How We Met
I met Neil when I was a Freshman and he was a Junior in high school. We were at a Christmas choir concert where I and Neil’s older brother, DJ were performing. Neil was speaking with mutual friends when he asked them who I was, as I stood awkwardly behind them haha.
They then introduced Neil and I. Throughout High school Neil & I were friends & got to know each other very well. We didn’t begin our serious dating relationship until February 5, 2012, when I was a senior in high school and Neil was a sophomore at Michigan State. We have laughed and grown together and have had many adventures ever since!
How They Asked
Neil’s thoughtfulness and compassion showed brightly as he planned his engagement proposal. For Christmas 2017, he surprised me with two flight tickets to London, a place I’ve always wanted to visit and explore. The months leading up we planned to add Paris to the trip as well. When the trip came we flew in and spent one day in London, then the second day took a train to Paris. After dropping our things off, we ventured off to the Palace of Versailles. Little did I know that Neil asked my brother, Chandler & sister-in-law, Kelsea, Neil’s brother, Wes, and my cousins Chase & Carly to join for the rest of our trip and at that same time they were making their way to the Eiffel Tower to surprise me at the proposal.
We were making our way back into Paris, and the skies open up and it began to rain, but neither of us minded much as our excitement grew to see the Eiffel Tower for the first time right as it started to sparkle. Once we got off the train it was about 5 minutes until the Eiffel Tower was set to sparkle. So like a scene out of a movie, we ran towards the Eiffel Tower, in the rain, but hand in hand. Once it was in sight I asked if we could take in the moments walking up to the tower, but Neil was determined to be there right as it sparkled. (I didn’t know that our family was set to meet us there right at this moment) So we ran on, and got closer and closer, we even went under the Tower for a brief moment and back out (through security both ways) but we finally made it on this path that ran by the Eiffel Tower.
Raining, sweating and out of breath we made it and were in awe looking up at this beautiful, iconic tower sparkling in the rain in all its glory. As I was taking in this moment, Neil pulled out his phone to record (as we had been for various parts of our trips to take in our thoughts and remember the memories) he asked me what I thought and then turned to people behind me asking if they would mind taking our picture.
As I turned around Chandler, Kelsea, Wes, Chase & Carly were there for the sweet surprise they had been planning for months. I broke down into tears and immediately hugged each one of them never expected them to be in Paris at the Eiffel Tower at the exact same time we were. Then as I turned around Neil was down on one knee about to ask me the easiest question in the world. It was the exact definition of a perfect moment and best surprise. We were so grateful to share it with the loved ones present and wish we could’ve had our entire families there as well.
