How We Met
There are two reasons Austin and I met – kickball & fate.
2012 had not been the best start to the year for me. After going through a recent breakup & living alone in a small town in Maryland that I had been relocated to for work, I decided to take a leap of faith and move to Baltimore that summer. Even though I only knew a few people down there & the commute to and from work was going to be a lot longer for me, I just had a feeling that it was going to be the right choice. Since I didn’t know anyone that needed a roommate at the time, I decided to take a chance and find roommates on Craigslist. The first place I went to check out were two girls looking for a third roomie since their current one was moving to Texas for a new job opportunity. They were so sweet & I knew instantly that it was the right choice.
When fall rolled around & my roommate’s boyfriend asked if I wanted to join their kickball team I jumped right at the chance. The team was tight knit & almost most everyone already knew each other, but they were so welcoming from the very start and Thursday nights instantly became my favorite night of the week. After a few games into the season, two new guys joined the team. They were friends from High School with Jamie; one of the girls already on our team. They were really nice, and I learned that one of them, Austin, had just moved to Baltimore that year as well. I was definitely intrigued by him, but I’m a pretty shy person when you first meet me & I didn’t really say much to him at first. Fast forward to Spring & another season of kickball was starting back up. Over those next few months several people on our team started talking to me about Austin; what did I think about him? Was I interested? I was definitely taken back.
Austin is the life of the party. He is the friendliest and sweetest guy I know, but when it came to me he really didn’t say much when we were all hanging out. So to hear that he was interested in me definitely surprised me. But it did spike my interest, and I started to notice each week that he was starting to come up to talk to me more and more. The more we got to know each other the more I realized how much we really had in common & I was starting to realize that I liked this guy a lot. Then on the last night of the kickball season the whole team went out to our favorite bar to celebrate. Austin and I pretty much didn’t leave each others side the entire time. We hung out the whole night together, and the rest after that is history.
how they asked
Austin’s sister, Jessica, and I are very close. We recently started a tradition to get manicures at the Four Seasons Spa in Baltimore for our birthdays, so when she asked me if I was free on October 15th for a girls day to celebrate my upcoming birthday I didn’t think anything suspicious of it at all. That day Austin was lounging around in his pjs watching soccer all morning. When his sister arrived, I asked him as we were on our way out what his plans were for the day & he just said that he might meet up with some friends later to watch the WVU game later.
He had me totally convinced he was just going to be having a lazy Saturday. Jess and I headed downtown for our appointment, and had the best time getting our nails done, drinking champagne & catching up. Once our appointment was over, she asked if I wanted to go downstairs for a drink before she had to head back home. It was the most beautiful October day, so we decided to head to the outside bar. When we walked outside to find a seat I saw Austin standing there waiting for me. He was dressed up & I was so confused to see him there.
The Four Seasons is right on the waterfront, and he took my hand and walked me over to the pier & it finally started registering in my mind what was about to happen.
I was in total shock, I was shaking and crying and I don’t even remember a word he said! When he got down on one knee & proposed I was absolutely speechless.
Later he told me it took me forever to actually say yes because I could barely move or speak.
There was a lot going on in the city that weekend; Baltimore Fleet Week & the Marathon were both taking place. I didn’t even realize how many people were standing there watching us, but when I said yes the crowd around us erupted in applause.
It was the craziest & most exciting day of my life! As if I couldn’t be surprised any more one of my closest friends who is a photographer appeared out of nowhere with her camera & had been there to capture the entire thing.
She took some more pictures of us, and then I instantly said we needed to call my parents.
Austin suggested we go next door to one of our favorite bars to have a drink & I could call them once we sat down. So we all walked over together, and right as we walked into the bar we were greeted with another huge surprise.
All of of our family and friends were inside waiting for us!!
Cue the waterworks again. I was so overwhelmed with emotion!
It was truly the best day of my life. We spent the rest of the weekend with our friends & family celebrating. Austin never ceases to amaze me! He is an amazing man & I am so excited to be his wife and to start our lives together!
