Cahaba Brewery
-The Chili Cook Off
-Will dropping "the L-bomb" one Friday night on Anne's couch--Anne waiting until the next night, after Amy and Brooks' shower, to say it back.  Both meaning it whole heartedly
-Plenty of gushing by Anne about Will at the "13auburnfriends" reunion
-Anne driving straight from her college friends reunion to Prattville to celebrate Will's birthday a day late, the first time for Anne to meet Will's whole family. Including VIP family members Shug and Presley
-First road trip to Nashville for Hannah and Tyler's wedding
-Staying with David and Christen (and Moose)
-Gianmarco's for Abby's birthday
-"Make Your Own Pizza" date nights
-A surprise purchase from Will to Anne of Bruce Springsteen tickets
-Other surprise purchases during this time included flowers for no reason at work, an iPhone charger that reaches from the outlet to Anne's bed (great for a budding long distance relationship, but unfortunate for her downstairs neighbor) and Bose wireless speakers
-Lots of goofy selfies
-Amy and Brooks' wedding
-A trip to The Masters
-A midweek date to Nickel Creek
-A-Day
-"Son of God" movie in theaters. Anne and Will are HUGE Christians.  But seriously, that movie and experience with Will led to this post
-Spending Easter apart but both sensing deep down that this might be the last holiday they spent apart
-PF Changs and bowling with Stewart Anne and Coe
-Bruce Springsteen in Atlanta
-A rainy but super fun trip to St. Pete to visit Turner and Forrest (and Queen Lou)
-Anne's first trip out to the farm and first ride on the cotton planter. She meets David, Crawford, and Herman. Basically Anne was living every country song known to man and it was awesome.
-Dave Matthews two sets live at Oak Mountain
-Anne makes Will's favorite coleslaw for the first time
-Will gives Anne the coveted "cotton" plate for the front of her car
-Sus gives Anne and Will tennis lessons (Will excels.  Anne is ok.)
-Will wins March Madness bracket challenge and enjoys escargot at Chez Fon Fon as a victory dinner on Anne's tab.
-Will flies home early from a family vacation to enjoy his birthday gift from Anne: pit passes to Amos Lee and Jack Johnson in Atlanta
-A mutual decision to NEVER attend another concert in Atlanta on a "school night."  Anne and Will aren't 22 anymore
-Pool days in Prattville
-Dinner at Ocean in Birmingham for the Sanford parents to meet the Womack parents
-At Will's prompting, Anne, Abby, and Sus go to look at engagement rings in B'ham
-"One Direction" night in Prattville with Annabeth--Will's a good sport, and often resembles Harry Styles when he grows out his hair
-Another 4-wheel ride with Kim and Rob.  This time Mia joins.
-Nelly and Florida-Georgia Line at the Biscuits Stadium in Montgomery.  Anne and Will regret nothing.
-Mary Coleman and Charlie's incredible wedding weekend
-Many a World Cup viewing (Anne won this challenge)
-Katy Perry in Nashville with Hannah, Tyler, Erin, Laura, and Ellen.  Will loved the 3-D glasses.  Anne loved the floating emojis.
-Will's 10 year high school reunion in Prattville
-About this time Anne realized Will loves a huge breakfast and the bacon/egg/grits (otherwise known to Anne as "Meme breakfast") becomes a thing
-4th of July with the Murdocks at MBC and fireworks with friends on "diaper row"
-A yard sale at the Sanford's house
-6 month anniversary drinks with the authors of this relationship--Kim and Rob
-A "tour your alma mater " date around Auburn
-A beach trip where Anne got her first taste of Port St. Joe, Apalachicola, the incredible Indian Pass Raw Bar and Will got his first taste of "Vacation Annie"
-Les Mis
-Drinks with Lauren and Adrian at The Club and "Significant Other Supper Club" at El Barrio and Paramount with high school friends
-Meme and Paw Paw's 70th Anniversary and Paw Paw's 90th birthday celebration at St. Martin's
-Birthday pool parties for both Annabeth and Jimmy
-Katherine and David's wedding
-An epic stay in Nashville involving the Seymours, one Lauren Hayes Chao, the Frizzells, the Villios, one LeighAnn Tufts, and Charlie Frizzell as Will's roommate (Charlie is a dog)
-Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the theater.  Apparently no one else in America liked this movie, but Anne and Will thoroughly enjoyed it and it's (not so) hit song: "Shell Shocked."
-Long discussions about their favorite Ninja Turtles and Anne's realization that this man was going to love her even though she was a big time tomboy when she was young--and still held on to many of those traits as an adult
-A joint ALS ice bucket challenge on a hot Alabama August day
-Braves game road trip with Will Steindorff and Sara. Club seats behind homeplate.  H&F burgers.  And a streaker. Oh, and the Braves won. That's actually the most shocking part.
-Anne went to a One Direction concert.  Will continued to date her.  The man is a saint.
-LeighAnn comes to town and roadtrips with Anne to Prattville.  Two of Anne's favorite people FINALLY meet
-Anne and Will get dinner at The Club and attend a Keb Mo and G-Love concert at Birmingham's Alys Stephen's Center.  Anne takes a sunset picture of downtown Birmingham from The Club knowing one day they would watch that sunset at their wedding reception.  Because Will told her so.
-Labor Day trip to Raleigh and Bath, NC to visit Margaret and Lawrence!
-Coffee with Beth and Margaret at Parker and Otis in Durham (Anne is in heaven)
-Dinner with Margaret and Lawrence at Poole's Diner--still heaven for Anne as she and Margaret's dream of their future husbands meeting and getting along is coming true before their eyes
-A weekend on the river at Bath complete with an Auburn victory, great boat rides, a few thrilling games of mafia, and some excellent parenting advice regarding dessert and movies with the entire Duke clan
-Anne and Will's first Auburn home game together.  Will's first time to "Woody's Spot" tailgate and Anne's first time in the President's Box while NOT wearing a navy suit and pumps.
-One of MANY Sunday afternoon/evening walks around the Brook
-A trip to The Alabama Biscuit Company
-Will learns to cheer for UVA on Auburn off weeks
-Will and Anne do an intense exercise together for the first time.  This goes okay.
-Will wins "best boyfriend" award by attending Anne's biggest fundraiser at work--a fashion show--and sitting with a table full of women.  Even sweet Dot made the trip for the big event.  Anne has fun showing them off
-LPGA tournament weekend in Prattville
-Mia Mitchell's first birthday party!
-Garth Brooks in Atlanta.
-A sleep over and brunch date with Mary Brantley, Lee, and precious Collyar Nalley
-A lake weekend for Auburn/LSU with Ryan, Laura, Will, Jana, Rob, Kim, Rus and Mel.  Plus Alley, Holder, Mia, and Catherine.
-Anne gets more flowers from Will for no reason
-The Head and the Heart concert at Iron City
-Will discover's the laser pin that drives KC (the cat) crazy
-Taylor Swift releases her new album 1989 (please, if this isn't included on your 2014 timeline, you've lost it)
-From that day until present, Will has not stopped showing off his sweet dance moves to Shake it Off and Blank Space
-Anne's parents come to Prattville to tour the farm.  Anne thinks Will might propose.  He does not.  Will is good and God is better and it's still a really great weekend
-One week later. Will takes Anne to Auburn early to tour the clock tower at Samford Hall. An honor bestowed upon student leaders at Auburn, of which Anne was apparently not, but Will was.
-Once in said clock tower, Will finds a place to sign the wall, hits a knee, has a diamond ring attached to a Sharpie and asks Anne to sign it as "The Future Mrs. William Hopson Sanford," which she does with DELIGHT
-Anne and Will exist in a time/space continuum and nothing else on the Earth actually happens in those moments.  Really. Nothing.  Did you think you did something at that moment? You didn't. This proposal was ALL.THAT.HAPPENED.
-Anne and Will descend from Samford Hall to find their families eagerly waiting to celebrate with them
-Anne and Will spend the day and night in Auburn celebrating with friends and family while the Auburn football team thwarts Steve Spurrier's plan to ruin the day by going for every possible 4th down conversion, and making most of them.
-This was the beginning of Anne and Will's engagement, but the end of Auburn's football season.  Though saddened, both Anne and Will have agreed that if they had to pick one, they're cool with Auburn's season going downhill while their relationship kept climbing.
-Anne and Will see City and Colour at Iron City
-MBHS won a volleyball state championship.  Anne is writing this so she gets to insert these random things.
-Anne and Will venture to Oxford,MS with Dot, Jimmy, Catherine, and Walt for a weekend of great food, good company, and a chilly Auburn victory
-Auburn loses to TX A&M but Will gets to meet several of Anne's college friends at the tailgate, including Ivy, Drew, and Warren Lassiter
-They attend a shower for Ethan and Hannah where Will receives the greatest compliment of his life from Ethan: he has a nice butt
-Anne and Will get taken to church by St. Paul and the Broken Bones
-Anne and Will's awesome wedding photographer (Marsha Perry--look her up!) makes the 80 mile drive to Prattville to shoot engagement photos in the cotton fields.  Anne and Will nearly freeze to death but have a blast
-Anne and Will venture to Athens to watch Auburn get pummeled by the Bulldogs.
-They eat their feelings at the Varsity the next day on the way home
-Anne and Will rock out with Old Crow Medicine Show at the Alabama Theater--their second show there in less than a week.  Anne decides their B'ham engagement photo session will include this beautiful venue
-The next day: said engagement photos. Alabama Theater. Avondale Brewery (complete with a beer), Morris Avenue, illuminated underpasses, and 21st Avenue with a view of Vulcan and downtown Birmingham
-Anne and Will celebrate finishing their engagement photos by dining at Vino where Al Rabee treats them to delicious drinks and apple fritters.
-They then make a lipsync video to "All About That Bass" for Ethan and Hannah
-Anne and Will end their epic 2014 concert run with 90's favorite, Better Than Ezra, at Iron City
-First "shared" holiday.  Thanksgiving lunch with the Sanfords and Thanksgiving dinner with the Womacks.  Both their hearts and stomachs were full
-In preparation for the Iron Bowl, Will catches some passes from Sus in the Womacks' front yard. Later, Anne and Will venture to MBHS where each runs routes dreaming of the high school football glory neither experienced.  #cleareyesfullhearts
-A Christmas Carol at the Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery
-Anne and Will's first gift registry experience leaves them almost exhausted and very late for dinner with Kim and Rob
-"White Christmas" at the Alabama Theater
-Auburn Hires Will Muschamp.  Will poses in front of "Auburn Christmas Light" house in Crestline for  an epic "BOOM!" photo
-Anne and Will finish registering, dine at Primeaux, and toast Taylor Swift's 25th birthday
-They attend "The Music of Christmas" at Brookwood Baptist Church where Sus knocks it out of the park and Anne cries
-They venture to Chicago for a few days with the Sanford Family
-Attend a German Christmas Village
-An incredible performance of Handel's Messiah
-Tons of Chicago pizza
-A Bears game--bucket list
-Drinks at the top of the Hancock Building
-Brunch at the American Girl Place--to be clear, this was just Anne and the girls--not Will
-A date night at RPM, reservations courtesy of the Sanfords
-Christmas Even service at Brookwood Baptist and Christmas Eve chaos at Linda and Charlie's
-First kiss under the mistletoe
-Christmas morning with the Womacks
-Christmas weekend in Prattville meeting Uncle Joe and celebrating Christmas with the Sanfords
-A surprisingly delicious seafood dinner at the "Montgomery Oyster Club" with Will and Sara
-New Year's Eve sick. Dinner at 6:30 at Dyron's.  Sweatpants and medicine by 8pm.
-Football and T.Swizzle on tv. Will dancing with a light up maraca.
-Cam Makes the playoffs and wins his first game
-January 9th: Will helps Sus, Greg, Abby, and Holder throw Anne an EPIC 30th surprise party complete with photos of Anne hanging all over the house
-January 10th: Anne and Will's one year anniversary.  Instead of reliving bowling they celebrate at Ethan and Hannah's wedding
-January 11th: That's today. Three months until Anne and Will's wedding. If you've made it this far, YOU WIN!

That's where we're from.  We like it.  We're even more excited about where we're going.  Thanks for coming along with us.  There's no way we're here without our friends and family.
Much love,
The future Sanfords