Now to introduce Serge’s version of our ‘love story’.
Serge has given me permission to share this, but what he doesn’t know is that I have chosen to point out the inaccuracies in his story. Hopefully I won’t get in too much trouble!
I am sure after reading this post, and my previous posts, you will agree that I am so lucky to have found Serge. I think Serge was put on this earth to be my rock, my support, and my light. Serge brings so much happiness to each day, even during the lowest of lows.
Enjoy!
Serge’s version of our love story…
I knew Emma’s sister Ashlee and her husband Shane for quite some time before meeting Emma. We met at her sister Ashlee’s wedding in 2013 (EM : We didn’t actually meet that night, no official introductions). It was the first wedding I went to, and she wore a purple dress (EM : I was wearing a navy dress – Serge always likes to tell me I look great in navy… obviously not enough to remember me!). Her father Leon, having a great time, came over to where I was sitting and said “Serge, I have one more daughter left to marry”.
Emma and I often laugh about the fact I don’t remember much of the wedding, nor that I commented on how wonderful purple dresses look on her (Em : Totally lost on this whole purple dress idea…). She also thinks I am silly because I have wedding photos on my mobile phone of Emma clearly in the background! Silly me.
Fast forward a couple of months; Emma was at her sister Ashlee’s house. I worked with Ashlee’s husband in a car wrecking yard. It was Friday and at the end to a great week, Shane asked if I wanted to come over for fast food. He said there would be beers and a redhead! Naturally I couldn’t say no!
That night, the four of us played board games and watched ‘a night at the Roxbury’. I stayed over the night having fallen asleep on the couch. I had to be up at 5am for the Brisbane to Gold Coast drive that morning for work. Emma made an impression on me. I knew I’d see her around.
What did you first think of each other?
I remember sitting at the table playing board games that night. She wore glasses that brought out her lovely blue eyes. I love her blue eyes and her red hair. I thought to myself, ‘I could get used to this’.
It was a cold night, and she wore a jumper and these quirky pyjama-like bottoms. She looked really goofy. Plus, she was short. I loved it. She made a Pavlova, listened to goofy music and we watched a movie we both liked that night. I fancied Emma, but I knew she’d be heading back overseas to East Timor very soon.
A week or so went by, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. She may have left on the plane, but she was on my mind. I picked up a friend from the airport, an hour-long trip. While he was telling me about his trip I couldn’t stop thinking about Emma. I interrupted him mid-sentence, and said ‘I’m going to message Emma!’. It made me smile, and I must of looked weird walking around with a big smile for no reason.
I decided I’d use Shane’s (brother in law, my boss) Facebook account to stalk Emma’s Facebook for her email address, as I do not have Facebook myself. We exchanged emails daily and always looked forward to receiving these emails. What started as emails, turned to Google Chat, and progressed to Skype dates.
Tanya Love Photography
When was the moment, or realisation that you wanted to spend the rest of your lives together?
For me, it would have been when Emma and I were exchanging SMS’s one night. Emma said the cool kids in East Timor grow their thumb-nails out, so I said by the time she’d come back I’d well and truly be a cool kid (EM : thank goodness that was just a joke!). She then told me that she’d make me a pavlova on her next visit to Australia, and I immediately could see us on a date together.
One night I was with Greg (groomsmen and friend) and Sam at a lighthouse and lying on our backs watching the sky. You could hear the waves breaking over the rocks. I was thinking of Emma, and what would it be like when she came back. It was then while thinking about her that I saw a shooting star for the first time (EM : at this point in the wedding, I made a little bit of a ‘vom in mouth expression’… all a bit cheesy, but apparently all true).
I remember on our second real date, Emma packed a picnic basket full of goodies. It was a cold, dark and incredibly windy night. I remember driving up the Panorama Hill on the Gold Coast in her little Mazda. We drove up and found a spot to view the Gold Coast at night. We made the best of the cold night. I remember it like it was yesterday. We had dips and cheese, and chips. I was freezing and I remember looking into her eyes and thinking there is no where I’d rather be in this world right now (Em: Another one of Serge’s cheese ball moments). Emma must of thought I was a weirdo because I had a smile from ear to ear. The butterflies were keeping me warm! Emma makes me smile all the time, just like on that night. It was a special night for me.
I would regularly pass out in the evenings from a hard days work. I remember one night I was half asleep and laying down semi conscious on the couch, it was like a dream; Emma was watching television and feeding me chocolate strawberries. It was from that point I knew she was a keeper (EM: The way to a man’s heart is indeed through his stomach!).
Any funny moments, traits, hobbies, similarities
My favourite personality trait about Emma is her bossiness. She knows what she wants. I find it particularly funny when we are on the couch, or in bed, and she’ll often demand “hug me!” or “kiss me!”. She does it in a joking manner and I get a kick out of it. Plus I love to tell our friends she does this just to embarrass her and get a reaction. I love all the corny nicknames we give each other:
- Spunk-rat
- Honey dew melon
- Honey bee sting
- Darlington
- Sergey-Boy
We love to spend time together watching movies and television shows. I reckon that coming home to Emma after a long and hot day at work is the best feeling. She usually has dinner ready and a DVD ready to go. It’s the simple things in life that are the best in my opinion. We enjoy each other’s company and it’s a great way to recharge our batteries.
Very early on in the relationship we often, and still, joke, about being two old farts together. Like oldies, we share the same taste in tea and teapots. While Emma doesn’t like me making fun of her ‘old lady feet’ or her lawn bowls skills, we love to play board games, such as Scrabble and Monopoly (EM: I win on most occasions!).
What are you looking forward to in your marriage?
We went on a trip to Bali before the wedding. The staff called us Mr and Mrs Simic. I loved the way it sounded and did not correct the Balinese for the duration of the trip.
Emma and I were rather quickly engaged. I strongly believe if it were not for the cancer, we would still end up down the pathway of marriage. Everyday I look forward to wrapping my arms around Emma and kissing her. The hugs, the kisses, the smiles and laughs conjure emotions that cannot be expressed on paper. They make you strive to be the best person you can, and add warmth and colour to your day. You hear the birds, you see the stars, you hear the music and lose yourself in each other’s arms. Like two peas in a pod, this is the life!
I look forward to living, loving and laughing together.
