In the Name of Love: My Special Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day! I didn't want to get all mushy on you guys, but then I realized I'm kind of mushy. So in honor of embracing my girly side, I asked former guest contributor Marni Blake Rothman to come back today and share a very exciting update on her life. You remember Marni, right? She so courageously shared her story with you on the blog about being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Marni is a champion. She's the kind of person you just want to wrap up in a big bear hug every time you see her. She embodies love and courage... and verve for life! With no further ado, I'll let Marni tell the rest...

BY: MARNI BLAKE ROTHMAN

When I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, the first question that popped into my mind was "How am I ever going to meet someone? Who's going to want to marry someone with all these health issues?". I struggled and made many mistakes in the dating world after that point. Most of the time, I revealed my health issue too soon. I figured if they couldn't handle it, then why should I waste my time? One man in particular was actually scared of my MS and went radio silence on me (this I found out later from the woman who set us up). So there I was in a daunting uphill battle - learning to accept my MS while looking for a man who would support me in my journey.

When I was living in L.A., my best friend took me to see a show at The Roxy. The moment I saw the bass guitar player on stage, I was immediately drawn to him. Maybe it was just my rock star fantasy, but I was determined to meet him. I approached him after the show, learned his name was K.C. and gave him my business card. Talk about intimidating! But to my surprise, he called me a few days later and asked me out on our first date.

After some drinks and a game of Bingo at Barney's Beanery in West Hollywood, I knew I liked him (and for more than his rock star glamour). For the first time in my life, I was in a relationship that was growing organically. I never waited by the phone; he was consistent from day one. When he said he would call, he did. There was no game playing and that's exactly what I needed! After one month of dating, I decided to mention that I had MS over a game of cards. He didn't make a big deal of it. He just asked me a few basic questions and we moved on. Finally!

After a few months we were falling hard for each other. Our passion for music, food and laughter brought us together. At this point, he was even giving me my injections... which was HUGE for me. I hated giving myself those shots and after being alone in LA for my entire 20's, it was so nice to find someone who I could lean on. He supported me every step of the way. Poor K.C. dealt not only with my MS, but also with my 2 spinal surgeries (I kept thinking he must think I'm such a mess. It was one medical battle after another). Yet, he still fell in love with me during what I consider to be the hardest years of my life. 

And I fell in love with him.

It was mutual - that's what I had always wished for. K.C. showered me with respect, honesty and (most importantly) communication.

Our biggest hurdle came when I realized that L.A. wasn't for me. Because of all my medical issues, I yearned to be with my family back in NY, especially since all my primary doctors were there. K.C. knew in his heart that this was the best move for me and he was willing to let me go. I knew that it was the hardest decision for him... and it literally broke my heart. 

We tried to date other people and let each other move on in our separate worlds. Truth be told, I kept telling myself that if it was meant to be, then we would end up back together. Well, just in time destiny came knocking in the form of a job offer. K.C. was given the opportunity to join his company, Rudy's Barbershop, and open a new hub at the Ace Hotel in New York. We knew it was a sign that we should be together, and K.C. wasted no time in uprooting his entire life and moving across the country for me. I got to see what true love looks like. It was obvious he was in it for the long haul. This was a huge step for both of us.

K.C. tells me every day that he loves me and that I'm beautiful. I never imagined I would find a man who tells me these things repeatedly (he better keep it up!).

Now for the best part of our love story...

Over the holidays, I flew home with him to his hometown of Chico, California. On the evening of Christmas after meeting up with some of his friends, K.C. told me we were headed to another bar. As we walked through town, a massive group of his family and friends appeared out of nowhere...

...and well, the video tells the rest.

Obviously, I said 'yes', and we are now planning our future together. When K.C. asked me what I wanted this Valentine's Day, I said 'nothing'. He surprises me with flowers on random days and tells me he loves me every day... THAT is true love and I don't need a holiday to recognize that.

Fair warning: I scream A LOT in this video. :)

Proposal 1 from Marni Rothman on Vimeo.

Marni Blake Rothman lives in New York City, works in TV and is currently producing the 4th season of Lond Island Medium for TLC, set to air this spring.  She's worked with BRAVO, VH1, MTV and HBO, to name a few. When she's not calling the shots at work, you can find Marni sitting on the couch with her fiance catching up on her DVR, at a music festival doing the hippie dance or running errands in her neighborhood. When asked what she loved best about NYC, Marni said "My cleaners, nail salon, hair salon, drugstore, yogurt store and liquor store are all on the same block. In any other city, my errands would take me an entire day!" Find out more about Marni at: www.marniblake.com.

Advice From The Experts: Gaining the World Through Giving

This photo from college is as embarrassing as it gets, but it
sums up our relationship perfectly.

My best friend from college is a bit... how do you say it?... eclectic? Courtney Blair was my very first friend when I went off to the University of Georgia. I left the warm, loving nest of my parent's house and fell right into Courtney Blair's topsy-turvy dorm room. She was certainly a sight to behold... beautiful in the most natural way... milky white skin, a mess of freckles, and long auburn hair. To this day (excluding my brother Cale), I've never met anyone with as much personality as her. She's dramatic, funny, kind and serious all wrapped up into one charming little package.

When we met and she discovered that I had no solid nicknames, she deemed this unacceptable for someone my age and promptly nicknamed me 'Laronika'. I hated it... obviously. In an effort to work with me, she shortened it to Laron (eh, ok), then it somehow warped into Ronnie and slowly settled into Ron. Before I knew it, no one was calling me by my given name and people started to pity my luck - what kind of parents name their baby girl Ron?

But jokes aside, I actually have Courtney to thank for the fact that I live in New York. She accompanied me on my first trip to the concrete jungle, and I think it was that trip that planted the seed in me. I knew I loved New York. Maybe it was the fact that we got some airtime on MTV's Total Request Live, or the fond memory of accidentally eating someone else's food at a communal table in Chinatown or quite possibly the fact that the Soup Nazi resided here. But whatever the reason, I ended up here and I have her to thank.

Courtney and Chermie in Kenya.

Tomorrow I am thrilled and honored to have Courtney as a guest contributor. Courtney went on a life-changing trip to Africa during college, and I asked her to share her amazing experience with you. I'm sure she'll be the first to tell you that when she made the choice to give of herself and her time, she gained the world in return.

Be sure to check out Courtney's article tomorrow! You won't want to miss it!