how we met
Funny enough we met online and bonded over … donuts!!On May 23, 2016, Jim walked into a bar (aptly named “Hunting Creek” … he’s a wildlife artist and hunter) to meet me, Marty. After a few Match.com messages discussing our refined taste for donuts and love for the great state of Pennsylvania where we both grew up, Jim asked me out for dinner and drinks. Over Old Fashions and Aviations, wetalked about pretty much everything … and learned that we each have some pretty amazing stories to tell about how we got to where we were that day. He walked me to my car, and, as the good gentleman he is, Jim hugged me goodbye … but I knew it wasn’t goodbye for long ;)
how they asked
It was definitely a surprise! Well technically, it was a surprise wrapped in a surprise. Jim was off on a deployment when his cousin, Jesse, reached out to me and proposed throwing Jim a surprise welcome home party. Not one to pass up an opportunity to throw a party, Jesse and I started planning. When invites went out to a few of my closest friends, the tides of surprise changed. Little did I know, Jim FaceTimed my parents and sisters from Baghdad to ask if he could ask me to marry him, and he had organized a surprise engagement proposal with all of my friends and family at their favorite restaurant. It just so happened that this planned dinner was the exact same day … exact same time … as this surprise welcome home! Well my friends, family and Jim started scheming on how to get me to cancel. But then a brilliant idea occurred … who better to plan my proposal party than me! So Jim reached out to Jesse, turned him into a double agent, and began coordinating turning this surprise into a surprise. They recruited my best friend to take photos, got one of my other best friends to travel up from VA beach, arranged my other other besties to attend, and my whole family to drive down. The day of the proposal, I was so proud of myself, making up a fake brunch to cover up a trip to Costco. I event bragged to all the attendees (and Jesse) how good of a liar I was! Little did I know they were all in on the REAL surprise. So when Jim and I arrived at Jesse’s for a “cook out”, Jesse led us upstairs. I was giving the play by play via text to the attendees. We walked in together and then … “surpriseeeee!!” I saw her best friend, and then my parents. It still wasn’t setting in, but then Jim grabbed me and it set in. The rest is history … and thanks to Jim’s planning, was recorded in amazing pictures by my amazing bestie, Erinne!
