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June 18, 2022
Sterling Heights, MI

Jennifer & Brandon

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Brandon Kalinowski

and

Jennifer Trpkovski

June 18, 2022

Sterling Heights, MI

First Date

Turn of events

Since Brandon and I originally met in Chicago area when I was visiting my friends in the suburbs, we talked for about 6 months by text and on the phone before our first date. I was back in Chicago visiting my brother and his family. Peter was going out of town for work and my niece was about 1 1/2 at the time. Brandon was texting me and when he learned I was in Chicago, he said he wanted to see me (how cute ;) ). Alexa was a bit under the weather, so I asked my SIL if she did not mind if I went out after Alexa went to bed. Brandon was about an hour drive away and was working that day so we decided on a time and dinner. I read and sang to Alexa and put her to bed and proceeded to get ready. I was all ready to go and just waiting for Brandon to pick me up and suddenly Alexa started coughing so hard she started vomiting. My SIL and I quickly ran in her room and Alexa had thrown up all over her pjs and crib. I stripped the bed and changed her sheets while Krista took care of Alexa. Poor little girl was so scared. Meanwhile, Brandon was waiting for me outside. He thought I was going to stand him up. I text to let him know what happened and that I wanted to make sure she was ok and back asleep before I left (and I had to change...). He said he would wait. An hour later, Alexa was fast asleep and I went down to meet Brandon. He was shocked. He thought I was not going to show and so he was really glad that I did. I knew he was a good and patient guy from the start. We headed to Au Cheval for burgers (for him) and bourbon (for me)....and the rest is history I guess! <3

Proposal

It was just a regular Thursday....

You know how us ladies always seem to find a way to REALLY screw things up for our guys on the days they plan to propose!!! It all started with being a healthcare worker in a pandemic. It was a regular Thursday (so I thought!) We were COVID testing regularly for athletics. We tested in groups and if one person was positive in your group, everyone had to PCR and was sent home. I was put in a group with a colleague who frequently tested positive and confirmatory PCR had always been negative. Sure enough, our group tested positive. We tested PCR and were sent home until our results were back which would be the next day. I went home and Brandon was upstairs on the computer. I had a web meeting that evening and was getting impatient with him because he was not coming downstairs and I needed to update him about the testing situation. I quickly tell him that I am going to do my meeting in the room and keep to myself and he should stay away from me until I get the PCR test back. I do my meeting and shortly thereafter, there is a ring at the door. I opened it and there are flowers. I open the card and it says "Happy Anniversary!" 12.03.2020, It was our 2 year anniversary. I COMPLETELY forgot. I found Brandon in the kitchen to thank him and told him how sorry I was that I forgot. Meanwhile, he is cooking a really fancy dinner. I clearly continued to feel worse and worse! I decided, ok I will sit far at the table and have this amazing dinner together. Noone had symptoms; this situation has played out several times before with everyone negative. We have dinner and next thing I know he is presenting a gift. It is a box inside a box. The inner box was ring box and it was empty. I turned around and he was down on one knee, shaking. He barely got it out, but he asked me to marry him and I SAID YES!!! He also managed to record the whole thing. Needless to say I forgot about my stressful situation and pending test results...it was negative and I WAS ENGAGED..on a regular Thursday ;)

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