For those of you who don't know, Jeff and I dated long distance during college. He lived in St. Louis and attended Missouri Baptist University and I lived in Waco where I went to Baylor. He played baseball at MBU so he was very busy in the spring.
We didn't get to see each other much while we were dating due to the distance (12 hour drive) and the fact that we were college students with not much of a "travel budget". When we did get to spend a weekend together it was such a special treat. We spent many hours talking on the phone late into the night. One fun thing that I liked to do was mail him random things to tell him that I loved him. Did you know that you can mail inflatable balls in the mail with no packaging around them? Jeff was a little embarrassed when he had to go to the post office and pick up this huge green "Love" ball that I mailed him. It was filled with lines from love songs. We still have this in the garage I think. 
When I met Jeff, he had this crazy curly blond hair. Not sure if you can tell in these pics that I scanned in - but it was pretty much a fro!
I had a lot of fun looking through old picture albums this morning finding all of these pics from 6-7 years ago! OK - on to the engagement story. I planned a trip up to St. Louis in March of 2003. Apparently Jeff bought the engagement ring back in December of 2002. He even told my three college roommates that he had the ring and he was going to propose. I can't believe that they kept it a secret for 3 months!! I had no clue! I flew up to St. Louis on a Thursday afternoon. One of his friends picked me up at the airport and took me to the baseball field where they were playing a game. Apparently, all of his friends knew that he was going to propose this weekend so they were all trying to keep it a secret. I remember sitting next to one of his friends at the game and we started talking and then he all of a sudden got up and left. He told me later that if he sat there talking to me much longer that he would spill the beans and ruin the surprise of the proposal. After the game, I think that we grabbed a late dinner. The next day he didn't have practice that morning but had another game that night. We woke up and decided to go to Queeny Park, one of my favorite parks near his house. We stopped at Einstein's to pick up some breakfast and then headed out to the park. I had just woken up and didn't take a shower before we left, because we were going to go throw the football around. My hair was in pigtails and I was in casual running clothes. We got to the park and I had our breakfast and he had a blanket and a football. He grabbed his Bible on the way out of the car as well. I didn't think twice about this either. Looking back I remember how Jeff didn't seem like himself that morning- I learned later that he was just nervous! We ate breakfast and then he opened up his Bible and started reading to me out of 1 Corinthians 13. I'm still not picking up on anything yet. The rest is kind of fuzzy, but I remember him saying that he loved me and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me - then he pulled out the RING! We had never even talked about rings yet - so I was completely shocked! I remember him holding the box with the ring in it and after I said "YES" I had to say "well - are you going to put it on me?" We didn't have anybody there to take pictures of us so we reenacted it once we got back to his house. 
Looking kind of rough - but so excited!!
That night we cleaned up and went to Olive Garden for dinner to celebrate. 
Notice how my hand was stuck out there to show off my new ring!
The next day we went back to the same spot at Queeny park and took a few pictures.
What a great weekend! I can't believe that it was 6 years ago today that you asked me to be your wife! I love you Jeff!
What a great weekend! I can't believe that it was 6 years ago today that you asked me to be your wife! I love you Jeff!
6 comments:
I remember when you got engaged!!! And I keep up with all the anniversaries also..John gives me a hard time!
OK, I love this post for so many reasons. I love it because I remember when you got engaged and how exciting it was. You were my first friend who got engaged...a very big deal in life! I remember the shower we threw for you and the funny video. It reminds me of college. But most of all, I love how you both still love each other like crazy. It's adorable! Congrats on 6 years! PS - My parents still celebrate the anniversary of their first date, so keep it up!
You had me in tears. I remember it like it was yesterday. I love the three of you more than you will ever know.
Live,
Mom/Patty/Grandma
oh i love it! such sweet memories of such a great time in life. it is so fun to see how you've changed and how you still love each other so much! i remember that night you came home from st. louis like it was yesterday! i can't believe it's been six years!!
Oh that was SUCH a fun time in life. We were roommates, we all knew it was coming, and you had no clue. WAY too much fun. Like Em, you were my first close friend to get engaged, and the shower we threw you was the first I had ever thrown. It was a certain rite of passage I feel. Congrats to youand Jeffrey!
I can't believe it's been that long! I remember yours better than any other friends engagement--everything from jeff calling us after he'd called your dad (and a few hours later when he'd talked with him again!)to the excitement in 9106 when you got back to Waco to listening to rascal flats the weekend of the wedding. Shermans, we love you!
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