We're Getting Married!

Michaela decided to go jogging with her dog Pilot one September afternoon. Her usual route included jogging by Southwest Volunteer Fire Department, where Derrick had just recently joined. Derrick and a few other firefighters were standing outside after coming back from driver training when Michaela jogged by with Pilot. Pilot saw a group of people and immediately ran over to them, jumping up on Derrick. After a formal introduction, Michaela and Derrick kept bumping into each other, eventually exchanged numbers, and became “Derrick and Michaela” when Derrick accidentally dropped the "boyfriend" bomb a few days before Halloween.

Derrick had two of Michaela's best friends, Gabby and Kayla, come into town. He told Michaela that he was working for someone that Saturday and for the girls to have a day to themselves. Gabby and Kayla told Michaela that they wanted to spend the day downtown because it had been so long since either of them had been in Auburn, and they wanted to do typical "Auburn" things. The girls spent the day being tourists in Auburn- Mylk's Cookies, lemonade at Toomer's Drugs, window shopping, and walking to Samford Hall. Gabby used the excuse of wanting to get her nails done before her trip to Europe as an excuse for all of them to get a manicure. Unfortunately, these activities didn't take up enough time to keep Michaela busy until 6:30- the time Derrick told Gabby and Kayla to bring Michaela over to The Red Barn (Ag Heritage Park). When Michaela suggested driving to Opelika, Gabby and Kayla hesitated but went along with it (Michaela was under the impression that the girls would end up at Red Clay Brewery with another one of their friends who would meet them there). When the three of them made it to Opelika, Gabby said her friend who would be meeting them got a flat tire and needed to be picked up. On their way to "pick up their friend", Gabby and Kayla pulled into The Red Barn, where several of Michaela and Derrick's friends were standing along the steps holding a bouquet of flowers each. They gave Michaela the flowers as she walked down the steps, where Derrick was waiting at the bottom. He took her towards the pond and read off a list of Bible verses that he connected to their relationship over the last two and a half years. She dropped off the flower bouquets, and he walked her to a spot perfectly in front of the sunset. Derrick got down on one knee, pulled out a ring box he had crafted by two of their friends, and barely got out "Will you marry me?" before she said "Yes!" To top it all off, Derrick brought pizza, champagne, and cake with "She Said Yes" written on it.