Kelly Irvin – Real Life Romance – Part 2 of 3

Shannon here: Amish romance author, Kelly Irvin shares how her husband proposed. Every time you comment on any post dated Feb 13 – 17, your name goes in the drawing for her latest release: To Love and to Cherish. Deadlin: Feb 25th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Kelly:

The Proposal – January 1988
Tim announced one day after we’d known each other about a month and a half that he wanted to cook for me. He invited me to come to his apartment for dinner. He would cook everything. I didn’t need to do a thing. Delighted with that idea, I arrived on a cold early January evening in El Paso to find that he had fired up the grill on his apartment balcony. I discovered later that weather plays no part in this man’s decision as to whether he should barbecue. He’s barbecued fajitas for Christmas when it’s cold enough to see his breath. A little rain? That’s what umbrellas are for. 
At any rate, he had orange roughy on the grill and Elton John on the stereo. The fish was delicious, but he kept apologizing to me because a large part of it fell through the grill (See, the adage that everything gets better with time is true because he has learned over the years to use a fish basket!). It didn’t matter to me. What remained tasted wonderful because it was made with obvious care and affection. I don’t remember what else he served, but the orange roughy was great. 
After we ate, he asked me to dance. He said he never dances (little did I know he was telling the truth—he hasn’t danced since!) and he’d certainly never danced in his apartment. But dance, we did. 
Then the song “Princess” by Elton John started playing. That’s when he popped the question. I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. It was the last thing I expected. All these emotions milled around inside me. I wanted to say yes, I knew I loved him, but the practical person in me kept saying: you just met at the beginning of December, are you crazy? 
The song “Princess” played several more times while we talked about it. Tim sagely argued that saying yes didn’t mean we had to get married right away. We could be engaged for a while, then set a date. That made me feel a little better. We weren’t crazy, just committed to our relationship and watching it grow as an engaged couple. 
Tim immediately went to get a calendar. He said, “what about Valentine’s Day?” 
I said: “Valentine’s Day? That’s only a month and a half away.” 
“What’s your point?” was his response. 
Before anyone starts murmuring how romantic, let me just say that Tim’s rationale for choosing Valentine’s Day was very much a guy thing. He said it would make it harder for him to forget our anniversary! 
He’s right. He’s never forgotten it, but I’m pretty sure he never would. He’s not the world’s biggest romantic, but he shows his love in many, many ways. He told me that night that he had enough experience with relationships to know that it wouldn’t always be roses and chocolates and dancing to Elton John. The romantic trappings would fall away. But that would be okay, because the love would remain. 
He was right. He shows his love by everything he does around the house. Changing the air filters, checking the pilot light, changing the batteries in the smoke detectors—things that keep me and our children safe. He mows the yard and pays the bills and grills orange roughy that doesn’t fall through the grill. 
We had only known each other for three months when we got married on Feb. 14, 1988. It’s been 24 years and I’ve learned that we don’t have a thing in common. I like country music; he likes classic rock. He’s a neat freak; I’m a little bit of a slob. He loves to socialize; I’m a home body. I love to read; he never does (except my books!). I like theatre; he doesn’t. He loves action flicks; I’m more of a romantic comedy kind of girl. He loves steak; I’d rather go to a salad bar. He hates tomatoes, for goodness sake. None of that matters. After 24 years, he still makes me laugh. Laughter and humor—those are the things that can get us through the rough spots in our relationship. 
It might not work for everyone, but it works for us. Now that I have a daughter who is 21 and dating, I keep telling her take it slow, have fun, give it time, don’t rush into anything. Of course, she just looks at me and says, “Like you and Dad did?” 
After 24 years, the chemistry is still there. I still watch him working in the kitchen, cooking for me, every weekend, and think, “that’s my guy.” 
Happy Valentine’s Day!
About Kelly: Kelly Irvin is the author of To Love and to Cherish, an Amish romance due to be released by Harvest House Publishing in February. The follow-up in the Bliss Creek Amish series, A Heart Made New, is slated for release in September. She has also penned two romantic suspense novels, A Deadly Wilderness and No Child of Mine, published in 2010 and 2011 by Five Star Gale. A former newspaper reporter, she is a public relations professional. She and her husband live in Texas along with two semi-adult children, three cats, and a tank full of fish. Find out more at www.kellyirvin.com.
About the book: To Love and to Cherish 
How Do You Forgive When Your Heart Is Broken? 
It’s been four years since Carl left. Four years since he left the safety of the small Amish community for the Englisch world. And in four years, Emma’s heart has only begun to heal. 
Now, with the unexpected death of her parents, Emma is plunged back into a world of despair and confusion. It’s a confusion only compounded by Carl’s return. She’s supposed to be in love with him…so why can’t she keep her mind off Thomas, the strong, quiet widower who always seems to be underfoot? Could the man she knew only as a friend be the one to help her to heal?   
In a world that seems to be changing no matter how tightly she clings to the past, one woman must see beyond her pain, find strength in God, and open her heart to trust once again. Find out more at www.amishreader.com.
Come back Feb 17th for Kelly’s romantic real life and fictional interview.