How We Met
If you would have asked me if I thought I would marry Ricky when we first met, I would have screamed “No” and then ran away. But that is because we were 10 years old and narrating a church play together. So as you can tell, it was almost the opposite of love at first sight. I didn’t want anything to do with Ricky and he didn’t know I existed. But hey we were 10.
Ricky and I didn’t really speak again until high school. I had just started at the local public high school after being at a private girls school for middle school. Ricky was the football and baseball player that listened to screamo music and had super long hair. For our freshman and sophomore year, our ten year old attitudes were still intact; I didn’t want anything to do with Ricky and he didn’t know I existed. But something changed the end of my sophomore year, I realized boys didn’t have cooties! At the same time this revelation occurred, Ricky started coming to our church youth group events. And this is when it happened. The crush began. I fell hard for this guy but there was only one problem, he still didn’t know I existed. As time went on, we began to talk and become friends. Well I don’t know if you can call it friends, but Ricky knew I existed, so hey it was a start. During our junior year of high school, the Hunger Game books became super popular. If you know me at all, you know I hate reading. But I knew Ricky loved it. So then started a month long game of me reading the Hunger Game series for the sole purpose of having something to talk about with Ricky. All this Hunger Game talk eventually lead to him building up the courage to bring ice cream over to my house. During this night, we sat on my front porch for hours and ate ice cream. He eventually ended up planting one on me and I was in LOVE! (Side note: how cool is it that I get to marry the guy I had my first kiss with!)
Two weeks into our relationship, Ricky and I said “I love you” and a month in Ricky asked me to marry him. ( Ya know in the way that 16 year olds do) We were both in this for the long haul which made long distance during college seem doable. We both went to college, graduated in four years, and were itching to start a life together! There is SO much life that happened in our four years after high school that dramatically shaped the people Ricky and I are today. We went through highs, lows, births, funerals, uphill’s and downhill’s, but none the less we both grew stronger and more dedicated to each other and our future.
how they asked
Ever since Ricky and I said we wanted to get engaged, I told him what I had hoped for in a proposal. I said I needed my family’s blessing, wanted pictures, wanted romance, and I wanted my sister to be there. A couple of weeks ago, Ricky told me his friend needed help “expanding his photography portfolio” and he said we would help him out. I figured, “Wow. Ricky is such a nice guy”. A proposal never even crossed my mind. I left work early that Friday and drove down to one of our favorite beaches in Malibu (really? How did I not catch onto this?). I pulled up and Ricky and his friend, Jeff were waiting to take pictures. Ricky ran over to my car, opened the door, and handed me a bouquet of red roses (again, how did I not see this?).
Anyways, we started taking pictures all around the beach. About half way through Ricky and Jeff’s ideas for pictures, they told me to do this pose were I put my arms over Ricky while I was standing beside him. At this point, I wasn’t even touching Ricky and his heart was beating out of his skin. Ricky and Jeff were awkwardly shuffling around trying to make sure I didn’t move from my position (Display #3 of how did I not catch on?) Ricky then turned to me and said, “Em. Close your eyes. I have something for you”. I opened my eyes and he was down on one knee! I;m sure what he said was beautiful and loving but my brain was not processing fast enough for that. My gut reaction was to run away even though all I wanted to do was say YES YES YES! Eventually I murmered “mhmm” and Ricky and I were officially engaged! We called all our friends and family to share the news and the similar thread was had throughout conversations, “I’m so sorry I cant make it!”. I didn’t care. I was just excited to be engaged! We packed up our things and headed home. While driving home, Ricky and I were so excited but a part of me wanted SO badly to tell my sister (who also at the time was mysteriously not answering her Face Time calls). Ricky and I headed inside my parents house and I hear a quite “Congratulations!”, I turn to see my sister standing in the doorway! We have a loud screaming fest and rejoice. I keep walking into the backyard and what do you know? Ricky has arranged for all of our family, friends, and loved ones to be at this AMAZING party! Him and my sister planned the BEST engagement party ever thrown! We are SO blessed!
(Ricky showing the ring before proposing!)
(Even though I ran away, I really wanted to say YES! I’m just terrible with surprises)
