Our Story
Where it all began....
Our story began back in 2006...and what a story it was! We had met a couple times before we actually started dating, not really ever saying more than a couple words to each other. (But both secretly wanting to!) =) Then, after a night of hanging out with some friends, we exchanged numbers, (and myspace info, haha!) and started talking. From the beginning we both just knew that this relationship was VERY different than anything we had ever experienced before. So, we decided to go on our first REAL date...dinner, movie, and all that wonderful mushy romantic stuff, on the next Monday (October 9th, 2006).
Little did we know how everything would change on that day. That morning, I received a call that Stacey had been in a terrible car accident. He had fallen asleep at the wheel less than a mile from his house, and had rolled his truck several times down a very steep hill off the interstate. Nobody really had any information about how bad his injuries were at the time I was informed of the accident...and I was a complete mess. That night, I went to the hospital to see him....he had broken his neck and had very bad road burn all up and down his arm...but, he was alive. He was so blessed and lucky that he wasn't hurt worse. We like to joke around about our first real date being in the ICU of Mercy hospital..how romantic! =) From the moment I first went to the hospital and saw him laying there, I knew I never wanted to leave his side. So, every night after work, I would go to the hospital to be with him. After multiple surgeries, he was finally able to go back home....and I was there with him every night as well, to take care of him and try to nurse him back to health.
We have been inseparable ever since. Not a day goes by that we don't realize how truly lucky we are to have found each other, and we can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together!
The Proposal
It was March 28th, 2009.... a regular day like any other....no special occasion, holiday, or anniversary. We decided to go out to dinner at Bellini's, which is a nice place we like to go every once in awhile. We were driving to the restaurant, and Stacey took a wrong turn..which has actually happened a couple times on our way to that same restaurant, because he always seems to get lost over there, so I really didn't think anything of it. Of course, you know me, I said "Stacey James OMG you took the wrong turn again!!!" And he said "OHHH I guess I did! I'll turn around". So we went past a place that we had driven past on Valentine's Day, (which was one of the times Stacey took a wrong turn trying to make it to the restaurant.) On Valentine's Day, it had all kinds of beautiful trees lit up with different colors of lights, and I fell in love with the location because it was so magical and romantic. So, as we were passing by that same place again, Stacey asked if I wanted to stop and take a couple pictures there. Again, this is something that we do all the time, so I didn't think twice about it.
So, we got out, took a couple silly pics of ourselves, and then all of the sudden, Stacey grabbed me and got really serious...he looked at me and said..."Hey, I just want you to know that I love you SO MUCH.." and I of course was a little confused, because I didn't know why he was so serious all of the sudden. I just said.."I love you too..."..and all of the sudden, he got down and one knee and pulled a ring box out of his coat! My first thoughts were..."oh...is this a necklace?? A bracelet??? Because there is no way that's a ring!!!..wait, why is he down on one knee!? What's going on?!?..." Then he opened the box, and I saw the beautiful ring sparkling in the light... I jumped back and just said, "NO WAY!!...is this a joke?? Are you joking around with me?!? Because it's not funny!!" lol..if you know Stacey, you can understand why I might think this..he is the biggest dork in the world, and likes to joke around all the time!!! For the longest time, I didn 't believe it was real, and I just kept saying, "OMG, OMG I can't believe this, OMG.." He finally said..."well, you haven't said anything yet, WILL YOU?!" Of course I said "YES!!!!"
I was, (and honestly, still am!) in shock!!! Little did I know he had been planning this for months, and his family, my dad, AND my sisters had known about it! It was the perfect proposal, and it took me completely by suprise..which was his plan the whole time. He had always said that it would happen when I least expected it...and he was right! It was the perfect day...and we are so excited to take this next step in our lives together!
