Anniversary Week: The Engagement

Jesse and I moved in together at the beginning of December 2006. Things were going smoothly and our future seemed bright. We had our tickets bought to go to Minnesota and spend Christmas with his family. Little did I know that Jesse had picked out an engagement ring near his hometown, when he was there for a few days for his great-grandmother’s funeral in October.

I thought the big question was coming, I just didn’t know when, and I especially didn’t know that a ring was already picked out. We celebrated Christmas with his family and had a wonderful time. I kept waiting for Jesse to ask me to go on some romantic, private walk… but it never happened.

On December 28th, his whole extended family came over to his parent’s house to celebrate Christmas. They were doing a gift exchange (whatever you call the type where you draw numbers and steal gifts). I had drawn a middle number, but lucky Jesse had drawn the last number, which meant that he could either open the last gift, or steal anyone else’s gift. I had opened a gun cleaning kit. Yippee! (Insert sarcasm) It was just about Jesse’s turn to finalize the game and I was whispering to him that he should steal so and so’s gift that I wanted and then trade later. I even remember being slightly irritated that he wasn’t agreeing with my plan, he stole the gun cleaning kit from me. That left me with the last gift on the table.

I got up and walked to the center of the room to pick up the last gift, turned back around to get back to my seat with unopened gift. When I turned around, I found Jesse on his knee holding the ring. I was absolutely shocked. I don’t even remember him asking the question, but I remember just being speechless because I was so surprised. Of course I said yes J It was such a special day and I am so happy to of been able to have his entire family (great grandma, grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins!) there to celebrate with us. But, I must say, I would never in a million years of guessed that he would’ve done it in front of so many people!

It was such a happy day. I knew that I loved Jesse and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Yet, I smile now about how young we were and how little we knew about how the Lord would change our hearts and show us a love for Him and for each other that we would never have imagined.