I love you

I have been thinking about the first time Ben said, "I love you".  Maybe because a romantic holiday is dawning on us. Maybe because it was simply a fabulous moment. In celebration of Valentines weekend,  I want to tell you about it.

It was March 21, 2010.  We had dated here and there for over a year.  We had been dating "seriously" {serious = the intent to decide if we should tie the knot} for about a month.

We decided we should date with this serious intent a month prior.  Valentines Day weekend actually. We took our first trip together to San Diego.  We visited friends, enjoyed the sun and had a fabulous time.

Together, on the plane home from San Diego, we decided that what we liked what we had. We decided it might just be the kind that you keep around forever.  We decided to give that thought a try.

Now back to March 21st.  Ben had planned a date to go to Dar Essalam.  A Moroccan restaurant in Oregon. One of Ben's ultimate favorite places to eat.  It was my first time.  I was wearing this.

It's weird that I know what I was wearing, I know.  But I have good reasoning.  One - I always associate big moments in my life with what I was wearing.  That's how I remember, it works.  Two - I was doing a 'no shopping' challenge and I took pictures of the outfits I put together with my existing clothes.  This was one. I love that flower.

We had an amazing dinner and stuffed ourselves full of chicken and beef, veggies and couscous, pita bread, hummus and mint tea.  It was so yummy, so flavorful, so memorable.  Ben chatted with the owners, fellow soccer players, and the chef came out to greet us.  By the end of our meal I was STUFFED, but Ben insisted that we order dessert.  "It's the best dessert you will ever have," he said.  It didn't take much convincing.  We all know I have a soft spot in my heart for dessert.

When the chef personally brought out the dessert I knew something was going on.  With a big smile on her face she placed the beautifully plated dessert in front of me.  Behind her stood two smiling waiters.  They told me to enjoy our dessert.  They could hardly hold in their excitement.  I looked at them confused as they walked away.  I looked at Ben who was smiling his "I don't know what the big deal is" smile, then I looked at the plate again.  Around the thick edge of the pearly white plate it read, "I love you Amber" in perfectly printed red letters.

I loved him too, and finally we said the words we were both dying to hear.

I kick myself for not taking a picture of that perfect dessert.  I wish you could see the perfect moment, the memory in my head.  I was so filled with excited butterflies grabbing a camera wasn't at the top of my to-do list. I guess we will just have to leave that for Ben and I and our special little, I love you.