My heart is so full of joy right now that it’s hard to even
put everything I want to say into words! I feel like so much has changed since
last night, but at the same time, I haven’t even begun to process the fact that
I am engaged to my best friend! ENGAGED!
This is one moment I have been waiting for my entire life, but now that
it’s here, it’s even more wonderful and more rich and more joyful than I could
have ever imagined. Oh, and as I’m typing this, I’m also distracted every few
seconds by the very sparkly thing on my left hand, so bear with us as we tell
you our story. :)
To make it easier for you to follow along, my side of the
story is in this font, while Brian’s perspective has been italicized.
It started across the
pond. Well, actually it started many months before, but just as small wisps of
ideas, little more. In a tiny,
horrendously overpriced Gelato shop on a cobbled side-street in London (I just
realized how fake that sounds, but it’s true), those inklings became
concrete. Zach Whelchel and I met
to strategize the plan that was long overdue. He would be studying at Oxford this semester, so he wouldn’t
be able to help me execute the proposal, but he wanted to be a part of it. And
so he helped shape the story.
Taking with me a
detailed diagram of the proposal plan, as well as several packets of sugar from
“Gelupo,” I returned to the States. I was to contact the realtor of the
now-vacant Main and Maple Coffee Shop in Nicholasville where Callie and I had
our first date. After a
frustrating number of failed attempts, the week was upon me. Deciding it was
time for Plan B (which should have been Plan A in the first place), I changed
locations to Solomon’s Porch, a small coffee shop in Wilmore that Callie and I
frequent. I picked up the spare key,
and then things began to speed up.
I assembled “Alpha
Team,” a group of hand-picked specialists including Sharayah Jung, Laura Smith,
Erik Thein, John Michael Den Hartog, and Taylor Florian. The plan included
Christmas lights, candles, a letter, special music, coffee, a large bowl, and a
ring. Some of the members knew a basic overview of the plan, and others jumped
in as they were all asked to meet at 2:30 on Friday, Callie’s 22nd
birthday—D-Day. I picked up the ring, finally finished and paid for, and kept
it at my house for the night for safe keeping.
September 21: Brian came over and woke me up on my birthday with a kiss on
my forehead. Well, let’s be honest, I was only pretending to be asleep, which
he quickly figured out by the fact that I giggled. I was way too excited to
sleep! He had class, so he left about as quickly as he came, but I joined all
the Asburians in the cafeteria for lunch. I didn’t really notice at the time,
but lots of people shared with me later last night that they were afraid to
talk to me all of lunch because almost everyone knew what was coming later that
evening!
D-Day came, and the
entire morning was a blur. I had
class until 2:00, and Erik and I went downtown to a small flower shop
immediately after where I got Callie one of each of their rose varieties. There was a formal at Asbury the same
day, so Rosie (that’s actually her name) asked if the flowers were for Artist
Series. I told her no, they were for something a little bigger, that I was
getting engaged. At that, she lit up and went into bustling overdrive. She put
together a small bouquet, then she took a breath and asked “Can I pray for
you?” I love Wilmore. She prayed for Callie and I (even asking her name
mid-prayer) and asked for our blessing, and that God would protect our evening,
as well as our entire marriage. She held my hand as she prayed, and it was
really a special moment. After saying amen, she sent me out to continue the
set-up.
My afternoon was fairly typical. I cleaned my house, danced
around my house, and took a shower. Nothing out of the ordinary.
The team carried out
their responsibilities incredibly. When I say I couldn’t have done it without
them, I really mean it. There’s no shot.
After harvesting the necessary pieces from my house and Dollar General,
we began the setup of Solomon’s Porch. Moving tables and chairs, we formed an
open side of the room to be used for a slow-dance, and a small area by the
couch for other parts of the plan.
We stepped on lots of Christmas lightbulbs, I had to run home more than once
to grab things I forgot, and we heaped stuff in the back kitchen, but in the
end, it was beautiful.
I had been instructed by Brian not to leave my apartment
after 2 p.m. until he picked me up for our special date around 5. He said he
was planning a special surprise. Now, some may say I should have been
suspicious at this plan, but you have to keep in mind, Brian often goes out of
his way to coordinate really special surprises for me, and he knew I was very
excited for my birthday this year. It’s not all that unusual for him to be so
incredible. :)
Sharayah and Laura were both “ironically” free around 3:00
and asked to come see me for my birthday (no, I didn’t see this as
surprising…both had REALLY good, REALLY different, and REALLY natural alibis
for why they were coming over at the time that they did, and they walked over a
few minutes apart from each other). I was super excited about them coming over,
especially when I had been exiled to my apartment! Both of them brought nail polish, and Laura did a really
good job convincing me that I should paint my fingernails for my date, since
she needed to paint hers anyway. Sharayah reported later that Laura had spent
all day picking off her fingernail polish just to have an excuse for why we
should paint our nails together (she had had the amazing foresight that my
hands would be in many pictures over the next few days once I had my ring, so
my fingernails had to look nice!). So two hours later, when Brian came to pick
me up for my date, I had freshly painted red toenails and a beautiful french
manicure by Laura herself. She even very patiently repainted my thumbs three
times when I kept scuffing them on things. She said they had to be perfect, and
I didn’t argue. Or pick up on the
fact that this was huge foreshadowing of the night to come.
Brian arrived right at 5, a bouquet of three different roses
in hand. They were so beautiful and so thoughtful! I had not-so-subtly hinted
that I wanted flowers for my birthday, so I assumed this was the extent of my
presents, and I was quite content with that. Sharayah and Laura took a few
pictures (squealing at just the right times), and then Brian and I were on our
way to our pre-planned birthday date – dinner at Bella Notte and dessert at
Orange Leaf.
After a brief photo-session
with Sharayah and Laura, it was off to Bella Notte for dinner. I was honestly not really concerned
about the initial stages of the evening. I was having a difficult time
concealing my excitement/nervousness for our return to Wilmore, and where we
ate dinner wasn’t nearly as big a deal to me as to Callie, who thought this WAS
her birthday present. The food was
amazing, as was Orange Leaf afterwards, and it was finally time to head back to
Wilmore. As per pre-planned signaling, I texted Sharayah as we left so she knew
how much time she and Laura had to put the finishing touches on the location.
Once we got back to Asbury, Brian told me he had planned for
us to walk around Wilmore together.
We frequently go on walks – “walking and talking” we call it – but I
began to think there was something different about this walk when Brian started
glancing every few minutes at his watch.
We rounded the corner toward downtown, and he asked if I wanted coffee.
This was an extremely weird question, because nothing is open in Wilmore at
8:00 p.m. except Dollar General, but I of course said yes. I love coffee, so
whether or not I want it is never a question for me. We had barely gone a few
more feet when Brian once more looked down at his watch and suddenly said, “Oh
wait! I really want to get a picture of this!”
It was an awkward
attempt at an excuse, but I had to make sure Laura and Sharayah were safely out
of the way – and out of sight.
It was Subway. No one wants a picture of Subway. I knew
something was up.
“Well, that didn’t turn out. Oh well,” he said, as he deleted the picture and we
continued walking down the street. Just a little ways down, he stopped in front
of Solomon’s Porch, the tiny, wonderful, hometown coffee shop in Wilmore. Brian
and I frequently spend our Saturday mornings drinking Honeybee Lattes in the
brightly colored café, and it’s one of my all-time favorite places to go.
Unfortunately, it closes at 2 p.m. every day except Tuesdays and Thursdays. And
yesterday was Friday.
The shop normally
closes at 2:00, but I knew the door to be unlocked, so I pushed in quickly to
keep Callie from seeing the Christmas lights through the closed curtains.
“You said you wanted some coffee?” And at that, he pushed
open the door to reveal the tiny shop I had grown to love outlined with white
Christmas lights and adorned with ten or fifteen tea candles floating in Mason
jars. In the center of the room was a table, on which sat our two coffee mugs
that say “Good Morning Handsome” and “Good Morning Beautiful,” as well as a pot
of warm coffee and these strange sugar packets. (Turns out, these were the very same sugar packets he took
from the gelato shop in London where he had planned out the proposal with our
friend Zach!) He made me coffee with the strange sugar, and we sat down on the
couch to talk.
The inside was more
beautiful than I had imagined! I purposely didn’t script the evening from
arrival on, so about the time we got to Orange Leaf, I started trying to order
the events. I was finalizing those plans as we sat on the couch, so after some
picture-taking by both of us of the decorations, I sat her down again and
pulled out “I Love You.” It’s a piece I wrote nearly 3 years ago about the
meaning of each of the three words, and what they mean together. I read it to
Callie the night I first told her I loved her, and again the day I asked her to
begin courting, so it was extra-special on this occasion.
While he was reading, there was a loud noise from the back
that honest-to-goodness sounded like someone was coming in through the back
door. Brian quickly covered with “Oh, that must be the ice machine.” I didn’t
believe him. (I found out later it
really was the ice machine, but for
now, just keep in mind that I thought people had not-so-sneakily snuck into the
back kitchen.)
At one point as I was
reading, a series of knockings came from the kitchen, and I had the sinking
feeling that some of my friends had decided to hide out and watch. I assumed it
was the ice-maker, so I excused it and read on. It took longer to read than I
remembered, but after stumbling through it, I told Callie “If everything is
according to plan, there should be something in the back.” I had actually
forgotten to pass on specific instructions, but Sharayah and Laura once again
saved my tail when they texted me at Orange Leaf and said they had a towel and
a basin of warm water already set up.
He left and quickly came back with a green tub of water and
a towel. Getting down on his knees, he took off my sandals and told me he
wanted to wash my feet like Jesus did for his disciples. He said that he wanted
this to be a sign to me that he would serve me the rest of his life, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life
serving me and serving God together. That’s when the tears started flowing for
me. It was seriously one of the most incredible moments of my life, and I was
literally speechless. I couldn’t talk anymore.
She gave me a huge hug
after her feet were dried, and I asked if she would dance with me. I turned on my iPod dock, which had a
playlist for just this event starting with “Dancing in the Minefields” by
Andrew Peterson. If you haven’t heard it, get it. Don’t even bother sampling it
first, just buy it. Callie and I “slow-danced” (which, to us, means swaying
awkwardly) through the song, and as it ended and the song we have decided on
for our wedding began playing, I asked Callie to turn around and close her
eyes.
He asked if we could dance, so we tried, but I was already
tearing up again and I couldn’t do much except hug him. He told me he wanted to give me my last
surprise for the night, so I had to close my eyes and turn around. As I said before, I thought our friends
had come in through the back door and were about to jump out and surprise me
for my birthday, but when I turned back around and opened my eyes, Brian was
there on one knee, holding the opened ring box towards me. I’m pretty sure he
asked me if I would marry him, because I remember nodding and finally squeaking
out a “yes, forever,” but I started crying so hard I don’t actually remember
much from that moment.
I’m pretty sure I
asked if she would marry me, and I’m pretty sure she said yes, but I can’t be
completely positive. For the first
time in years, I felt completely alive, I was truly experiencing deeply, and I
was trying to soak it all in.
He stood up and hugged me, and then he started sobbing
himself. Brian has been
experiencing what he calls a “spiritual dryness” these past several months,
and, as a result, I have only seen him truly cry one other time. It was an
incredibly touching moment for me, so I simply held him to me for a minute or
two, and we both just stood in the middle of the room by the cash register
crying.
So there we were,
holding each other and sobbing, surrounded by Christmas lights, and floating
candles, and the smell of coffee, and the sound of piano. And we were engaged.
He then pulled back so he could put the ring on my finger,
and it was the most gorgeous ring I’ve ever seen! It caught the soft light from
all the candles, and it was hard to take in such a beautiful moment! I remember
saying, “We’re getting married! I’m getting married to you!”
As the overwhelmed
feeling subsided, the excitement rushed in, especially to Callie, who has
always been the more expressive half.
She bounced around the room, trying to get the candle light to catch her
new “sparkly thing” perfectly. I’ve never seen anyone so excited about anything
in all of my days.
We called my parents, and then we told his parents and all
the friends that had helped set up the proposal (and who were waiting just on
campus) to come celebrate in the coffee shop with us! Everyone was so excited,
and it was just such a blessed time!
Everyone arrived, and
it was a really special time of sharing and just trying to take it in
together. To me, this was one of
the most significant moments of the evening, sharing this part of our lives
with people we have grown so close to.
Their presence showed their support, and their excitement showed their
love.
The Troyers welcomed me into the family, and all of our
friends told me the part they had played in the whole plan. It was so much fun!
Then Brian and I said our good-byes and went to call those who didn’t live
close by and who hadn’t yet heard the good news! The rest of the night went by in a blur. I went to Thacker
B, where Janah, Jane, Cassie, Sharayah, and Laura talked and giggled with me
until 3 in the morning. I ended up waking up at 8 this morning, unable to go
back to sleep because I realized that last night hadn’t just been some
wonderfully lovely dream!
And so the evening
ended, as we took down lights, blew out candles, and put back tables and
chairs. Honestly, it was perfect. I wouldn’t have changed anything. Getting to
share the experience of the set-up with some of my closest friends, going on a
very special birthday date, and following it up with a proposal experience that
couldn’t have gone better, combined for what was definitely my favorite night
of my life. May there be many more
to come.
We seriously could not have had such a wonderful engagement
without our friends and family who helped coordinate the whole perfect night!
Therefore, our story would not be complete without a few thank-you’s:
Thank you to Zach Whelchel for helping Brian plan out THE
PERFECT engagment.
Thank you to Laura and Sharayah for providing company during
my exile, for insisting that I paint my nails, for helping to set up Solomon’s
Porch, for preparing the coffee and candles right before we got there, for
hiding out across the street, and for having a sleep-over with me when I
couldn’t sleep last night!
Thank you to John Michael, Erik, and Taylor for hanging the
lights and getting Solomon’s Porch looking perfect. Also thanks to Erik for
documenting this special time and for John Michael’s contribution of REAL
(non-Folger’s) coffee.
Thank you to the Troyers for all of the supplies Brian took
from your house, and for being there with us as we celebrated afterward.
Thank you to Cassie, Janah, Jane, Andy C, Josh, Andy B,
Coop, Nathan, and Will for showing up and celebrating with us at Solomon’s
Porch (as we held up traffic in the middle of the street).
Thank you to Tim and Erin, who graciously and trustingly
opened up Solomon’s Porch just for us.
Thank you to all of our friends and family who have
supported us and encouraged us over the past several hours!
And thank you to the amazing, incredible God who brought
Brian and me together and who gave us a beautiful night last night (against the
weatherman’s predictions) to celebrate the future He has for us!
