I know this is long and a little past due, but I’ve had it in my drafts for what seems like forever. I decided to post so that Kristin and I would remember the story.
Hold on! This is a long post!
The Saturday before Thanksgiving 2013, Scott and I were able to help in the engagement of our friends Adam and Kristin. Men, can I just say, I completely understand why you get nervous proposing! Kristin shares her side of the engagement story on her blog. But I thought it would be fun to share my side. You can read Kristin’s entire version here, but I’ve taken a few paragraphs from her story {KO} and shared my side {Marie}.
As you’re reading this, keep in mind, as Kristin notes, that it has been a joke that if you want to keep secret/surprise tell Scott not me. Not because I can’t keep secrets, but because I just get so excited and my facial expression would give it away!
{Marie} It all started a Sunday after church. Kristin and Adam were visiting their parents for Thanksgiving and I was going with Scott’s family to Disney. Kristin and I had been talking over the past few weeks and I knew a proposal was going to happen, just not when. Well, I had bought Kristin a wedding planning book from Emily Ley (it’s no longer available) and wanted to give it to her right after she was engaged. So one Sunday night, I pulled Adam aside and said “ You don’t have to tell me any specifics, but I have an engagement gift for Kristin that I’d like her open after y’all get engaged, do I need to send it with you?” To which he replied, no you won’t have to do that and pulls out his phone and shows me a picture of a gorgeous ring! Well, Kristin walks up- so there goes that chat.
{KO} The week before Thanksgiving, Adam was scheduled to help run lights for SCA’s high school musical, Beauty and the Beast. This meant rehearsals for Tuesday and Wednesday night, and performances on Thursday, Friday and two on Saturday. I attended the Thursday night performance, and after Adam and I went to eat with our close friends Scott and Marie.
{Marie} Adam and I texted back and forth that week trying to nail down a plan. He wanted to propose Saturday in Thomasville, GA. I just had to get her there some how. So we can up with the plan that I would take her Tallahassee shopping with me. I needed to look for a pair of jeans for my trip to Disney so it would be perfect. Plus I had already told her earlier that I might go to Atlanta shopping, so the fact that it changed to Tallahassee wouldn’t seem to off. We all made plans to have dinner together after SCA’s play and I would ask her then.
{KO} At dinner Marie asked if I wanted to go shopping in Tallahassee on Saturday. Thinking Adam would be busy with two performances, I said, “Sure, as long as I don’t have to babysit for Renee. She’s supposed to let me know if she needs me Friday or Saturday.”
{Marie} The second I get in my car I text Adam to make sure he heard that. He did and he said he would get on that first thing Friday morning. Friday night comes and Adams calls me and we map out the plan. He wants to purpose under a tree. A tree that means a lot to them, but a tree I have never seen, never heard about, nor do I know how to get to, but I’m suppose to have Kristin there at 6:00. I bring up the questions- We are going shopping. What if she has on no makeup, her hair up, and comfy clothing. Adams says make her dress up- So that meant one thing, I was going to be THAT friend, you know the one that says “you’re really going to wear THAT?
{KO} Saturday morning comes and I’m getting ready for Marie to pick me up. (Woke up before my alarm, had time to curl my hair, and decided not to look grungy. As in, I put thought into what I was wearing. Again, I’m look back and go, “Why in the world did I do that? That’s not really normal of me…”).
Marie and I drove to Tallahassee, Florida passing through downtown Thomasville, Georgia. This is one of Adam and I’s favorite places. It has fun, cool shops and restaurants, and where we went on one of our first dates. That date included a trip to the Big Oak (complete with a park and gazebo), which is a location that comes into play later 🙂 . Marie at this point mentions that on the way back she’d like to stop and look at the bookstore downtown.
{Marie} I didn’t know Kristin had never been to Tallahassee, so didn’t know you drove through Thomasville! So it made it very easy to say, Lets come back on our way back home.
{KO} I need to throw in that at this part of the ride I’m beginning to not feel well. Not full blown car sick, but something similar. But we go on, have lunch at Panera and head to the mall.
{Marie} Somehow at Panera it comes up that Scott and I went ring shopping a couple of weeks earlier. And I show her a picture of the ring I tried on. She then tell me she like a cushion cut solitaire with diamonds around that band. I honestly don’t really know what a cushion cut looks like so she shows me a picture. When I see it, it is identical to what Adam got her! Which means I have to try really hard to to smile, because why would I be smiling so big just looking at a random picture?
{KO} Of course in the car and walking around we talk “what ifs” of weddings and married life. Its just want girls do… especially if you are two girls in serious relationships. Before we leave the mall we went in a jewelry store, so I could point on the cut of diamond I liked. Marie ends up talking to a lady who pulls out a ring that looked a LOT like the ring I would see later on in the day.
{Marie} I can’t remember if KO tried on the ring or not, but it was the first time she had seen one in person. She looked at it and said how much she loved it. All the while I’m thinking, Well good because in about three hours it’s going to be on your finger.
{KO} Its get to be early afternoon, and I’m kind of done with the whole shopping thing I’m definitely ready to get on to Thomasville. I remembered that the shops closed around 5 or 5:30pm, so I prompt Marie to the idea of heading back. Its only a 30 minute drive to Thomasville, so no big deal… until Marie starts driving 15 mph under the speed limit…which I notice and call her out on. Lucky for her, there were road work signs out.
{Marie} We weren’t suppose to be in Thomasville til around six and I was suppose to drive Kristin straight to the Big Oak, so leaving so early kind of threw a curve ball in the plan. I texted Scott and told me I was driving SO SLOW-how close were they? I didn’t think Kristin noticed, until see leaved over said told me what the speed limit was.
{KO} We get to downtown and are taking our time looking around the bookstore. What I don’t know is that Adam and Scott are FLYING to Thomasville because we are early. (Marie is suppose to have me at the Big Oak at 6pm. Its 5:15pm. I’m ready to eat and go!) I had mentioned to Marie that we could eat dinner at this cool little pizza place, and was starting to hint that I was ready to eat (have I mentioned I didn’t feel good?).
{Marie} I know at this point Kristin was probably rethinking our friendship. She keeps telling me she is hungry and that she wanted to eat and I proceed to just stand a bathroom in a store for a couple of minutes, walk into another store, look at the window displays- anything to kill a little time.
{KO} So Marie and I get in the car, and I start trying to direct her to the pizza place. She then acts busy on her phone and goes the opposite way for EVERY. TURN. I tell her. She gets all distracted, borderline ditzy, and ends up driving past the Big Oak, which is conveniently a block and a half from the pizza place (walking distance, people. Even though this was not a part of the plan.). I point out where we are, and she asks about the Big Oak. As I explain what it is, why its important to Adam and I, she parks and I then become busy trying to figure out if the pizza place is open for dinner. I start to walk up to it, then turn to find Marie walking in the opposite direction. (I really think I probably gave her the most confused, aggravated look possible.)
“I thought we’d just walk down there! Check it out before it gets dark.” She says with a smile.
{Marie} By this time I know Adam and Scott are close. Plan A was for there to be a line a the pizza place, because there is always a wait to eat at places in Thomasville! Nope- not today. It looks like the place is closed, that’s how not busy the restaurant is. So I knew we couldn’t just walk in. So I tell her I want want to see the tree before it gets dark. And text Scott to tell him what street we are on.
{KO} “Ok, sure.” Literally thinking, Of course you do. Because this day could not have worked out any other way. My hair is curled. I like what I’m wearing. We just saw a ring I love. I love this little town, and this would be the perfect opportunity for my boyfriend to surprise me… but he’s not. Because he is watching Beauty and the Beast for the fourth time. Lord, please get a hold of these thoughts!! They are ruining my time with my friend!
As we begin walking downhill, I see a little white truck roll through the four-way stop at the corner of the park.
“Ok, that’s just weird.”
Marie mentions something about a nearby house and I feel myself look at her as if she was from another planet. My heart is racing and I’m beginning to walk slower.
“This isn’t happening, Kristin. Get. a. grip. ”
We get to the edge of this little park and I see movement under the massive oak tree branches. Out walks Adam from beneath the tree…in a suit…looking pale. Cue me freezing in place. (He says his first thought was , She’s really gonna make me walk all the way up to her”).
Scott (who rode with Adam) and Marie hid to take some pictures, and came out once we called for them. We celebrated at our favorite restaurant, Jonah’s, and called our parents. In between it all, I got the details of Adam’s side: from the curve balls I threw him, to the lies he told to cover up the surprise.
{Marie} Haha, and that is the story!