For the last few years, our son has dated a few girls and found flaws with each one. My husband, Grant, told him someday he’d meet the one who would knock his socks off. Hannah blew in like a whirlwind last October. Our son and all the other boys had a crush on her in high school. But she was two years older than him. Now he’s 20 and she’s 22. She’d moved an hour away after she graduated, but he learned she was moving back. They talked on social media and he ended up helping her move. Since then, if they’re not working or sleeping, they’re together.
In November, in the first throes of love, they went on a side-by-side ride. Think souped-up cross between a four-wheeler ATV and a golf cart taller than
me. On the way back to our house, he let her drive. She hit a bump and it threw them both out. It has seatbelts and doors, but neither was in use. He ended up with scratches, she ended up with a crushed foot. Over the next few days, I watched my boy turn into a man. He stayed at the hospital with her all night, came home and slept a few hours, and went to work at his night shift job, while my husband and I followed the ambulance to Little Rock so a specialist could repair her foot. When Logan was off work, he slept a little while, then went to the hospital. He took turns with us and her family staying 12-hour shifts with her.
During that time, Hannah and I bonded. After 5 days, she got to go home with her family. She couldn’t put any pressure on her foot for three months. If Logan wasn’t sleeping or working, he was there. After a month, she went back to her apartment. He cleaned, cooked, and did laundry for her. He even helped financially since she couldn’t go to work until she got her cast off. He started talking about marriage before their accident. She’d just grin. A few months back, when she still had a cast on, he mentioned getting married. She said, “I want to be able to walk down the aisle.”
Shortly after that conversation, I had a nightmare, that Logan was marrying someone else, a girl we’d never met. Throughout the whole dream, I was trying to get a moment alone with him to talk him out of it and into marrying Hannah. I was so relieved when I woke up. She fits in our family. She genuinely seems to enjoy spending time with us. She loves all the country outdoorsy stuff our son does. She’s very even-tempered and mild-mannered. Our son is not, so she calms him down. And she loves my baby boy.
Last month, Logan asked me to go with him to get her engagement ring. Our visit to the jewelry store, just the two of us, is a moment I’ll always treasure. Even though he
didn’t take any of my advice and picked the ring he wanted her to have. It had to be sized, so I waited on pins and needles for the jeweler to call. Once he got it, every time she wasn’t with him, our conversation went like this:
Me: When are you going to ask her?
Him: I don’t know, Mom. Quit asking me.
Me: You better make it special.
Him: I know. I’ll do it when I do it.
Me: It doesn’t have to be some expensive grand gesture, but make it special.
Him: I will, Mom. Stop bugging me about it.
One random Monday, Logan and Grant were doing a job. Logan has a junk hauling business and Grant helps sometimes. Logan kept rushing around trying to get done because he had to meet Hannah to go fishing. A few hours later, Hannah called and said, Logan finally proposed! Which means, she’d been impatiently waiting too. And he did make it special. My dad used to be a ranch foreman at the Triple G Ranch a quarter of a mile from us. Logan went to work with Paw most of the time and grew up fishing the ponds and riding the tractor there.
After my dad retired, the owners sold the property. Logan was about 14 then and sad he couldn’t go to the Triple G anymore. This year, a friend of his leased part of the property and Logan was so excited he had access to the land again. He took Hannah to his favorite pond, his favorite spot in the world, with lots of good memories attached, to propose.
We took them out to eat to celebrate a few days later. Logan said he remembered the school bus taking Hannah’s softball team to state and all the younger kids were in the parking lot as they drove away. The girls were reaching out of the windows and high-fiving. “I think I touched her hand. And now I’m marrying her.”
So now, we’re wedding planning. They’re getting married Nov 5th and none of us can wait. Now that I’ve told you the real story, you’ll probably see parts of it in future books. Such as:
The crush in school with the bus memory.
Parts of my dream that I didn’t share here.
An injury.
Mom bonding in hospital.
The hero taking care of the heroine afterward.
The mom going with the hero to get the ring.
The hero regaining access to his favorite pond where he grew up and proposing there.
I’m so glad Hannah will soon officially be part of our family. And I’ve already warned her that her real-life romance will be fodder for books to come. So what about you, do you prefer grand gestures or sentimental meaning? Is there anything that’s happened in your life you think could go in a book? All comments will go in the drawing for a print copy of 2 in 1 including A Cowboy to Rely on by Jill Kemerer and my A Texas Bond. Deadline: June 16th.
Award winning author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter writes contemporary Christian cowboy romance and has over a dozen published titles. A romance reader since her teens, she hopes to entertain Christian women and plant seeds in the non-believer’s heart as she demonstrates that love doesn’t conquer all—Jesus does. She gleans fodder for her fiction in rural Arkansas where she spent her teenage summers working the concession stand with her rodeo announcing dad and married a Texan who morphed into a pastor. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her husband and son, flea marketing, and doing craft projects.
Loved this story! I prefer sentimental meaning.
Beautiful story. Such a fine young man you raised.
Congratulations! I love sentimental more than grand gestures, for sure. :)
We had been dating a little while, one Sunday attending my Youth Group, the next attending his. Their Youth were in charge of the Worship Service on the 5th Sunday, and they were practicing their choir number. Since I would not be there for morning Worship, I was sitting at the back of the chapel, watching. And I knew, I am going to marry that guy.
That was in the early 70s. We dated for 5 years (we met when I was 15). We got married in 1974.
What a beautiful love story! ❤️
congratulations to everyone. I went through something similar with our son. Kristen was so perfect for Richard. but he kept delaying asking for her hand. they were both in civil war reenacting at the time. finally she said to him “if you don’t ask me to marry you I will ask you in the most embarrassing way possible” she knew how sensitive and what a procrastinator he was. but she loved him dearly and well lets get this show on the road already. LOL they are opposites in so many ways but so good for each other. there isn’t anything one wouldn’t do for the other. It has been six years of a wonderful marriage so far. she fits into the family perfectly. I prefer small meanings with sentimental value more than a grand meaning. being an introvert I dont care for a lot of grand gestures if it involves a lot of people. thankfully my family knows this and respects this.
What a wonderful beginning to a great love. I’m all for sentimental gestures. Blessings
Wow what a beautiful story! You sure raised a wonderful son and you must be so proud. Congratulations to you all!💜
I like sentimental rather than a grand gesture. Some grand gestures come across as fake, and totally for show, without the meaning. Congratulations to Logan and Hannah!!
We were married at 21/20, our daughter and her hubby were married at 22/21 and our son and his wife at 20/19. All are going strong! We’re not big on grand gestures around here, just keeping the candle lit…
I’m all about sentimental, Kathleen.
He has his moments. Sometimes, he still needs a woopin :)
Thanks, Amy! Me too. Though I’ve written a few grand gestures when it fit my characters.
I love it, Linda. I saw my husband across the school campus for the first time. He was 16. I was 14. I thought he was so cute and had great hair. I told myself I’d marry him. Four years later, I did. He has no hair now. Thankfully, his personality was as great as his hair.
It is, Laurie. I wish we could have skipped the crushed foot though. She still has some pain and not full movement. One stubborn bone hasn’t healed yet.
Funny, Lori. I need to ask Hannah why she said, finally on the proposal. Maybe just because they’d talked about it so much. It’s very comforting when you love the person your son loves.
If only she hadn’t gotten hurt, Lelia. But it brought out some true colors in all of us.
Hi Susan, we were very proud of the way he took care of her. I honestly didn’t know he had it in him. But was really glad to see it take shape.
I agree Trudy. Thank you on their behalf. I showed her the post when I wrote it. She was excited. I never did get around to telling him. But he’s used to me blogging about him.
My husband and I were 21/a month from turning 19, Valerie. My parents were 21/19. Both sets of my grandparents were young too. All stayed married. Agreed. What good is a grand gesture if the marriage doesn’t last. They both have the right mindset on this being forever.
First of all…..congrats to your son and Hannah on their engagement!!! What an exciting time for the family :-) I bet you & your husband are over the moon.
Secondly, I ADORE sentimental gestures. I think they mean so much more & can really make some great memories and conversations down the road. For example: “I remember my grandpa proposed to my grandma in this very spot, so I wanted it to be extra special for us too” in regards to a man proposing to his lady love. They can pass down that story to their children & grand-kids one day :-)
My husband is the sentimental type and I just LOVE him for that! <3
Congratulations! I think I’m partial to gestures with sentimental meaning. :)
What a sweet and touching story. Grant proved himself to be all in helping her through her injury. Thanks for sharing this lovely story. Can’t wait for the wedding pictures to be shared (I hope !)
I prefer sentiment to grand gestures. Looking forward to reading the real life romance book when you write. My son helped his future fiancé and now wife out when she had surgery shortly after they started dating. I think that endeared him to her. I know her mom loved him for it. She told the story at their wedding.
Awww!!! I am so happy for all of you. Yes, sentiment trumps grand gestures every time for me. I actually bonded with my son-in-law while me daughter was in the hospital. I told them then, if they made it through that trial they were set for life. They just celebrated their twentieth anniversary!
Wow, Congratulations to you and to your whole family, you are gaining a daughter! What a beautiful love story! I prefer sentimental . I first saw my husband when he went and applied where I worked, ( I really liked him then)I never did meet him that day until about a week later he got the job .Well we went out and a month after we moved in together and a year after we got married , we will be married for 45 yrs next month and together for 46 years. :)
Sentimental is what I prefer!! Love this story so touching!
Another wonderful event in your life. Logan is truly a special son and I wish them all the happiness life can offer.
That’s so sweet. I prefer sentimental moments rather than grand guest urges (which is good since my husband is not one for grand gestures.)
Thanks Trixi. We are excited. I love sentimental things too. I could easily be a hoarder since I like to keep things that have sentimental meaning. I loved where he proposed.
Me too, Priscila. I have old things that belonged to my parents or grandparents as decor in my house.
I’m sure there will be a wedding blog in the future, Yvonne.
Injuries and surgeries are rough Carol. But I agree they can deepen the relationship.
Ey Jenny.. It definitely tests a relationship and can make it stronger. Congrats on your daughter’s longevity.
I decided I’d marry my husband the first day I saw him at school. But it took him about 4 months to notice me.
Thanks Pamela. It’s fun watching your child meet the one and fall in love.
Thank you Mary. She’s a keeper.
Thanks Cindy. Yep I’m a sentimental moment gal too.
Congratulations! Thanks for sharing Logan and Hannah’s love story with us. I’m still praying for a wonderful girl for my son. I prefer sentimental to grand gestures.
I am all for the sentimental. My guys will know that I do not want a public proposal especially in front of strangers. He will know to speak to the people close to me beforehand.
Congratulations! When I was dating my husband, we were walking on the boardwalk that is on the side of the Maumee River. There was a gentleman fishing. He had a radio. My now husband took me in his arms and we danced to the music.
My husband also proposed to me on the boardwalk later on. He presented my ring to me at a party we through in December. He knelt in front of the Christmas tree.
Thank you for sharing. God bless you.
Congrats!! I love sentimental ones.
Loved the story. I like both types.
All sons need wonderful girls, Pam. Me too on the sentimental stuff.
Both important things, Sonnetta. I’d be so embarrassed over a public spectacle.
I love your story Debra. I kept telling Logan he didn’t have to have the ring to propose. But he wanted to buy it and have it sized first.
Thanks. Me too.
A mixture of both might be nice, Sylvain.
Congrats to Logan and Hannah! Like most of those above, I am also in the sentimental meaning camp. As an introvert, a grand gesture would not be something I would really enjoy.
You might be on to something Jessica. I’m an introvert too. Maybe only extroverts like the grand gesture.
Awe, beautiful story! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for reading, Natalya :)
Lovely story; prefer either
Hey be100. Though I prefer sentimental gestures, I wouldn’t be opposed to anything romantic :)
Such a sweet story! Congratulations to your son and his fiance, may they have many happy years together.
What a beautiful story!We are so Happy for Logan and Hannah
Beautiful memories they will never forget them !!
I don’t have a long story as it’s been 53 years sense we said
I Do !! But I do remember the first kiss from Danny and where it was. Was in the back
corner of the old Pangburn High school on the west side .
We, all the kids after school, would play coed softball and basketball .And that’s when and and where it all began.
Again Shannon , thank you you for your awesome stories. And we want to thankyou and Grant for the love you have showed Hannah.
May God Bless us all !!
Thank you, Megan. She’s a keeper.