The entire background is made up of things I've been given by my husband or that have a special memory about him. This is a description of all of those items and the stories behind them:
- Behind the Background - A sweater I currently own. The way it was made has a somewhat old fashioned (40s?) look to it, so I thought it'd be cool. Drew did buy the sweater for me, and I love it.
- Origami Ninja Star - This was acquired during a random convocation. Drew had folded the program for that morning's convocation into a ninja star and was playing with it. I was not amused as I was a bit of a stick in the mud and felt he should be listening to the sermon, so I confiscated it. He later refused to take it back, so I tacked it onto my poster board in my room for no reason, and have kept it with me ever since.
- Sugar Packet - On our first date, Drew showed up at Wendy's with a pocket slam full of these packets of sugar. He asked me, "Would you like some sugar?" and I was confused at first because it was our first date, and in my family, when asked that way and no actual sugar is present, the person is asking if you'd like a kiss. He hadn't shown me the packets yet... I didn't get a kiss that night.
- All His - Drew left for boot camp after we'd had 3 dates, and been dating for only 3 months. He left me with no promises that we were to stay together once he returned, and I had the strong feeling that we were both "thinking about it". So by way of deciding if I was interested enough or not, I chalked the words "Wait for the one who makes you smile" into my parents' front porch steps. I then gathered up some petals from some obliging bushes (also my parents') and scattered them around, creating what you see before you.
- 4 Leaf Clover Penny - We got this in Savannah. Drew thinks it's lucky... not really...
- Bracelet - In 2008, just before we got married, Drew and I made a trip to Helen, Georgia. I found this bracelet and marveled that it looked so much like his eyes. He was about to leave for Chicago again after our wedding, so I bought it and it made me feel he was looking out for me even from a distance.
- Lion and Lamb - My first Valentine's Day gift to Drew in 2009. The card that went with them said, "So the lion fell in love with the lamb. What a stupid lamb. What a sick, masochistic lion.". This of course is a quote from Stephenie Meyer's Twilight.
- D (heart) L - Before returning to Chicago, Drew found out that I had been walking to the church just a couple doors down from my parents' house. I didn't attend. It was just a "safe" zone. A place where I could go to let off steam, or to just be alone. It was also one of the last places we had spent time together. So before he left to go back to A school, he carved our initials and a heart into the wood of a telephone pole there. They are still there to this day.
- Angel Penny - The angel penny, I got in Helen, GA the year I met Drew. It has special meaning to me personally because God brought me this far, and I believe He used angels to do much of that bringing.
- Hat - The hat Drew got me at a theme park. He has a matching one.
- Cupid Penny - A cupid penny we found in Savannah, GA.
- October 2nd - On October 2nd, 2008, I received a letter from Drew who was in boot camp. The digital polaroid is of the second page of that letter. Those were the only words on the page.
- IXOYE - I wore this (instead of dog tags) around my neck while Drew was in Chicago.
- True Love Penny - Drew pressed this for me in Helen the day before our wedding.
- Rose / Bear - I like roses just as much as the next girl...but they fade. This one never will, and that is why truckers buy them at rest-stops and deliver them to their ladies.
- I Say Yes - I chalked these words into the railroad ties in front of my parents' house just a few days after receiving the October 2nd letter.
- Teddy - The teddy's name is Puddin' and he was part of my Valentine in 2009. He and the cats keep me company whenever Drew is away. It is also interesting to note that Drew has won me 3 stuffed animals since we moved to Norfolk. 2 of the 3 were won on the same night one right after the other. That's right. My man's awesome.
