This is the original post I wrote for our wedding website. I'm reposting here because it's an important part of our story. My writing style changes as I grow, and I love to read how I described things when I was in the moment. The song I chose for the title of this blog is our wedding song.
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Beau and I first met in 2005. The year of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when Destiny's Child was still topping the charts, and internet was just meeting YouTube for the first time.
It was lunch time at Tippit Middle School, and I was sitting outside on the benches, wearing my trademark red Arkansas Razorback sweatshirt, chewing gum, as I was very well known to do.
Next thing I know, Beau Harbison is sitting behind me on the bench, wearing his trademark gray Senate rollerblading sweatshirt, smiling at me, making my heart jump in a way only fourteen year old girls hearts can.
He asked me for a piece of gum and that was that; literally, as soon as we'd met, we were an item. It was almost like we were magnetic. Our connection was immediate and natural.
Over the next few years, we graduated high school and moved to San Marcos to attend Texas State, where we split our time between classes and floating the river. We adopted Mr. Fox the summer between our freshman and sophomore years; driving to Dallas on a Saturday to unknowingly meet the funny little creature who would complete our family unit.
Honestly, I look back on our decision to adopt Fox, and I thank our lucky stars it worked out as well as it did. Despite being so young and only having known Fox twenty minutes when we officially adopted him, he is, and has been, our tres amigo from the moment he fell asleep in Beau's lap on our drive home from Dallas.
We moved our homebase to Kyle our junior year and went on to graduate in 2013, eventually moving to east Austin.
In May of 2015, Beau surprised me with a trip to St Thomas, USVI for my birthday and we fell in love with the island. We came back to visit again in August, quickly realizing that leaving the second time was much harder than the first. We made the official decision to move on a December night.
Beau came home from Infiniti, where he was working at the time, with a bottle of wine. I sat on the kitchen counter, sipping from my glass and listening intently.
You should know, in the months following our second VI visit, a series of events had occurred: Beau's "maybe we should move there" joke had slowly transformed into a deliberate "we should move there" consideration, and on this particular winter evening, it had officially evolved into "we really should move there, like in April - like I've looked at tickets and housing and it's time."
We had been talking about it for months and we equally realized how incredible it was that we could even consider this. Though, you see, I am very bad with change - quite literally any change. It's a little fun personality quirk. That being said, it took me a little (okay - a long) while to even realize moving to the Caribbean was a real possibility. It may have taken a few months of convincing and subtle encouragement on Beau's part, but on that night, over that bottle of wine, Beau and I made the decision to move and we never looked back.
We officially changed our definition of home to St Thomas, USVI in April 2016. We've been here ever since, and we've found it to be quite a ride. From Beau opening his own business, to doing things like boat trip Saturdays, to Hurricane Irma the Epic, we've experienced quite a bit of life since we moved here. I have to tell you - it is honestly the coolest thing; getting to live somewhere like this, just, like, living here. Driving past some of the most beautiful beaches in the world on our way to Beau's car lot is one of those things that will always blow my mind. It is quite humbling living in a place that never gets old.
This brings us to Saturday, July 21st, 2019. I woke up having no idea that when I next went to sleep, Beau would no longer be my boyfriend, but instead, my fiance!
That morning was a morning like any other. Beau and Fox got up before me; Beau had coffee on the porch while Fox sunbathed and adjusted to the idea of a new day. I scrolled on the internet for a while on the couch. Nothing amiss, nothing seemingly afoot, nothing to be suspected.
We met our friend Jay, hopped on his motor yacht The Salty Dog, and set off to visit Virgin Gorda, BVI. We had lunch at Nova, a beautiful restaurant in Oil Nut Bay, and we had an incredible trip. As we headed back to St Thomas, the sunset turned the sky into a work of art.
Beau randomly asked to stop the boat and asked me if I wanted to take a picture in front of the sunset with him. I said "of course!" because who turns down the opportunity for a sunset picture with their favorite person? Later we laughed about how Beau's not typically a sunset-picture-taker, and how I'd just said yes! like it was nothing out of the ordinary.
We walked to the bow of the boat and took our pictures. When I turned to head to the back of the boat, Beau held onto my hand, turning me back around. Next thing I know, Beau Harbison is down on one knee, wearing a signature rashguard, smiling ear to ear, making my heart jump in a way only soon-to-be engaged hearts can.
Looking at Beau, asking me to be his wife, it was a moment I'll never forget. It was breathtaking and so perfect. Hilariously, this is also when a giant swell decided to come through and rock the boat.
I said "yes!!!" and Beau and I were both so elated. I was overwhelmed with joy, happy-crying and laughing hysterically. We laughed and celebrated and rocked with the boat. Honestly, between the excitement and the swell, I ended up falling a bit and Beau was right there to help me up.
It was a moment that couldn't have been more perfect - and so very us. It's a pretty strong metaphor for how life can be, isn't it? You're standing on a boat and suddenly a swell comes up out of nowhere and rocks you around a bit. It's inevitable. I have been lucky enough to learn that if you find yourself standing on that boat during that swell with a partner in life that supports, protects, encourages, and picks you up when you fall a bit, you'll be just fine. Honestly, you'll probably even come out on top.
That's how we've always handled whatever life has sent our way. Whatever swells come, Beau and I have always found each other on that bow.
We've been a dynamic duo since that fateful spring day all those years ago. We've spent the last 14 years laughing and loving and learning together, and now we're so looking forward to start this next chapter. We're excited to celebrate with family and friends in December!
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