After summers of casual conversations around food, one New Years' celebration, we are at a house party...both in separate locations and separate parties actually. When I was ready to go home, my vehicle was blocked in and the driver was nowhere to be found. My "sista" asked for someone to give me a ride home, as it was in the wee hours of the morning and I was ready and willing to walk home. After refusing a few seemingly-drunk offers, her boyfriends - friend (Warren), offered to take me (the less than 10 minutes drive away.) In conversation, he asked for my number. His honesty allowed him the honor to have it. This lead to conversations, and lunch dates, and dinners, and ME giving him a 2 year timeline. Yes I was the doubtful one. When the 2 years came, Warren reminded me of "my dead-end ride", as I had affectionately named our timeline. I gave an extension to that clause of our friendship as there were few (if any) red flags to this man. Honesty and the way he loves, not only me but the best parts of me (my mini's), his genuine heart and open book communication policy, has lead us here. Here to the point of us allowing each other to share our lives, our families, our kids, our homes with each other. We say to each other always "I love you more", not more than he loves me or I love him. No, we are not comparing, although we do tease each other about it. We love each other more than the arguments that are sure to come, the obstacles we are sure to face, the disagreements we are bound to have, the battles we are determined to win. Through it all, Warren has stuck by me, from that dead cold night when he offered the comfort of a simple ride home in a warm and then, unfamiliar vehicle, to so many other dead and cold and dreadful situations that we have both been through, but been through together. Speaking quite frankly, I have felt our growing bond long before the day he got down on that knee, and look forward to building on it long after our vows.