Throwback Thursday: We're Engaged!

Summer 2003

Andrew was living with his parents and I was living two hours away with my parents.  We knew our relationship was headed for marriage.  We were in it for the long-haul.  I had told Andrew I didn't want to know when the proposal was coming and I didn't want to know what the ring looked like until he was ready to give it to me.  

Living two hours apart meant we didn't see each other throughout the week.  We alternated on the weekends who would be the one to drive the two hours to see the other.  

One weekend he informed me that he was hanging out with his guy friends.  They supposedly had big plans to play basketball and do manly things. So that weekend I was hanging out with my family and was in the truck with my dad on our way to pick up pizza when my phone rang.  It was Andrew.  We had a very quick conversation in which he asked me to remind him of my ring size.  That was an odd question for someone hanging out doing manly things to ask.  

August 29, 2003

The day before my birthday.  I had to work that day.  I was working at Sonic and was scheduled to work 6:30 to 1:30.  Andrew was driving up that evening and we were going out to dinner.  I just knew I was getting engaged that evening.  I was so incredibly excited.  

1:30 could not come fast enough.  I was ready to go home, shower, and get ready for the best date of my life.  

And then our computer system at work shut down.  We were sending people outside to take orders by hand.

Right in the middle of our lunch rush.

I remember it being so crazy busy.  

1:30 came and went and I was still at work.  

I don't remember what time I was finally able to leave work but it was much later than 1:30.  

I'm sure I sped home that day.

I got showered and dressed in my white shirt with green flowers and my denim skirt.  

Oh the fashion!

Andrew took me to the nicest restaurant in our little town that evening.

Colton's.

We ate our dinner all the while I was a nervous wreck waiting on him to propose.

He never did.

August 30, 2003

My birthday.

Andrew slept on our couch the previous night.

I woke up and took my shower and got ready for the day.

Then he got up to shower and I knew...today was the day.

I was very nervous.  

Once we were both ready for the day we were sitting in my room and he hands me a birthday card.

I opened and read the card.

Then he says to me...

"I'm only going to ask this one time so you better not say no."

He hands me a box and says, "Will you marry me?"  

I'm pretty sure I opened the box myself and I put the ring on myself.  

 I already had wedding catalogs.

There was no one knee or grand gesture.

And even though I give him a hard time about it now, it didn't matter.

I knew he loved me.

And I loved him.

Since it was lunch time we headed off to town for a nice lunch at...

McDonalds where my newly engaged 20 year old self ordered a happy meal.

And in case you are wondering how my ring fits Andrew...

The day may not have been his most romantic gesture but it was still one of the best days of my life.  

It was the beginning of a life long commitment to my best friend.