Proposal Story

In honor our of the anniversary of the day Jason proposed to me (June 26th)... I thought I would take a stroll down memory lane and post the story of his proposal.

Jason's summer break between his 2nd and 3rd year of medical school was coming to a close. He was to start back on Monday, June 28th. As we were making plans for his last weekend of "freedom" Jason said, "how about I plan the date for Friday night and you can plan the date of Saturday night." I agreed and wondered to myself if Friday night would be the night he would propose to me. I knew Jason wanted to marry me, but I didn't know when he was thinking would be a good time (during or after medical school). If he wanted to get married while he was still in medical school - then a proposal had to be coming soon.... :)

Friday, June 25th:

We spend the day in the pool at my apartment complex with several friends. By the time everyone left, I was not feeling very well at my. My body was killing me from my MS. I told Jason I was going to get ready for our date. He kept saying we didn't have to go out since I was feeling so poorly, but wanting to see what he had planned (and if there was going to be a proposal...) I said I felt okay enough to go out. However, as I continued to get ready, I broke down and started crying from the pain. Jason came into the room and said we really didn't have to go out. I again told him I wanted to go. He responded with, "why don't we just rent a movie and get take out? I don't have anything special planned anyway." And with that, my heart sank, there would be no proposal anytime soon. So, I resolved to just renting a movie and taking it easy.

Saturday, June 26th:

I woke up feeling better and drove over to Jason's apartment in the late morning. He was in a Saturday Morning Bible study with a group of guys and so I waited for him to return from that. We hung out for a little bit and then he asked what the plans were for the evening since it was my turn to plan the date. I told him to pick me up at my place around 4pm. He did so. I was wearing a little sun dress - he was wearing khaki pants and a nice top. We went to the movies where we watch the romantic movie "The Notebook." After it was over, we went to dinner at Martinis in the Summit. It was a beautiful summer evening and we were able to eat dinner outside. After dinner, Jason suggested we get dessert at the chocolate shop next door. We got 6 chocolate covered strawberries to go. As we were driving back towards my apartment and Jason said, "it is really such a pretty night; would you want to go to a park and walk around?" I said sure. We drove to Papa John's Park - which we had nicknamed "our park" since we went there together A LOT. Often times just to relax and have a picnic lunch, but a few times when we were in a serious argument we would go there and not leave until we had things resolved. We had lots of memories at that park. We took a nice stroll enjoying the beautiful evening hand-in-hand and eating our strawberries.

On our way out of the park, Jason misses the turn for the highway. I asked him where we are going and he said he really had to go the bathroom. To be honest, we had just returned less than a week earlier from a mission trip down to Cuba and Jason's stomach had been acting up since that trip. We pass by two gas stations so I ask again where we are going. He said, "To church." I question him in why he didn't just stop at the gas stations and he said, "because the bathrooms at church are cleaner." I looked at him funny because I am picky and never use public bathrooms, but Jason is not one who cares about that sort of thing. Then I pointed out that the church would probably be locked seeing as it was already after 10pm. He convinced me it would be open despite my doubts. To my surprise it was open and I asked if he wanted me to wait in the car - he said, "no, it might be a while, just come on in." So I went in. There was a security guard sitting at the desk and so I start talking to him while Jason goes to the bathroom. I told him how confused I was that Jason was going to the bathroom at the church this late at night and he responded with, "oh don't worry about it - people do it all the time." Jason finally came out and as we started to head back to the car Jason stopped and asked if I wanted to do our devotion there. That wasn't an uncommon request - we usually did a devotion together everyday and we loved to do them in different places. So, Jason gets out a Bible and he reads to me from Ezekiel and we talked about the passage. Again, nothing uncommon. Then, he flips the Bible to the Ephesians 5 passage about marriage and reads that out loud. Then he walks a few steps, grabs a hidden guitar, and starts playing a song that I had heard him play for several months - a song he had written. However, instead of just playing the chords like he had done in the past... he starts singing,

"If I could take away all your pain
If I could make you feel all brand new inside
If I could wipe away your tears
And help you forget all of the times you’ve cried

You know I would
You know I would
You know I would
For you, I would

If I could live my life with you
We’d serve the Lord in all the things that we do
If I could reach the lost with you
And teach them all about God’s Love and his Truth.

You know I would
You know I would
You know I would
For you, I would

And I’ve dreamed of this day
For such a long, long time
But Darby, I never dreamed
That YOU could be mine.

And I’m so thankful just to have you in my life.
I’m so very thankful just for you.

So if I asked you to be my bride
And if I asked you to stand by my side.
And if I got down on my knee (which he did during this line!)
And if I asked you, “Will you marry me?” ………………..

And with that he stopped singing and playing and waited for my response. I hesitated just a moment, not out of fear, but because I didn't want to interrupt his song - he finally said, "well?" I smiled and said, "YES." He stood up and said, "good. Then you can have this." and with that he handed me a small velvet box. I opened it up and saw my beautiful engagement ring! I had made sure not to tell Jason what I wanted in a ring, but if I had told him everything I wanted - this ring would be it. It was perfect! From the shape of the main diamond to the diamonds all around the sides to the unique engravings on the band... perfect. I put it on and that is when I realized that Jason proposed to me at the very spot where we had met at Southeast Christian Church on January 22, 2002. What a perfect place to propose since our faith was the foundation of our relationship!

We were married six month later at the same church where Jason sang me another song... but perhaps I'll write more about that story in another post. :)