The Proposal Story

Because Josh and I have been attending a lot of beautiful summer weddings lately...

...and because I'm feeling extra wedding-y as our own wedding gets closer and closer...

...and because it's taken me forever and a day to get around to sharing the story of one of of the best days of my life with all of you...

I've decided to write about the day Josh proposed.

(Hint:  If you haven't read the story of how we met, head over here first...)

Here goes...

It was a Tuesday morning, and I was anxiously waiting for my first class of the day to start.  The class was an entrepreneurship course Josh and I happened to have together--only the second class we'd shared since meeting at college the previous fall.

Actually, since meeting one year to that day...

I sat watching the clock, hoping Josh would make it to class on time.  The one and only downside to his laid-backness is his tendency to be tardy--something my if-you're-on-time-you're-late personality has had to learn to cope with.

I got out my phone to text him.  I knew he was held up in his office waiting on the printer to spit out his homework.

7:44 AM  Me:  U can hand write the answers if that's faster...

No response.  Class was starting.

A few more students soon trickled into class.  The professor looked in their direction, not expressing his irritation but surely, I imagine, not appreciating the interruption.  I started to panic, hoping Josh wouldn't be the final student to walk in, throwing the professor into a rage of fury and a half hour lecture on "kids these days...".  That was the scenario playing out in my head, at least.

8:02 AM  Me:  U don't need to come

I preferred to give Josh the class notes than sit and watch him be the inspiration for a lecture.  He'd been really busy with classes and projects and life lately, and I didn't want him to be further stressed by starting off his day in hot water with a professor. 

In fact, Josh had been so busy, I hadn't hardly seen him at all over the previous days.  I was a little sad to not be sitting with him in class that day, discretely grabbing his hand underneath the table and whispering something whenever we  got the chance.  Being that it was the one year anniversary of our fateful meeting, my mind started to wander back to what I was doing last year, on this day, at this time...

My daydreams were interrupted by the sound of the door being pulled open.  It was Josh.

He made his way to the seat next to me, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief as the professor smoothly continued through his lesson without a single pause.  Josh looked tired, as if he'd been up studying all night, but also particularly handsome in his holey jeans, t-shirt, and unbuttoned flannel shirt.  I love his rustic style, and I started to wonder how many other girls in the class loved it, too.  Probably a lot. But he was all mine.

Class was over before I knew it. And I didn't remember a single topic that was discussed that day.

Josh and I hugged and parted ways as I headed to my next class with a fellow marketing friend of mine.  In the absence of Josh, I went into full girl mode, telling her about Josh and I's plans to meet at Hideaway, the pizza place where he and I met, that evening and how I was still trying to come up with a last minute gift to give him.  He and I had agreed to not exchange gifts, but I was still planning to make him something little or maybe bake him some cupcakes.  After all, he'd already told me he'd gotten me a small gift: a box of my favorite candy, Sour Patch Kids.

I spent the next several hours hearing parts of lectures about market research and promotional strategies and a flurry of other topics I appear to have not absorbed.  My mind didn't go to class with me that day.  Neither did my attention.  Or my ability to focus. 

Needless to say, I was relieved when I arrived home after class that afternoon.  I turned the key to my front door, walked in, and flopped down on my bed.  I grabbed the throw blanket and one of the too many decorative pillows on my bed and drifted off into my dreams.  Tired from a night of homework, I was ready for some pre-date sleep.

What seemed like a short while later, I rolled over and sleepily glanced at my alarm clock. I panicked as I noticed the time...4:00! The plan was to meet Josh at Hideaway at 5:00, meaning I had seriously overslept. I jumped out of bed, and the realization quickly hit me that I'd no longer have time to bake anything for Josh. We'd agreed on no gift exchanges though, so maybe it would be okay. I shrugged it off--knowing I'd make up for it later somehow--and glanced into a nearby mirror. My clothes were wrinkled from laying on my bed, my mascara left a shadow from where my eyelashes had touched my skin, and my hair was flat on the side that had been pushed against my pillow. Basically, I needed a little help. I turned on some music and headed straight to my closet and makeup bag.

4:43 PM Josh: don't be early okay

I laughed as I read his message. I love the boy to death, but he's late. A lot. I immediately assumed that his afternoon group meeting was possibly running late and quickly replied before getting ready to leave.

4:45 PM Me: Lol ok ok

4:50 PM Me: I'm hungry though man, don't be too late

4:51 PM Josh: Ok ok 5 let's do it man

With a few minutes to spare, I headed out my front door and drove the short distance to the little pizza place that means so much to us. I was peacefully anxious... if that's even possible. My afternoon nap had left me feeling calm, but I couldn't wait to see this boyfriend of mine who I had hardly seen at all over the past several days. And it was such a special day for us.

As I rounded the corner to find a parking spot, I noticed Josh sitting out front on the very same bench I'd been sitting on one year earlier. He looked so handsome. I turned my head to try to hide my smile.

But wait...

He beat me to the restaurant. I was under the impression that he would be late... because he told me not to be early.

Oh well.

I found a parking spot and made my way down the block to the restaurant. As I approached Josh, I smiled and began apologizing for apparently being late. By the time I had reached the picnic table he was seated at, I could see he had his cowboy hat laying on his lap. With a box of Sour Patch Kids inside.

He'd gotten me a gift. And I was the loser who overslept and didn't even bake cupcakes.

"I got you something," he said as he handed me the box of my favorite candy.

I laughed as I began to remind him that we weren't supposed to be exchanging gifts.

But then I glanced at his hat again, and my heart started to race. There was another box inside his hat. A small box. A box like the ones you would get from a jewelry store. The kind rings come in.

"I have something else for you, too."

Josh moved from the bench and got down on one knee.

Everything gets blurry from this point on, as Josh kept talking and I began to notice that he had the most stunning ring in his hand and that the person who had been casually reading his iPad on the bench behind Josh was actually a photographer.

"Will you marry me?"

The words you dream of hearing your entire life make you catch your breath when you finally hear the man of your dreams speak them to you. It's an unforgettable moment.

"Of course," I replied, before waiting for him to stand up and jumping into his arms.

After a long hug, I pulled back from him to glance at the ring he'd slipped on my finger.

I was in disbelief at how beautiful the ring was. He'd picked it out all on his own, and it was more amazing than any I had ever seen.

"You're going to be my husband."

"You're going to be my wife."

The words ran through me, and I saw the future I'd always wanted as I looked in his eyes.

"There's more to the surprise," he said as he placed his hand on my back and guided me inside the restaurant.

I was shaking as we walked through the doors, noticing everyone who'd just witnessed the most exciting moment of my life. I looked around the restaurant, and my eyes stopped when I noticed a large table in the back corner, completely decorated with fall flowers and pumpkins and candles. There were even special fall dishes for us to eat off of. And towards the middle of the table was my very favorite pizza. In the shape of a heart.

I couldn't believe Josh had done all of this. I smiled, fully realizing just how well Josh understands me and everything I love.

And also realizing why I hadn't seem him much lately. And why he didn't want me to show up early to Hideaway.

"You've had to tell me a lot of lies lately, haven't you?" I jokingly asked him.

He laughed, knowing I was mentally piecing together the strange details of the past few days.

Josh and I enjoyed our dinner before we started the process of spreading the news. I couldn't wait to make the phone calls to our friends and family but, for that short time at the restaurant, I tried to soak in every detail of what had just happened. And I enjoyed the first few minutes of knowing what my future had in store.

I slept restlessly that night, waking up every couple of hours and smiling every time I glanced at my hand and realized the whole thing wasn't just a dream.

A whole new chapter of my life was about to begin.

much love always,

Darcy