it's marrying time

I met James the summer of 2015 while working as a temp at the same bookstore as him. As my summer job came to an end, James slipped a note into my purse suggesting we grab a drink. James initially didn't sign his name on this note, rummaged through my purse to sign it, and still forgot to include my name. That drink turned into playing cards, Brewers games, hikes, and making meals together. One winter hike along Lake Michigan, James was standing on the frozen lake and encouraged me to do the same. Despite my initial resistance, I attempted this. Immediately my foot fell through the ice and into the winter water. While James enjoys his interactions with nature, I have grown firm in my spectatorship when going on hikes. In our relationship, we've taken risks with each other and for each other. Sometimes these worked out, and sometimes we ended up with a frozen foot.

I knew I would propose to Hayley only after some enlightening advice from an unexpected person. She told me to trust Hayley and to respect her decision in choosing me--Hayley is smart, she chose me, therefore I was a smart choice. After that, it was just about finding the right moment. That moment came at 5:30 AM on a random Monday morning, when neither of us could sleep and I got an overwhelming urge to propose. I asked, and Hayley--a bit stunned and confused--said yes. It reminded me of the first time we said “I love you,” to one another: in bed, in a quiet moment, with not much ado. Hayley and I want this wedding to celebrate our love for one another other, but we also want to show our appreciation to the people who shaped us into who we are today. We want to thank our friends for opening up our hearts and minds. And we want to thank our families for building a foundation of loyalty, understanding, and undying stubbornness. So cheers to anyone who has offered us a bed, shared a meal, surprised us with a letter or phone call, given us advice, listened to our troubles, or shown gratitude for us doing the same for them!