How We Met
Levi and I matched on tinder about the end of September of 2015. We talked for a couple weeks; before we ever decided to meet in person. He actually stopped talking to me for a week although he says he doesn’t remember that part lol, but we overcame that! The first night we met, he came over to my house; all my roommates were gone for Thanksgiving break and I was bored! (not the smartest idea) However, they had agreed to text me after different increments of time to make sure I was still alive lol! It sounds cliché, but that night was like none other I had ever experienced. We sat and talked for hours; about anything and everything under the sun. From the start we were just comfortable with each other and shared things with each other that night that we hadn’t told many people, if any at all. I knew that night that Levi was something special. On our first real date he took me to Chick – Fil – A; which if you know me, is my favorite place. I’m sure if Levi could have predicted the outrageous amount of Chick – Fil – A he was going to have to consume over the last three years he might have reconsidered things lol! From the first night, there has always been this indescribable connection with Levi and I; that it was somehow fate that we matched and met on Tinder. I’m originally from Chesterfield, VA, but came to Texas to attend Baylor University. Levi is from Killeen, TX, but grew up all over central Texas. My dad actually grew up in Belton, TX and Levi’s grandparents also live in Belton. We soon found out that my dad’s aunt and Levi’s grandmother, taught/worked at the same elementary school. That just goes to show you how small the world really is!
How They Asked
As we approached our 3 year dating anniversary, I wanted us to get some nice pictures taken. I reached out to McKenzie with 7 Sisters Photography, as she takes the pictures for the boutique I work for. I love her editing style and she is someone that I ultimately feel very comfortable with. A little over a month ago, I told Levi that I had scheduled pictures for us and he was as excited as I figured he would be (not very) lol. But he acted excited for me, which I’m grateful for. I had found this long green dress that I feel in love with and knew I wanted to wear it for our pictures. So now the challenge was dressing Levi, the man who gets to wear athletic clothes every day! Those who know me, know that I have always been a little snoop and I’m so observant of things going on around me. Throughout the following weeks, I began to get very suspicious about a proposal and notice some hints that were being dropped.
My suspicions started when he questioned whether the shoes he was going to wear were “nice enough” for these pictures. Which instantly puzzled me, as I was not going to force him to get new shoes that he would not be wearing very often. That was my first clue, but I passed it off as him just wanting these pictures to be really nice for me lol!
Fast forward to Monday October 22nd, a week before the pictures. I had asked to be off by 1pm on Saturday since Levi usually has film until 1 or 2 and our pictures were at 5:30. I was graciously given the whole Saturday off which I was so grateful for as Levi actually had a bye week, so he didn’t have film! This was going to be the first Saturday we both had off in a long time! That made me even more excited for our pictures! Jumping to Friday, he had texted me at work and asked if I was getting my nails done for the pictures tomorrow. I has said no, because I didn’t want to pay for them, I could just do my gel manicure at home.
My next big clue was that Levi then offered to pay for them! He said he wanted to treat me, and at first, I didn’t think anything of it, I said sure because this never happens lol! It was on the way home that night that I started to think something was up. He had said his sister Amanda would be free if I wanted to ask her to go with me. I texted and asked her to go as I haven’t gotten my nails done here in Temple since moving and didn’t know where to go.
It’s hard to describe, but I swear when I woke up on Saturday the energy in our apartment was just different. We had a great lazy morning, hanging out, eating breakfast, and just relaxing. As I was getting ready to meet Amanda, Levi said he had to go get his nephew from Amanda and take him to his flag football game. That was my third big clue, because he had said that Amanda would be free, but I just chalked it up to him wanting us to hangout lol! So, he left and about 30 minutes later I met Amanda. During this time, I really started to think that today was the day that he was going to propose! I texted one of my best friends and asked her to help me calm down, it was all I could think about! Patti eased my mind and helped me realize that I probably wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about it, that it would be convenient timing since we were getting pictures done, and that I needed to focus on being present and enjoying the pictures. After nails, we went to Preston’s game and then came home to eat lunch.
My fourth clue was when we got home, he was like “hey can you run and go get lunch, I’m going to stay here”. Which puzzled me, but he agreed to chick-fil-a, so I was a happy gal! I got back with the food, we ate, and then we got ready for pictures. Levi suggested that we go to BJ’s after for dinner and drinks, and I was so excited that we were having the best day together.
The entire drive there I was still thinking the proposal could be happening, but I looked and looked and there was no ring box shaped bulge in his pocket or anything he seemed to be hiding. I convinced myself to give up the thought and just be present. When we arrived where we were meeting McKenzie, she had told me that she had a friend that needed a bouquet modeled and she had wanted me to do it at the end of our session. We began taking pictures and she had asked Levi to empty his pockets of his phone and keys, and that’s when the last thought of “just maybe it could happen” flew out of my head.
Finally, it was time to model the bouquet, so she went to her car and came back and positioned me. I thought that it was so weird that she had me facing completely opposite than we had been, but I didn’t think anything of it. She took a couple snaps, and was really excited to also have the pics to post on my Instagram of just me lol! I swear these next moments were like an out of body experience. She prompted me to slowly turn around, and I didn’t move. So, she asked me again, and as I turned, I saw out of the corner of my eye, Levi on one knee. It immediately hit me what was happening, and I just remember crying, saying yes, and just hugging him! I was in complete shock and so surprised because I had spent the day convincing myself that this wasn’t happening! The bouquet wasn’t being modeled for her friend after all. The bouquet was made of white roses and sunflowers. Roses for my middle name and my grandmother, and sunflowers for Levi’s mom, both whom are sadly no longer with us. It was so special to me that they got to be a part of that moment.
As we arrived at BJ’s, the parking lot was full, not surprised since it was Saturday night at 6 o’clock. Levi made the comment that he should have made a reservation. I said it wasn’t a big deal, that the two of us would probably get a table fairly quickly. I had brought clothes to change into since I didn’t want to be in this long fancy dress. I changed, and Levi began to insist that I call my parents. I wanted to wait until after dinner, to revel in the moment, but I called. Of course, they didn’t answer!
They were somewhere with bad service and the facetime would not go through. As I’m changing, I swear I saw one of the girls that I work with drive by! I said, “oh there’s Marian! I wonder if she’s meeting someone, I want to say hi!” She had parked close to us and I waited for her to see me, but then Levi noticed she began to leave. I though that was weird, but I chalked it up to her finding a closer space lol! When we walked inside, Levi tells the attendant that we have a reservation. In my head, I’m thinking “um you just told me we didn’t have one, but them I’m like oh maybe I need to play along!” Lol. So, then he asks the guy if he talked to anyone today about a green dress. Now, I’m thinking something is up, and the guy just lets us walk on by.
As we’re standing there, I’m scanning the room, not sure who we’re supposed to be looking for, when I spot Patti’s beautiful face sitting in a booth in the corner! I immediately start crying and run to hug her! I haven’t seen her since she moved to Tennessee in August and I’m pretty sure I cried more seeing her than when Levi proposed lol! We walked to the table and Emma, another girl I work was sitting there recording the whole thing. Shortly after, Marian walks in! She was like “I’m pretty sure I ruined the whole surprise!” Which she didn’t at all because I never would have thought Levi could have planned all this! Obviously, he had some help from Patti. She arranged for some friends and girls I work with to all have dinner to help us celebrate.
They all knew basically the whole week that I was being proposed to; props to them for keeping it a secret! Patti knew the whole month and had planned to fly in to surprise me, she was actually in town that morning when I texted, knew what was happening, and was so sneaky and diverted me! Levi had insisted on me calling my parents when I did, to stall and let everyone arrive because we were early! I also threw off the reservation plan by changing my clothes! Patti had told the guy I was in a green dress, so the poor guy was a little confused! All of that to say, I was so happy to be able to celebrate that time with some of the people closest to me.
That whole day was such a whirlwind, but I think the most surprising thing was all the moving parts in the background and that so many people knew! I’m grateful that we had a photographer there to capture that moment for us. I will treasure those pictures forever. I’m so, so, excited for this next chapter of life with Levi, and I can’t believe I can actually call him my fiancé! Best. Day. Ever!
