Just In Time

Sam and I started dating August 30, 2005. Everything was going great! We were hanging out, learning about each other, and having a blast. In January 2006, Sam got a phone call from a friend Shane. He is also a horse trainer and lives in NC. Shane was having surgery on his neck and needed someone to help ride the horses and take care of the barn while he was down. 3-4 weeks tops. So, like any horse trainer will do for a buddy, Sam said yes with no hesitation. About a week later, Sam left at 5am and headed to Carolina. It absolutely killed me to watch his truck go down the road, but it was a great opportunity and I knew he had to help.

Sam and I talked everyday, but not as much as I would have liked. Sam went to the barn to start morning chores  around 5:30-6am and didn't get finished until 8 or 9 by the time he cleaned up, and when he got back to the house he was too tired to talk very much. I was in school, so I had plenty to occupy my time. Plus I was on the WKU livestock judging team, so we traveled a lot.

Three weeks passed and no word of when Sam was coming home. Four weeks. Five. I was starting to get a little aggravated. I knew Shane was going to the barn again, and knowing him he wasn't 100% following his orders not to ride yet! So why wouldn't Sam come home?

We still talked a lot, and there was no doubt that I was in love with him, but I was SO over having a relationship with my telephone. I was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to come back and if it was really worth the wait. He would always tell me that we had our entire lives to spend together and he would ask if I would marry him. I understood his point of view, and I usually said yes to the marriage question. But I wasn't sure he was serious. Sam was hardly ever serious about anything other than horses!

Finally I got a few days off school and drove to NC to visit. I left bright and early on February 15. The drive took forever. I was so excited to finally be seeing Sam again and to see where we were going. When he came out to the car to hug me, it was by far the best hug I had gotten in a while! The second night I was there, we decided to go out for a nice dinner.

Sam's phone rang just as we started to get ready. I got frustrated waiting on him, so I went ahead and started cleaning up. FINALLY, he got off the phone. He walked up to me and said "well, you said you'd marry me so I guess you'll need one of these." And he put the most beautiful ring I have ever seen on the 3rd finger of my left hand! I was completely shocked! No way did he just propose. Seriously? I kept saying yes. yes yes yes! I called my two best friends at the same time to tell them the news and the planning and excitement began! The next day at the barn, Shane and Cindy kept hinting around and trying to peak at my hand (but with gloves in a cool Carolina February, that was a little difficult!) I finally told them so they'd quit wondering if he had done it yet! I think they were as excited as we were. <Shane and Cindy are like family, even though I've only seen them 3 or 4 times. We would all do anything for each other...maybe more so than we would for our own relatives.>

What a surprise my visit to NC turned out to be! I had tried to surprise Sam with the trip, but I've never been able to surprise him with anything! He ususally even guesses his Christmas presents and I let him open them early.

That weekend trip changed my life forever. It was the beginning of my becoming Mrs. Sam Coffey! And to think I was contemplating if we should keep dating or not! Every day since the proposal has definitely NOT been smooth sailing, but I am forever grateful that I made that trip. Sam tells me that he knew he was going to marry me soon after we started dating in the fall of 2005. I guess he knew best about going to Shane's. That opportunity for him has made him a better trainer and a better man. He learned so much while he was there.

And finally, 7 weeks after he left, he finally came HOME! He surprised me with that....he called and asked where I was. I was at the WKU expo center, as usual! I asked where he was at...he was on I-65 in Bowling Green! :)

So, that's our proposal. He asked me to marry him...Just in Time!