He Proposed

It was a Saturday. My friend/roommate, Jen, and I were driving back from a hard day's work when Jamie asked me to run an extra errand for him. I can't exactly remember what it was. I just remember I was extremely irritated because I reeeally wanted to go straight home and chill-ax. So we get home to watch the Tennessee vs. Auburn [gag-cough-gaaaag] Championship Game. We lost. I was pissed. I remember working on some kind of report that night too. Not fun. So this was not a good evening. We were just hanging out when he suggested we go on a donut run. I am very fond of donuts. I used to be very fond of the midnight donut run, too. I mean, I was in college. Duh. So we left to go get some Lamar's Donuts (man, I miss that place).

On the way back with the donuts, the conversation turns to marriage and entertaining the idea of going to a Chapel that night. The said Chapel was located on Monteagle Mountain, our halfway meeting spot (he lived about an hour and a half away). Going to the Chapel was an ongoing inside joke between the two of us. So I was playing along with the joke, as usual, when all of a sudden I notice him turning onto the interstate instead of going home. WHAT?! I could feel my heart speeding up. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: Ummmm...are you serious?
Him: Yes, let's do it!
Me: Our parents will kill us! Especially our mothers! I don't think this is a good idea, Jamie.
Him: You want to marry me right? I think we should just go and see what happens.
Me: [silence]

Here's the thing: I was actually excited about finally marrying him, but 1) was very confused because HE was usually the voice of reason, not ME. and 2) was kinda pissed because I wouldn't get my big wedding and big dress. I mean, come on.

So I stayed quiet and went along for the "ride". We get to Monteagle and at this point I was thinking we'd do it, but we would not tell anyone! Because there was no way my parents would front the money for a real wedding if they found out we did this. But I was going to wait to inform Jamie of this plan after the fact.

We're driving down a quiet, basically empty road. I believe it was around 2 in the morning at this point, when we came upon a beeeeautiful Christmas lights display. I have an insane obsession with Christmas: decorations, music, movies, you name it. So yeah. We had to stop. We get out of the car and walk down a sidewalk that was lined with lighted archways all the way up to a gazebo that was littered with even more of these gorgeous lights.

While we're walking, I grab his arm and begin humming the bridal march, "bummm bumm bum bum..."
Because that's what I do when I get nervous. I make jokes.

When we get in the gazebo, I looked all around at the illuminated park. While I'm enjoying this moment, Jamie gets extra cuddly and starts saying some really sweet things. Which is odd. He is always sweet, but rarely this verbal/mooshy-gooshy. So I begin thinking. I get my hopes up. I have to admit that what he said from that point on was a blur because my own thoughts were louder in my head saying stuff like, Is he going to do it? Is this it? I wish he would just do it! DO IT!

and then...

He got down on one knee. He pulled out the most beautiful ring I could ever have imagined. And he asked me to be his WIFE!

I got down on my knees too. I assume I told him yes, but honestly, I don't remember. I remember crying that ugly cry. You know. The one that makes you look like that tall guy from The Goonies? Anyway, I put the ring on, we hugged, kissed, and cried some more. We drove home on cloud nine. When we got there, I woke up all of my roommates to tell them all the news! It was awesome.

So that's how it happened. A midnight run for donuts. In pajamas. Christmas lights. On a mountain.

It was perfect.