Today marks three years since JP and I got engaged. I'm pretty sure I've never documented the story on this blog so I'm going to... in great detail because I'm pretty sure I never documented it anywhere.
Tuesday February 12: My internship rotation required me to go to different school and get weights and heights on children. I probably saw 200 kids that day. During the process, I not only collected heights and weights, but also germs.
Wednesday February 13: I started feeling bad during the day. When I got home from work I knew I was sick and went straight to bed. I even opted out of my weekly American Idol watching with my roommate and our friend. I also opted out of a nightly conversation with JP. This actually worked in his advantage. You see, he was at my parent's house talking to them about me. He obviously did not want me to know, therefore, not having to have our normal long conversation made it easier. I did call him to tell him I wouldn't be talking to him. He at the time was driving back to Birmingham so he pulled over in a parking lot so I wouldn't hear any road noise and ask what he was doing.
Thursday February 14: Fortunately, I did not have to go to my internship that day. I stayed in bed all day and even opted out of the Mavericks Suns game. This game is HUGE to JP and I because he is a Suns fan and I am a Mavs fan. I was always very respectful to his Suns and cheered for them anytime they were not playing the Mavs. (This is important information for later on in the story). I was pretty upset that I was sick because I had a big weekend planned.
Friday February 15: I had to teach a short class with one of the other interns. She thought I was crazy for not calling in sick, but I knew if I called in sick I would feel guilty about going to Birmingham that weekend. The only ride I could find to the airport required me to get there 4 hours in advance. I remember sitting in the airport feeling my fever come and go. I bought orange juice despite the high price of orange juice in airports. Once I got on the plane, I was feeling pretty good.
The whole reason I was getting on this plane was to go to Samford's Step Sing. This was my first Step Sing after graduation and all of my friends were going to be there. I was SO excited! I was cutting it close though... Step Sing started at 7pm and my plane landed at like 6:40pm. I knew I was going to have to get out of the plane quickly. Fortunately, when I got on the plane a seat in the first row was available. However, there was no overhead storage available above the seat so I had to load my carry on about 8 rows back.
Over the 1 1/2 hour plane ride, I got to know the lady next to me who was a Mary Kay sales lady. I informed her of Step Sing and how I was going to have to get off that plane fast! As we prepared to land, she made sure to let everyone know that I needed to get off that plane first, and she orchestrated the people 8 rows back getting my bag to me quickly.
With her help, I was able to get off the plane and into JP's car very quickly. JP rushed me to Samford's Wright Center and pulled up onto the sidewalk to let me out. (Note: He wasn't going due to his despise of Step Sing). As I ran up the stairs towards my seat, I heard the pre-video for Phi Mu's show. Phi Mu's show was the only show I HAD to see. As I opened the door to the auditorium, Phi Mu's show started. The security lady came and told me I had to find my seat. I responded, "I came all the way from Dallas to see this show. I'll wait until it is over until I find my seat."
After I watched the show and found my seat, my adrenaline went away and I started feeling terrible. My Mom, who was in town for Step Sing, had brought me homemade chicken soup. It was the first thing I had been able to eat in a few day. Afterward, I headed to my a friend's apartment to stay the night. There were a few of us there and I remember us talking about relationships, engagements etc.
Saturday February 16: I actually felt much better that morning. My friends and I went to the Phi Mu Step Sing brunch, and I brought JP with me. I don't really remember what all happened that afternoon besides running into my sister where she was selling tickets at the softball game.
I knew we were doing something that night for a late Valentine's celebration. JP asked me if I was still up for and I said yes. He wouldn't tell me where we were going, but I had gotten a new dress and sparkly shoes for the occasion. JP said he had gotten professional help on our date which totally confused me. Turns out he had asked one of his pastor friends where he should take me. He ended up taking me to Bongiorno's in Mountain Brook which is a very small, authentic Italian restaurant.
I wish I could say that I enjoyed the food greatly, but I still did not have much of an appetite so I was unable to eat much of the lasagna ordered. JP, on the other hand, had no problem with his meal. At one point while we were at the table, JP went to pull his handkerchief out of his pocket but instead pulled something red out. I noticed but didn't say anything.
After dinner, JP insisted that we go to Jemison Park in Mountain Brook. I really did not want to go because I had little energy and was not up for one of our normal long walks. He said we wouldn't walk long. As we parked and got out of the car, JP threw a blanket over my head so I wouldn't see what he was getting out of the trunk. Apparently we documented this.
Once the blanket was removed I couldn't see what he had because it was dark. He told me we were going to walk to "our" bench, which was the bench where he asked me to be his girlfriend. We reached the bench which was just a short walk from the car. ***I was having trouble remembering so JP is helping with the remembering from now on***
We weren't really saying much when JP told me he loved me. I kinda looked at him, and my response was not what you think. I responded, "I thought you weren't going to say that until you were engaged?" His response, "Well, I thought I would take our relationship to the next level." He gave me the bag he had taken from his car. I opened the bag and what do I find, a Phoenix Suns jersey. I responded, "Thanks" as I was thinking... really? As I was checking out the jersey, JP pulled out this little red mitten that Starbucks had put their gift cards in that Christmas. This was the little red thing I had seen him accidentally pull out at dinner. He said, "You can only wear the jersey if you wear this mitten too." I said, "Well, I know my hands are small but they aren't that small!" I reached my fingers in and what do I find, a ring! JP asked me if I would marry him to which I responded with loud shrieks and noises that JP later wish he had recorded. I eventually said yes and made sure that he had talked with my parents (which remember, he had).
We finally made it back to the car. Once we got back, JP said "Well don't you want to turn the light on so you can see it?" I responded, "See what?" and then realized he was talking about the ring which I was unable to see well on the dark bench.
We headed back to Samford and started calling everyone. It was so great because all of my friends were in Birmingham for Step Sing and JP's track friends were just getting back from a meet. I'm so glad we were able to celebrate with all of our friends! I did change into comfortable clothes because I still didn't feel too good, so that's why I'm wearing a tshirt in all the pictures and pajama pants on in the last picture.
The Suns Jersey...
One of our first "ring" poses.
I had sent all of my friends a text message that said, "Too bad we have graduated, otherwise we would be having a white candle." Many of them were in the Step Sing show and waited anxiously to see me after the show. A few friends were not in the show and were able to come up to JP's apartment and see us. My sister came down from her dorm too.
Here are Laurel and I once she got out of the Step Sing show.
After seeing my friends at the Wright Center, the track team bus got back on campus and all of JP's friends, who he too had informed via text, came to see us.
So there is our engagement in complete, in depth form. When I told JP that today three years ago we got engaged, he responded, "I feel old!"
Oh, I did forget to note that the day after our engagement, JP and I officially became in a relationship on facebook. He had refused to be in a relationship with me before just in case we broke up he didn't want the whole world to know on facebook. Haha. That makes me laugh now!
