We said, "Yes!"

We met through her brother, Andrew, and became friends after we started hanging out during various band activities. When Andrew broke his leg, I started driving us home from school because their house was on my way. During the last semester of sophomore year, we had a chemistry class together where I wanted nothing to do with her so she starting emailing me questions about how my summer was going, while I kept not replying. Eventually, I realized she was pretty cool and we went on our first date, driving around the neighborhood, looking at lights, and listening to Christmas music.

It was Pat's birthday and I had planned a whole day of birthday activities that was supposed to end with a birthday dinner at his mom's house. We went out to coffee and the bookstore, then decided to go to the movies in Arlington Heights. After the movie, we stopped by the park where we had our first date and walked around a bit to look at the flowers. I turned around to look at something and when I turned back he was down on one knee. I was so shocked that I asked him if this was real before I said yes! The birthday dinner turned out to be an engagement party that he planned and I have never been so surprised in my life, it was perfect!