Let’s try again, shall we?

That’s a normal first date question, right? I mean, after all how do you make sure you’re safe in case the person you met is a murderer? Luckily, TJ is NOT a murderer, and he let me bring Bella. TJ had just separated the military and I was figuring out OKC. On a whim, he saw me out and asked if I was seeing anyone. Avoiding anything male, I shot him a look and said “Nope.” He smiled, asked if I was doing anything that night, again “Nope.” “Well, do you want to have dinner?” ...shocked, my nope turned yes, “Can I bring my dog?” Spoiler alert: Bella and I both loved him.

Months before I had asked Jess’s dad if I could marry her. I got too nervous at dinner, so I asked in the car at his hotel. With his okay, I designed the ring. Jess was deployed, which was best because she notices and catches on to everything; so I could do this in peace. She comes back, and we visit her family. On the way to St. Louis, I saw an Einstein’s Bagel. I loved that place so we stopped. While she ordered, I tied my shoe and thought it would be funny to “propose” then. I learned it was not funny, and she cried and threw my sandwich in the car. Whoops. But, now I had set up I didnt have the ring at all; the entire trip... Vacation was great, and headed back to St. Louis with beef jerky and popcorn. There was a cardinals game that night, so I thought what the heck. We ubered to the stadium and went to get tickets. After vacation it felt right, and I brought the ring. This is where her not expecting it made it hard. “Can we get your best seats?” “Uh...how about the military discounted seats?” Strike 1 on making it special. Later in the game, “do you wanna go to the nice restaurant across the street?” “No, pizza at the AirBnB is good.” Strike 2...but this call was reversed and I call it a ball, because we went across the street. “Do you have any tables on the balcony, overlooking the game?” “No, baby, the bartop is fine!” ....Strike 2 When she went to the bathroom, I told the waitress and showed her. She screamed and agreed to take our picture...with more resistance fom Jess. Finally i got her over in the photo spot, and dropped to my knee. She told me to stand up. But when she saw the ring, she knew I wasnt lying and said yes! The waitress followed her promise, took one picture....our bill was taken care of, we got on the house champagne, the DJ announced the engagement and a heart shaped brownie. Oh and we still got pizza in the AirBnb...