A Love Story feature Story As Told To She Magazine Photographed by Butterbean Photography
Harriett and Bill work together to oversee a client project inside the vast work area of the business , which also houses a showroom .
“ Love in a marriage to me is when you give of yourself selflessly to someone that is giving of themselves selflessly back to you . When you are both doing this for each other you have the ultimate love and I know that Jody and I do .”
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I went home and my mom came into my bedroom as I was trying to study and I started crying . I was almost crying uncontrollably and she sat on my floor listening to me go on and on and on . My father came in the room , took one look at me and said , “ You are in love , how do you not know that is what is going on here ?” It was like a lightbulb went off ! I think I was too wrapped up in everything else that I didn ’ t realize I had fallen in love with him . From that moment forward I knew that I wanted to be with him the rest of my life .
Once we knew we wanted to get married , we took my great grandmothers diamond from 1920 to the jewelers and had some modifications done . I knew that the proposal was coming at some point , but Jody is not an elaborate person , and I didn ’ t want anything extravagant for a proposal .
We were just hanging out at his place one night and I dozed off . I woke up and he just looked at me and asked me , “ Do you think this is where we are our happiest ?” We were laying in his bed ... no hanky panky going on , just sleeping . I responded “ Well , I think we are happy in a lot of places , but we are very relaxed here and just us . So yeah , I would say so .” He did NOTHING at this point ...
I was so confused . So I asked him the same question and he said “ Yes , I think so .”
Several minutes went by , and I tried and go back to sleep . He said , “ I need to ask you something .” At this point I was WIDE AWAKE ! He finally said “ Ashley Pauline Costas , will you …” and I stopped him . I asked him if he was going to hit a knee or something . He laughed , slid off the bed onto his knee , and then asked , “ Ashley Pauline Costas , will you marry me ?” Of course I said yes !
There was so much to love about Jody . He could deal with me and my crazy life . I had never met anyone that was so relaxed and who didn ’ t seem to have a care in the world , but he was still one of the most caring people I knew . He could calm me down in a instant and I loved that about him . He did the little things that make a girl swoon — opening doors , bringing me things I didn ’ t know I needed — all of the little things that make a big difference . For the most part , he still does those too , even after marriage .
Love in a marriage to me is when you give of yourself selflessly to someone that is giving of themselves selflessly back to you . When you are both doing this for each other you have the ultimate love and I know that Jody and I do .
44 FEBRUARY 2017 SHEMAGAZINE . COM