Our Engagement Story | TJP Blog
It was December 22nd, 2007. I was 19, Aaron, 24. We got all dressed up, per Aaron’s request, and went and had dinner at Olive Garden. As we were finishing up dessert, he asks me if I wanted to go to the lake.
I looked and him, a little bewildered, and asked, “Seriously?”
“Yeah! I know how much you love the lake when it’s frozen,” he responds.
Aaron is one of the most practical people I know. In all his practicality, he would never pick me up at my house, drive 35 miles to dinner, 45 miles to the lake, and then the 15 miles back to my house. It seemed off…and I was curious.
We get in the car and head to the lake. We park, and he asks if I want to get out of the car and walk the beach. I’m sure I looked at him like he was nuts. It’s sleeting out, it’s COLD, and I’m wearing a dress. Um, no thanks. But he insists.
We get out of the car, and he says it would be a great opportunity to try out my new Christmas gift. I was incredibly curious as he opens the trunk, and pulls out a large box. I open it, and it was this gorgeous wool jacket I had been eyeing up at my favorite store! Shocked and super giddy, he puts it on me, takes my hand, and leads me to the shore. In the middle of a sleet storm. In winter. In northwest Indiana.
Being the fairly free spirited person I am, although it was cold, I was freezing, and my hair was fairly matted and wet from the sleet, I was at the lake!! My favorite place!! With my favorite person!
We get to the middle of the wet, snow covered beach and he asks me to spin around so he can see the jacket on me. So, I do a quick spin, and I turn around to see him fumbling around. He asks me to spin again, but to spin super slow this time because he “didn’t get a great look at the fit.”
I spin slowly, and as I turn around I see him down on one knee. He looks at me and says, “I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”
At least, I think that’s what he said. I was in so much shock, I forgot to listen. All I saw was his face, nervous and excited, holding a small box with a beautiful ring.
I said yes, about a thousand times, and we walked back to the car. I then gave him my gift…which was a tin of homemade cookies. The shop I had been working at closed that month, and I didn’t have a lot to offer. Not quite equivalent to a wool coat and a diamond ring, but that’s how I knew he loved me. He was just as thrilled about peanut butter cookies!
Nearly 6 months later we were married.
This is the only photo I have from the night we got engaged (and it’s pretty worn!). Ahh, youth.
Warmly,
Toni Jay
