I remember it like it was yesterday, a brown haired beauty with big dark eyes, met me at a coffee shop in Oxford. We chatted briefly online and very quickly decided that we liked each other's sense of humor. While we ordered our beverages, she showed me her clown socks which was fitting because we loosely made plans to see the 2017 remake of Stephen King's classic novel "IT" if all went well. As we sipped our caffeine I remember we walked up and down the area and I gave her small details of Oxford, where I was born and raised and for whatever reason she managed to listen to my corny jokes and not judge me too harshly. We talked about the movie and decided to play a joke on my friend that worked at the movie theatre by getting a red balloon and tying it onto his car so that when he got off work it would loom hauntingly over him as he approached to leave for the night. We were proud of ourselves until someone told us that was not his car. But we left it and hoped that it enhanced someone else's movie going experience. I was impressed that she enjoyed the mistake as much as I did. We laughed as we pictured the person leaving the theatre after seeing the movie that famously featured scary red balloons, and hoped that they furiously searched their phone to find out who played them. We had sipped coffee, chatted, gone on a long walk, pranked an unfortunate stranger, and shortly after we had our first kiss and from that moment, Jennifer has completely taken my breath away and given me a partnership that I cherish, a life that I could never have imagined, and love that has renewed my spirit and finally given me a passion for building our life together.

We spent the afternoon celebrating Acyn's 12th birthday (and cleaning up the mess from a sleepover the night before). Justin & Alli drove in from Georgia and met myself, Matthew, Wini, Acyn and Nash for dinner. Before dinner, the group wanted to make a quick pit stop to the children's book store. The Square is decorated beautifully for Christmas and we wanted to show Alli the lights. After the book store, we took turns taking pictures with the Faulkner statue. By the time Matthew and I sat down to smile pretty for the camera, unbeknownst to me, he had pulled out a little box. Before I knew it, he was down on one knee and asking for my hand. I was on cloud 9! We now had a lot to celebrate over dinner! As we walked into the restaurant, I was ushered down a hall and into a small room. I was surprised by a group of our friends to help celebrate our engagement! I was shocked at how well Matthew planned not only a proposal but an engagement party as well.