How We Met
I met Gracey-Hope in 2015 halfway through her first semester of college. Right around that time we had a group of mutual friends that starting getting together to hang. I immediately felt like we would somehow be in each others lives! Our former small town high schools were rivals and happened to be playing each other on the weekend she came home to visit. Our hangout with our friend group that weekend was at Buffalo Wild Wings of all places- the first place we met!
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Gracey-Hope and I had many small conversations that night. We both sensed without saying that these small conversations would become the foundation of some type of relationship. Needless to say, it did! For a few months we remained friends, yet eventually found ourselves in a restaurant booth… Again. (We love eating.) All joking aside, we initially found ourselves having 3-4 hour conversations on the phone at night. I’d sit in the garage at dad’s workbench and she would sit on her couch and we would dive deep about goals, dreams and what we wanted in this life. Those phone conversations would eventually turn into truck rides late at night and casual ‘dates’ anywhere that was still open that late.
We knew in no time that we had met someone special for each other. We continued weeding through the surface small talk and naturally challenged each other with hard questions. Those conversations started bringing us closer and closer. We started ‘officially’ dating mid-July of 2015!
how they asked
Jake and I knew we wanted to start a life together shortly after dating. After a year and a half, the wait was officially over for me! Rewind to a few days before the proposal, Jake had mentioned a family blessing night for Palmer (Josh and Jess’ then soon-to-be daughter) on that Monday. He gave me vague details and played it off as if he didn’t have much information. I asked several questions about what the “blessing night” would look like, and he still seemed unsure. Jake later said we would be attending a super nice restaurant in Nashville (his way of getting me in a dress for the big question!)… so I assumed I needed to dress up!
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The day of the proposal, I called Jake immediately to tell him about my dream from the night before! I had ironically dreamed that I got engaged and that he proposed on my living room couch. We had a good laugh and I headed to work like any usual day. After work that day, my mom and I got a gift together to give to Josh and Jess and for Palmer. As usual, Jake picked me up and man did he look sharp! I found out afterwards, he was wearing a microphone under his shirt and he was feeling some nerves!
Jake picked me up at my house and we drove out to where the “blessing” was supposed to be. When we got there, Jake said that his dad suggested we walk down a hiking trail to meet up with the rest of the family.
We rolled into the trailhead and began walking down the path, I was legitimately confused and Jake made me think he was too! We kept walking another 30 yards or so and came upon pictures of us hanging on twine wrapped around trees.
Immediately I began uncontrollably shedding tears… Happy tears! Jake and I took the time to embrace every second of what was going on in that moment! He continued to read something that he wrote earlier in our relationship, and of course popped the question!
We were both so excited! Afterwards we walked out of the woods and met up with both of our families! We shared laughs and tears and stories and continued the celebration back at Jake’s house!
Follow @HowHeAsked on instagram for more sweet love stories. And now for the video…