How We Met
Ben and I met when we were teenagers. I was 15 and he was 16! Looking back, it seems so long ago! We had some mutual friends, lived in the same town, but went to different high schools – so our paths had never crossed until we both got invited to the same pool party (THANKS LOGAN!!)
When I got to the party, I arrived with a few of my friends. Ben saw me before I saw him! He asked someone who I went to school with, “Who is that girl over there?!” To which our friend, Alec, responded, “The brunette?? That’s Claire!” (Claire is my bestie!) Ben said, “Nooo! The blonde!” So then Alec told Ben who I was. Ben (allegedly, to his memory) said, “She’s going to be my girlfriend someday.”
Ben isn’t a big pool guy, so he mostly stayed up on the deck chatting and mingling with people, while I was down with the others playing games and swimming. Eventually, I walked inside so I could grab a glass of water, and I had to walk right past Ben to get the kitchen. On my way out, he notices my glass of water, and the cup I’m using which has Spongebob Squarepants on it (haha). He suavely lays the best pickup line ever on me ;)
B: “Hey, nice Spongebob cup….”
S: “Oh? Thanks….”
B: “….if I got a Patrick cup, then we would match!”
And I’m not sure what the exchange was after that, but that I was a little confused, thought it was a little funny, and walked back to my friends.
The night went on and we all ended up inside watching a movie. I sat down by the party host, Logan, and we chatted away. Her phone buzzed. She got a text from Ben! It said, “Who is the blonde in pigtails?!” She said, “Siarra Price!” He responded, “She’s cute ;)”
We left the party without really talking to each other again. But the next weekend was a town festival that we have, and I was telling my other friends all about this cute guy I had met at the pool party! Claire, who was at the party, didn’t really get a good look at him. So when we spotted him at the festival, we started making laps around where he was sitting! (LOL!!!)
That night, I was staying at her house, and I got a text from a random number — it was Ben!!!! He had gotten my number from one of our mutual friends! I was so excited that I started dancing around Claire’s living room!!
Since then, we have had quite a journey! We dated my senior year of high school, and in college took a little bit of a break, but found our way back to each other! It has been an amazing 8 years together and there’s not a thing I would change!
We truly grew up together, as individuals and a couple. Looking back at these old photos, all I can do is smile at the amazing adventures we have had since then!
PS. That conversation about the Spongebob cups? The first conversation we had? Yeah, we still get laughs out of that. It’s one of the best stories ever! For our anniversary one year, I actually gave him decorated Spongebob cups with our dating anniversary date on them! That way… you know… we could always match!
How They Asked
I grew up very blessed with my family who has a place on a lake not too far from my hometown. The lake is truly my happy place – my most favorite place to visit, where I have some of the best memories! It was July 4th weekend, so naturally, after we got off work on Friday, Ben and I packed up and headed to the lake!
It had been raining most of the day but stopped on our drive. Ben was acting totally natural (by the way – which is super surprising!) so I had no idea that anything was planned. When we got to the lake, my parents and brothers were already there, along with my Aunt and cousins. This is completely normal! All the “usual” people who are at the lake.
For a few weeks prior, when we were planning our lake weekend, Ben mentioned how he really was wanting to get out on the boat to fish in other spots on the lake. He said, “we always fish off the dock – I really want to try other spots since I never catch anything there!” Which is completely accurate. So, I wasn’t surprised in the slightest when Ben asked me if I wanted to go to a different cove to fish.
We got on the boat, our pup June with us, and headed out. Of COURSE, when we found a spot to fish, it started raining again! And I’m talking, it was coming down pretty good. We had the canopy up on the boat but I was still getting soaked, June’s fur was a complete mess, but Ben was still fishing. I asked a few times if we could go back, but he was always insistent on casting a few more times. Finally, the rain started to clear up! At this point, Ben said, “okay we can go back now!!”
I was thinking, “Seriously?! Now that it’s not raining you want to go back?!” But I was completely wet from the rain so I was ready to go back, too!
I was driving the boat, and it had been a few weeks since we had been there, so when we left the cove we were fishing in, I started driving in the direction opposite of the lake house! Ben started to get a little confused so he asked me where we were going, and then asked if we could just go back instead of driving around. He said he was getting “hangry” — haha!
We got back to the dock and I took my sweet time tying up the boat, wiping it down, etc. Ben was standing on the dock impatiently asking what I was doing and why I was taking so long! When I finished, he helped me out of the boat and asked if we could fish on the end of the dock some more.
I said under my breath, “but I don’t want to fish anymore…..” but he seemed super excited and I didn’t want to burst his bubble by saying I was overfishing. So I appeased him and went to the end of the dock with him and June.
He handed me his fishing pole and asked me to cast a few times! He said he needed to switch a lure and was going to get in his tackle box. I was so oblivious, but he was actually digging around for the ring box! I never even looked behind me and just kept casting and reeling.
All of a sudden I hear Ben say, “So…. babe, I have a question…”
I turned around and he was down on one knee with the most beautiful ring I have ever seen!!!
I was COMPLETELY surprised! We had been together for 8 years, so we had talked about marriage and getting engaged for sure. But I never imagined it would be at the lake, on that particular weekend!! As you can tell – I’m in totally comfy clothes, no make-up and my hair is a mess from the rain! But I wouldn’t have it any other way because it was a total surprise which is the best thing ever!
Little did I know – while we were out on the boat, the rest of our families and some friends were arriving at the lake to witness the proposal! But the way that the dock is set up, it’s lower than the deck and porch that everyone hangs out on, so I couldn’t see anyone! They were all hiding and waiting for the big moment!
Looking up and seeing them all cheering and waving was SO cool and made the moment all the more special!
Our families planned the sweetest little party for us that night and it was so much fun! They had the place all decorated and decked out in lights, with photos of us and the cutest decor!
We are so excited about this new chapter of our journey together. Life is sweet and it just keeps getting sweeter!!!