The Proposal

Valentine's Day 2003. It was the only year I went on a Valentine's date with my boyfriend.

Prior to that, I was always single on February 14. And since that year, I have always spent Valentines with my husband. Because on February 15, 2003 I became engaged...this is the story of our Proposal.

Spring 2003 - Adrian and I with another engaged couple at the LU Junior/Senior Banquet... both couples still married!

It was a special date night. Adrian and I had been dating about nine months when he drove down to Virginia again to meet me at college and take me out for dinner. We dressed up and he brought me to a fancy restaurant in downtown Lynchburg. Of course, he brought me flowers. He spoiled me with flowers while we were dating, and even now he surprises me with them on occasion. (Like stopping by my office on Friday with our little girls and a bouquet of purple roses...I was in the middle of a sales appointment, but my clients didn't seem to mind the interruption! I certainly loved it.)

After our romantic dinner that Valentine's night, Adrian and I went back on campus to Liberty University to watch a Coffee House show...basically a talent night for students to perform. The acts were entertaining but the bonus of these nights was that students were allowed to stay out past curfew... Yes, Liberty had some conservative rules including an 11 p.m. curfew on weeknights and midnight on weekends. (You might laugh at this if you went to a state college, but it generally didn't bother me.)

Halfway through the show, we decided to step outside so that we could spend more quiet time together walking and talking. Technically, I was supposed to return to my dorm room at that point, but maybe I had a bit of a rebel inside that didn't care about the curfew. I was with my boyfriend on Valentine's after all! This was something new and different.

Adrian walked me to one of the highest points on campus. There, we climbed a lift that was next to the football practice field. On this night, that lift provided a romantic retreat with a wonderful vantage point of the city lights and mountains in the distance.

It was sometime after midnight as we stood together silently for a while, appreciating the peaceful view, all the while Adrian's arms were wrapped around me against the chilly night air.

He broke the silence with barely more than a whisper in my ear... A poem. I listened, quickly realizing it was a poem he had written and memorized for me. My heart started pounding faster as the poem ended with... Will you be my Wife?

Barely visible in the darkness, his hand opened in front of me with a small box. The Box. It held a lovely ring with a trio of diamonds.

I was shocked. Kind of nervous. Pretty excited. Was this really happening? I had just turned 21 the week before. Was I ready to be a wife???? But this Guy...they don't make them like this much anymore. Sensitive, romantic, intellectual. This man would be a great husband and life partner. And I loved him.

I said Yes! He placed the ring on my finger. We Kissed. (This was also technically forbidden on campus at Liberty...but do you think I cared?)

Here's the ring he gave me that night...and a Pandora bracelet he gave me a couple years ago.

Adrian later told me that he intentionally waited until after midnight to propose, so it would be February 15. He knew I would not appreciate something cliche like a proposal on Valentine's Day. Smart guy! Hahaha...

(p.s. Don't let this taint your experience if you had a Valentine's Day proposal!)

In all honesty, when I returned to my dorm room that night and showed my roommate the ring on my finger, I was more afraid than excited. I seriously never thought I would get married so young. Three months later I graduated from college with a ring on my finger. Six months after that, we said "I do."

And here I sit 12 years later with that same ring on my finger and thankful to be carrying another child from this Guy. We have created a life and family together and traveled many a bumpy, yet exciting road along the way.

I am so glad I said YES that February 15...many years ago.


For more details on how we first met, check out this post: HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY TO MY CHILDHOOD CRUSH. Read a little of Adrian's perspective on our life and marriage: TEN YEARS AND COUNTING...IN HIS WORDS.