You know when you go to a yard sale and you find the perfect basket that’s missing a handle and a little lopsided, but you know that you can make it perfect with spray paint and some imagination. So you tuck it under your arm and you poke around at the yard sale a little more and find a random drawer for only $2.00 because no one really knows what to do with a drawer without a dresser to go with it.
But you do.
You know what to do with a drawer because you just saw on Pinterest where people were taking random drawers and making them into organizers on the wall. So you walk up to the owner of the yard sale with kind of a pitiful look on your face and hold out the broken basket and the drawer and tell her you only have $2.00 and if you bought the basket would she throw in the drawer for free?
And she shrugs and says yes and you smile inside and skip off into the sunset with your treasures.
Two for the price of one.
That’s a lot like this post. I was in the middle of a photo shoot yesterday and I finished and had all these amazing flowers and I had tossed a few on the table and I looked at them and was so totally inspired to create a little flower art and add some quotes about spring. I made them for you and you can pin them or save them to your ipad or computer for inspiration or print them off or make them your home screen or fold them into a paper origami centerpiece. Just a little spring gift from me to you.
But we couldn’t just have beautiful spring flowers with quotes.
This is story central.
So because it’s spring and I’m feeling mushy, I added one of my favorite love stories, too.
See what I mean? Two for the price of one.
Now where did I put that drawer. 🙂
It was our first date.
I greeted him at the front door with red lipstick, an add-a-bead necklace, 4″ high bangs sprayed with Aqua Net hairspray, a prairie skirt and a sweater vest covered in bows.
I think I might have even had on high-heeled shoes and socks with my name written on them with paint pen. At the risk of stating the obvious….
….I looked amazing.
He wasn’t a big talker that date of mine.
A man of very few words.
Maybe he was shy.
Maybe he was nervous.
Maybe he was intimidated by the socks.
I didn’t care.
He was cute with these dimples and brown wavy hair and big brown eyes that kind of looked like Johnny Depp and he had his own car…..all the really important things in life.
And besides, I thought, I’m a talker…
…I could talk enough for both of us.
We went to church and then we drove around looking at Christmas lights.
And as we drove….I talked. And talked. And taaaalllllllked.
I told him how cute the animated Santa Claus were with their lighted banjos dancing next to the seven dwarfs.
He said nothing.
I exclaimed with enthusiastic joy over the teddy bears sitting in the train and how cute that Kermit the Frog was the conductor.
He said nothing.
I mentioned that it was amazing that a single yard could hold a merry-go-round, a nativity, Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer and a giant 7-foot Barney….all at the same time.
He said nothing.
I laughed and talked and sang every Christmas carol I knew and took my mittens on and off and nervously stared out the window and kept up a one-way conversation for the entire drive while he sat stoically in the driver’s seat….
….saying absolutely positively nothing.
I was done.
I thought he didn’t like me.
I thought I bored him.
I thought to myself despairingly…..will this date ever be over?
And when we pulled up to my parents house I could not get out of the car fast enough. I hurriedly mumbled something about what a great time that I had and turned to leave. And just as I started to open the door….he reached for my hand.
I stopped and stared at him.
And he stared at me.
It was completely quiet in the car. No one said a word.
And then….in the quietest of voices….he whispered, “What if I kissed you?”
And he didn’t wait for an answer.
Right there sitting in a car in front of my parent’s house wearing red lipstick and a prairie skirt and a sweater vest with bows…..
….I got the kiss of a lifetime.
Truly.
I never looked back.
And even now after all these years he can look at me from across the room with those twinkling eyes and smiling dimples with that look that is just for me and I still get goosebumps.
And then I count my blessings….that this sweet, wonderful, incredible, brown-eyed man…..
……finally found his voice. 
PS I read this post to my husband and he informed me that he didn’t really talk because I neglected to bring up something really interesting….like “the unsolved mystery of Bigfoot.”
Of course.
Bigfoot.
Why didn’t I think of that? 🙂
I loved this post! I am blessed as well with a wonderful guy! 33 years of marriage this May. Thank you for your blog!!!
What a sweet first date story! And I love all the flower photos and getting two for the price of one... You never disappoint, Karianne. ;-)
The.cutest.ever. Y'all are just adorable. Mine isn't nearly as romantic...mine paid someone $10 in college to write a paper for him so he could show up at the party I was rumored to go to. It's worked out...21 years later he still finds ways to spend some extra time with me. It kinda goes right along with the "drive thru" proposal. That's a story for another day though. Love all the beautiful flower pics and quotes. Bravo (to you and the flowers). :)
Love the pics and the story! Happy Spring!
Okay... It is Obvious right??? THIS IS "Story Central" after all!!!! AND once again.... I am smiling... wiping away a few tears ... and laughing as I picture the socks... the non stop rambling .... and honestly??? How could you neglect BigFoot like that????? lololol... Best love story ever!!!!!!!!!!! Where is the drawer ???????
Hi and Happy Easter Karianne, we r ready for a big storm here . Mushy is a good word-I feel so nostalgic this time of year. Sherry
Kari Anne, Honestly, your blog is the only one I follow, open and read every, single, day. You are blessed. I am glad I found your site. Thank you for your words of love and kindness and sharing inspiration.
Love the Spring prints and sayings. Thank you! And the story, awwwww! My guy isn't much of a talker either but that's ok. He too has amazing eyes (hazel), wavy hair and the cutest lopsided smile. Still melts me after all these years. Happy Wednesday, my friend! Hugs, Cecilia
"Aint Love Grand!!" Best story EVER!! : )
Delightful, you found the one! What an amazing story. You are both so blessed. Thank you for the flower/poem prints! Love them all. Perfect on this cold dark rainy day? Happy spring.
This could be your BEST post! Thanks for the beautiful flowers and quotes, lovely. And the love story made me SMILE:)
Love it!
Love it! I always look forward to reading your posts. You always brighten my day!
Oh how wonderful your posts are!!!! I love lovestories:) This made my morning!!
You know how blessed you are, and that in its self is the biggest blessing. After meeting my husband for the first time I announced to my Mother"That's the man I am going to marry " and I did. He had blue twinkling eyes and also didn't talk much.. I also could talk for two. We were married 66 years and he never spoke a cross word to me....Looking back I now know he was a Saint in a Navy uniform. May you and twinkling brown eyes have more than 66 years and much joy and happiness.
Loved this!! I listened to every word in the car and could feel your animation and excitement from here! And WHAT?!!! Those photos with sentiments are AMAZING!! You never. Ever. Cease to amaze me! Happy Wednesday, friend!
Did we marry the same man? Mine found his voice this week. He read the book about the expeditions of Lewis and Clark and I swear the man memorized the book. He has quoted it verbatim to me for hours on end day after day, "while I sat quietly and said.....nothing." If only he would talk about big foot.
You know, that's what those nontalkers do, they sweep us off our feet. I've known my non talker for 46 years!
My Mr. Perfect and I are coming up on our 56th anniversary! Loving every minute of it. Love the beautiful spring flowers with the quotes. Now to decide which one to print off. Maybe I'll just print them all and display a different one each day, then start over again until I get my fill! Will clip one onto a clip board and hang by the kitchen sink to help chase away today's clouds! Thanks much, take care.
Awe! Love love love stories and quotes! Great post like always!
Very, very cute!!
You should write books, you make me smile!
Pretty post. Love is a many splendor thing! Spring is pretty up there too! Sherry
I read your blog and laugh all the time. You are so funny and witty. Just right for a morning jolt! Thank you for sharing that beautiful love story. So sweet.
A love story that never ends is the sweetest ever. The photos are also.... a nice touch. Just makes the romantic story even more special. Thanks so much for sharing this special moment in your life. It is a treasure for all of us, too. XOXO
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww :)
A good talker needs a good listener. :)
Darling story....glad he finally piped up! ;)
Hi KariaAnne, beautiful story and I love how you made good use of the flowers. Nice distressed wood backdrop too... you know what I'm already thinking about that, right? Lovely quotes and I also noticed that sweet little (new?) watermark in the corner of your pictures. Pretty. Have a wonderful day. Lisa
Precious. Absolutely precious. And now I have to go to Pinterest to find out what you are talking about with the drawers??? Thanks for the sweet story and the smile this afternoon!
So something tells me he wasn't intimidated by the socks:D See...you are who the world needs you to be:)
KariAnne, thank you for such a beautiful, "bigger-than-life" post. It is truly a miraculous thing when we, in a single moment, know we have found "the one". Blessings to you and your wonderful family, and keep on with that special love every minute of your lives. My hubby and I savor every second and have more fun that so many people we know who are 20 years younger. Oh, by the way, we are 69 years old, dance every weekend.....and always, always say "thank you" to "The Keeper of the Stars". We will be celebrating our third anniversary in July and, as always, we will dance to our wedding song, Tracy Byrd's "The Keeper of the Stars". LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
Beautiful, just beautiful. Thank you for sharing. I can't wait to adorn my house with your beautiful and inspirational printables. Thanks for bringing sunshine and happiness in all of our lives!
Oh my gosh I love, love, love it, thank you! The prints are beautiful and you've made me want to read a mushy romance novel again.
What a great story! Congratulations! You are cracking me up talking about the add a bead necklace!! I had one too.
I cannot get over the vibrancy of those colors--wow! So, so beautiful. Beautiful post, as well. :)
AWE! Loved it! Love the pretty flowers too!
Love this story. Thanks for sharing!
You are too darn funny! I love the way you write--makes me smile !
I know the ending!! But you see that doesn't matter, I always read the endings first. I'm a romantic and I love to sigh at the ending and wipe the tears from my eyes -- happy tears!! And I am willing to bet that the more nervous you get the faster you talk. Uh huh!! I understand. We want everything to be perfect -- perfectly wonderful. Well, my friend, you got it. I'll give my Honey a big hug and kiss then you go over and give your twinkling brown eyes the same. For what?? Just because!! Have a Happy Easter!! Don't forget to leave me a little Easter basket in the pantry :-)
Another great story! And thanks for the beautiful inspiration quotes. Saving them for a less springlike day! I am blessed with a wonderful hubby too......not a huge talker, but an incredible listener........happy Easter!
Ahhhhhh, hazel eyes have been twinkling here for 25 years. ;)
A Talker and a Listener...perfect together.
Another wonderful story. Thanks for the prints. They are lovely, like you.
I have commented before, but again, I love your storytelling! Great stories every time. :)
Loved...sob...this...sob Jane
Ooooh, Miz karianne....I adore your love stories. And everything else too!
Aw, I love a good love story! KariAnne, you are both so lucky to have each other!
Karianne, You and your husband are so blessed....to both love each other so deeply. I am sure, like many marriages you have had hard times, bad days, and spats. But your love for him keeps showing up in your blog. My husband and I have been married for 48 years.....and now our love is even deeper. Once in a while on a shopping trip in a mall the song from Twilight ( A Thousand Years ) can be heard....and we both look at each other , and know. I hope for you and your husband, there are " a thousand years". P.S. Did I miss Thistlekeeping on Saturday ?
Your touching and inspiring love story could be a Hallmark movie. You have your very own knight in shining armor. LOVED the story!
Precious, just precious ❤️
Opposites attract!!!
You are quite the story teller my friend. I think you should write a book! Not a decorating book but a real book with no pictures. I love your writing style it's adorable and leaves a reader wanting more. You have a natural talent girl.
Lovely quotes.
My hubby and I just spent our 42nd anniversary at the beach.(3-23). Those looks only grow deeper with time. I can look at my husband and tell what he is thinking any time of the day. We really have been together 45 years. Dated in High School. Parents, Teachers and Friends all said it wouldn't last, we were nothing like each other.. I think that is what has made our marriage stick so well. Being friends and growing together made our bond even stronger. Love your stories.