How We Met
My sorority sisters and I became good friends with the guys in Phil’s fraternity during our sophomore year of college at Texas Tech University. I had introduced myself to Phil a few times at different parties and events, but somehow he could never remember my name. We never had an actual conversation until my roommate started dating Phil’s roommate and he would bring Phil over to my apartment for moral support. Our spring sorority formal was coming up and I decided to ask Phil to be my date so that the four of us could go together. The formal consisted of three days of different theme parties, which turned into our “first dates”.
Phil and I continued to hang out that summer until I left Lubbock to go on a study abroad trip for the summer. Phil was very shy (and a terrible texter) so I didn’t hear from him very often; therefore, I thought he didn’t like me. We reunited several months later at a friend’s lake house for 4th of July where Phil awkwardly greeted me with a high five….definite friend zone. In talking later that trip, it turns out that he actually did miss me and wanted to date but was trying to act cool in front of his friends. We returned to West Texas for school and started officially dating.
We were having a blast getting to know each other until September 11, 2011 when everything came to a halt. Phil was out with friends when he had an accident that caused an incredibly life threatening brain injury called an Epidural Hematoma. I rushed up to the hospital in the middle of the night where I found him in surgical ICU. I had met his parents only the weekend before and had to call and notify them of what had happened. After an incredibly long, emotional week of Phil in ICU, he made a full recovery and I knew that I absolutely could not live life without him.
how they asked
I work in corporate retail for a jewelry company and look at diamond rings all day every day. Phil and I had been dating for almost 5 years and I was anxiously anticipating when we would get engaged. In the summers, I have half-day Fridays where I get off work at 1:00 pm between Memorial Day & Labor Day. Phil told me that he worked overtime that week so he too would get to spend the afternoon off with me. Little did I know, he went into work at 6:00 am in order to be able to leave by 1:00. We decided to spend the afternoon celebrating our upcoming anniversary with a happy hour.
I wanted to go to a new hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant and Phil insisted on trying a restaurant several towns away (even though we have one in Dallas) because the “view” was better. Being summer in Texas, I wanted to wear shorts and a tank top and Phil tried to lightly say to wear something a little nicer. He said he was wearing his nicer Cole Haan loafers (that he only wears to weddings & funerals) so I started internally questioning why we were getting so fancy. I reluctantly put on a black dress and hoped that the cold margaritas at happy hour would help me cope with the heat.
Phil made 5:00 reservations and was insistent that we were on time, even though I told him that only old people eat dinner that early. We listened/sang our hearts out to a 2000’s hip hop station the whole way to dinner and didn’t suspect anything out of the ordinary. As we were driving, I noticed that we were passing the area where the restaurants are. After lots of questions from me, Phil kept driving and pulled into the Addison Airport.
As he pulled into the parking lot he said “it’s time to check off one final thing on our bucket list”. I instantly knew what was happening. There was a helicopter waiting for us for a skyline tour of Dallas.
We were introduced to a “marketing intern” that worked for the helicopter company that was taking marketing photos, who turned out to be an undercover photographer that Phil hired.
The helicopter tour was absolutely amazing and Phil got down on one knee and proposed on the runway once we landed.
After lots of ugly crying I happily said yes!
My work bff had been working on designing my custom engagement ring with Phil for 6 months! It was so meaningful to know how much love had gone into my ring behind the scenes.
While walking back into the hangar, I asked who knew he was planning this, and out jumped my best friend and roommate who had set up champagne and roses for us.
I immediately tried to Face Time my parents without success (who doesn’t answer the phone when your daughter gets engaged?!). Phil told me to just let this moment be ours and don’t call anyone else. We drove to the restaurant that was part of the original plan and mine and his entire families were sitting there waiting for us! Que the waterworks!
