Jeff and I are so excited to announce the winners of our Valentines Giveaway aka “Get Shot by Cupid”.  We had several entries for this contest and had so much fun reading the entries as they piled in.  Without further adieu, the winners of our 2010 giveaway are:

Kelli & Brandon~ Congratulations and thank you so much for entering!  We can’t wait for your session!  :)  I got permission from Kelli to share her entry on the blog.  Enjoy!!

PERFECTLY FLAWED

Brandon and I had worked together from the time I was sixteen years old. He was the young, handsome, privileged, boss’ son that I had summed up as the typical “ladies man” that I so deeply despised.  I tried to fight it, but day by day his charm seeped deeper into my veins. I couldn’t get enough.

After dating for nearly a month, it was my eighteenth birthday in November of 2008. I unfortunately was scheduled to work during the day, but promised that I would head straight from work to see him. In the middle of my shift, my dad came scrambling in and begged, pleaded, and made me promise to have my annual birthday dinner with my parents. Feeling guilty, I gave in and called Brandon right after work. I explained that I had to at least make a brief appearance at the Best Little Roadhouse for the family dinner. I assured him I would be with him by nine o’clock at the absolute latest. I heard a deep sigh and then complete silence on the other end of the phone. Reluctantly, he said, “Mm, okay”. More silence followed, and I sensed the deep disappointed—almost as much as my own.  I figured that a few extra kisses would set things right, though. I did my best to hurry through dinner. I went through all the motions. I made small talk, opened presents, and gulped down my food. Despite my efforts, the faster I tried to make the dinner go, the slower it crawled by. I kept thinking of how upset Brandon must be by now.

Four hours later, at almost nine-thirty, I pulled into Brandon’s driveway. He had sent me a text an hour before to tell me that the door was unlocked. I quietly cracked it open, noticing that the house was quite dark. I poked my head inside the dimly lit room, as my eyes skimmed over a small two-seater table adorned with a sea of long-lit candles, a bouquet of roses on one chair, and two very cold plates of chicken cordon bleu, fresh green beans, and garlic mashed potatoes. My heart sunk, and I immediately ran upstairs to find him. As I slowly made my way into Brandon’s room, I found him fast asleep.  I quietly crawled up next to him, and lightly began drawing circles on his back with my fingers. I fell asleep right there next to him for hours until I awoke to him gently drawing a similar pattern with his fingers on my back, just as we always did. I remembered the scene downstairs and immediately cried, apologized for missing my own birthday dinner with him. His eyes smiled at me, and he said “Things like this are going to happen. I would only worry if things were always perfect.” I knew right there that he was for me.  For the rest of the night, we laid side-by-side talking about everything from our favorite movie quotes to eventually starting a family. We corrected each other on historical facts. We agreed and disagreed on the best and worst movies of all time. I teased him about being a World of Warcraft addict, and he retaliated by tickling me until tears covered my face from constant laughing. We would fall asleep over and over, come to, and pick up where we left off. We continued to drift off, awaken, cuddle, and determine our future that very night.

Even after I ruined the birthday dinner he had so diligently planned for me several months before, he decided I was worth all the trouble. Two days before Valentine’s Day of 2009—after four months of dating—he dropped down on one knee in the same driveway that I had raced into so many times to see him, and he asked if he could marry me. I laughed in an effort not to cry, and somehow was able to nod, despite the tears and trembles that were overtaking my body.  He admitted that he had already made up his mind and bought the ring for me back in November, right after my birthday.

Ruining our birthday date obviously is not one of my most proud moments, but it has come to be my fondest memory and the one that best explains the foundation of my relationship with Brandon. Our relationship did not begin conventionally, and we face the same obstacles every couple faces. My life with him is, however, perfectly flawed. We are young, and we realize that the odds are against us. That is nothing new to us, though. Sometimes we disappoint one another. Sometimes we break promises. Sometimes our birthday dates don’t turn out as planned. Some days we fight, argue, and give each other the silent treatment. But then we lay side-by-side, and discuss how we’re going to face the world tomorrow. After all, I would only be worried if things were always perfect.

Brandon & Kelli

May22nd – Eternity