We’re getting married!

We met in the most unlikely of places - Nashville International Airport. I was new with TSA, and my first day on the floor this weird guy comes over and starts asking me super personal questions about myself. After about an hour of him coming and going like this he assures me that he isn’t asking for himself but for his lead. At this point I’m standing there going ‘well, who is this guy anyways that he cant come talk to me himself’. I watch Jonathan walk away and report to said lead and that was Derek. I can’t remember when exactly we had our first conversation but after a few month of him flirting shamelessly with me he finally asks me out to watch a college football game with him... which he later canceled (the nerve!) but then asked to go watch Sunday football with him to make up for canceling the first date. And you know? I don’t think we watched hardly a few minutes of that football game. We talked the entire time, the game ended and we were still talking. That’s when I knew I was in trouble... we started working out at the gym together, Derek invited me to his church on Saturday nights and so I started attending there with him every week. And then finally after about a month, in late Oct after a hockey game he asked me to be his girlfriend. And I guess you guys know the rest.. ;)

I’m sure Derek had something super romantic planned... but I’m afraid I must disappoint you guys. We were in Colorado at Eleven Mile State Park, I was in Derek’s tent helping him pack it up. I had already put my stuff in the car and, seeing as I didn’t want to misplace the car key, thought it wise to place the key in his sweatshirt pocket. As I reach in I feel something already in there and without thinking I blurt out “oooo! What’s this??”. No sooner have I opened my mouth does my brain register what I’ve just touched... so I just sit back, throw my hands up over my eyes and groan “oh no!”. After Derek takes a second to laugh at me he pulls out the box, opens it, and asks me to marry him. I get control of myself long enough to yes and we go on laughing and crying. Derek insisted I did not ruin anything, that it was very us. And he’s right of course. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.