How We Met
Will and I were best friends growing up. I had a small crush, but never thought we would actually end up together because I was three years older than him. It was one night after church where he finally made a move and we shared our first kiss. It was “all she wrote” after that. We kept our relationship to ourself for a while, only telling our close friends and family and didn’t go “social media official” until nearly 6 months later. Will told me from day one he was going to marry me and even told his family years before we even dated that he would marry me one day.I like to say I always knew it was him but was in denial for nearly a year after we were together because of fear of ending up in another bad relationship.
Will was always patient with me and loved me through my insecurity and fear. He spoiled me with love and always treated me like a queen. He pursued me all this time, put my needs above his own, and showed me what love looks like. We’ve been through a lot together. Family members passing, two years long distance, loosing friends, gaining new ones, but in the past five years Will and I have grown together. We’ve learned who we are, and who each other is. No one knows me or loves me like Will does, and after 5 years I still feel like there is so much to learn. I am everyday more thankful that I get to spend the rest of my life learning and loving him more.
how they asked
I love New Years Eve, it is undoubtedly my favorite holiday. I love what it represents, the newness of everything, a fresh start. Growing up my mom always let me throw a “party” with my cousin and we would drink grape juice out of champagne glasses and pop so many poppers you couldn’t even see the floor. When Will and I started dating we started throwing our own parties every year with our friends. I looked forward to our party every year, but this year Will started his new job at the church and had to be there to play a conference for New Years Eve, so we weren’t able to throw a party. I wasn’t disappointed, I just wanted to spend time together, so we decided to have dinner after the service and spend a quiet night at home (or so I thought). We went to dinner and right at 10:00 we got a call from his mom asking us to meet her to pick a key up for his brother.
At first I thought it was a little weird, but we weren’t in a rush and it was on our way home so I didn’t ask questions. We were about 45 minutes from where she was, so we got there at about 10:45. He parked around the back of the building, and asked me to get out and run in him with. I said no at first because I was too cold, but after he asked again I decided to go. We walked around the building and I heard my favorite holiday song playing “What Are You Doing New Years Eve?”. I saw the gazebo in the middle of downtown all lit up with Christmas lights, pictures of us hanging from the tree, and champagne, and that’s when I knew what was happening.
We walked around the tree looking at all the memories in the pictures, and I turned around to see Will dropped down on one knee and asking me to spend the rest of my life with him.
Of course I said YES. I was overwhelmed with emotion, so happy, so excited, so full of joy, words can’t adequately describe. After 5 years of dating and what felt like a lifetime of friendship, I finally got to say yes to my best friend.
After the proposal, we popped champagne and toasted to the start of our new life together. Will then surprised me and had one of my favorite things, a wishing lantern! We had actually bought one on a family vacation together 3 years back, but were waiting for the right moment to send it off. Well, he pulled it back out because there was no better moment than this!
Saying yes to Will was the easiest decision I ever made, he is my best and truest friend and I can’t wait to marry him! This was by far my favorite New Years ever.
