How We Met
Jason and I met at a little bar in our hometown. I was preparing to move back to our hometown, not knowing I would soon find the man of my dreams so close to the home I had left a year before. As I settled back into my hometown, Jason and I became fast friends. I found out that his mother was best friends with my best friend’s mother, and that I had known her for years. Jason had only lived a half a block away for years, too, but despite knowing his mother and living so close, we had never met.
Once we did, though, the attraction was instant, and we spent a lot of time together. Our friends were ecstatic to see us both so happy and encouraged us to move past being friends. While we were both tentative about it, as we had both just gotten out of a series of bad relationships, we decided to give it a try. I couldn’t be happier that we did… that little try turned a dream and a spark into a reality and a roaring fire, full of love and commitment.
how they asked
It was New Year’s Eve, and we were awaiting the ball drop. Someone shouted and a countdown started as guys and girls moved closer to their sweethearts for a midnight kiss. I was brimming with excitement; I had secretly overheard Jason tell someone that a proposal was imminent. “By the end of the year,” he had said. When I heard that, I had not expected him to wait to the literal last second, but I’d take whatever I could get after waiting nearly four years! I scooted closer to him, my anticipation building as what I thought was THE moment drew nearer. “One!” they shouted, “Happy New Year!” Whistles and whoops filled the air as ladies locked lips with their beaus. I pushed up on my tiptoes, barely containing my glee as I leaned in for a kiss. Surely he was going to drop to his knee and pull out a ring any second after this… Instead, he ushered me to a table of friends for a drink of bubbly. In my mind, I thought, “Well, this is all wrong…” And things did not improve, but I would not let my disappointment show.
I smiled and mingled before we left for home, happy but engagement less. Once we were home and feeling awfully perturbed, in my case, we snuggled down into bed. As I laid my head on his chest, I sighed and wondered what had gone wrong. “Did he mean the end of 2017?!” I thought in panic. “Did you have fun tonight?” he asked, hugging me. I nodded, and he continued, “I know what today is… your grandparents’ wedding anniversary; it’s special, huh?” He was right. My grandparents had married 63 years ago, on New Year’s Day in 1954. Grandpa had always said that he wanted to start the year off right by marrying Grandma. As if, Jason had read my mind, he said, “I want to start the year off right by asking you something.” I picked my head up to look at him in the darkness, heart hammering. “Will you marry me?” he quizzed, and I felt weightless in that moment. “Yes!” I squealed, sitting up on my knees and bouncing jubilantly on the bed as he sat up, too, to hug me.
