How We Met
Kevin and I met in high school 7 1/2 years ago now. He says that we were in the same chemistry class, which was true, but he thinks that I did not notice him in this class sophomore year. It was not until our junior year that we started to notice each other. We were in the same civics class, and I asked him to our high school twirp, the school turnabout. We then went on to spend many high school memories together, and we continued those memories into college, as we both went to Illinois State University. We have now been dating for a little over 6 1/2 years. I love that we are high school sweet hearts because we can share all of our memories together throughout our lives with our future kids.
how they asked
Kevin and I are both teachers, and we have the summers off, but we always tend to fill that time with other work. I am a softball coach, and in the summer, I am enrolled in full time grad school. About a year and a half ago, we had bought our own townhouse. Growing up and after buying a house, our friends and family would always talk about us being a “married” couple. I always dreamed about what the day might look like when he proposed. He always did such a great job at asking me to prom, in high school, and surprising me with different things. As I started to hear of our close friends getting engaged, and the more weddings we were going to, I started to talk about the possibility for us. I was always the girl that felt that I was never going to get married, so this was very different for me. Over the years, I started to drop hints, and we would talk about what the perfect proposal would look like.
On August 6th, 2016, right before we were ready to do back to school, Kevin planned a day for us downtown to celebrate our 6 1/2 year anniversary, which was that week. We walked around downtown, and we eventually ended up at Navy Pier. At Navy Pier, we ate dinner at Harry Caray’s. I specifically went there for their fettuccine alfredo. The waitress broke the news to me that they took that item off the menu. I was so upset. I didn’t know what else to have, and then I saw chicken fingers and mac and cheese on the menu. I know what you’re thinking, what a childish dinner, but when I saw it, it was hard to pass up. The weird thing about this was that on our first date, on Valentine’s Day in 2010, back in high school, I ordered chicken fingers. This was a day that was meant to be I guess.
After dinner, we were then walking down the pier, and we found a bench by the water. All summer, the weather had been so hot and humid, but on this day, the weather was perfect. The breeze made the day wonderful.
So we are sitting on this bench, by the water, at the end of the pier, and he hands me a large bag with my anniversary gift in it.
He asks me to open it, and I pulled out a picture collage book made by Shutterfly. It was composed of a handful of pictures throughout our life, and little sayings that fit the theme of the pictures. It expressed how much he loved me, and all the good times that we have gone through.
The book was perfect.
He doesn’t usually express his feelings, so to read it all in a book, allowed him to express everything.
When I went to read the last page of the book, he took my hand and stood me up. The last page stated, “This is not the end of our story, but only the beginning. The beginning of a long and loving life. I have loved you from the beginning, and I will love you until the end.”
“Last time I asked, will you go out with me? Now I ask you, the love of my life, will you marry me?” I looked in awe as I was shocked as to what was happening. He then got down on one knee and formally asked, will you marry me? I said YES!
As I said YES, the people on the pier congratulated us.
Also, my sister and his sister came running towards us. They had videotaped and took pictures of the entire thing! Later I found out that they were tracking us downtown on the find my friends app, so that they could be in the same place as us in order to capture the special moment.
We then went back to our parents’ house to celebrate, and that’s when he also surprised me with a surprise engagement party that was attended by my closest friends and family.
August 6th, 2016 will be a night to remember for me.
It would make my life if you can post my proposal story on your Instagram and website! I follow you everyday, and I have always hoped to see my story appear!