Jennifer and I were apart from each other pretty much all of 2003. From January to August, Jennifer was up in Hartford, CT working for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Engines and I was working for Braun Intertec in Minneapolis, MN from June to December. We, Jennifer especially, were familiar with flying that year.
Later in the year, I knew I wanted to propose to Jennifer and she was expecting/wanting it. I decided to pick a very romantic holiday to “pop the question” since I was visiting her in Rolla for the weekend. So we got engaged on October 31, 2003. Yes, it was Halloween!
Jennifer picked me up St. Louis airport on Thursday and she had a lab on Friday after lunch when I planned to get ready to ask her, but just a few minutes later she said she was done & I wasn’t ready! I changed it a little so she didn’t have to wait so long.
I started the process with a scavenger hunt to find me. I changed it by having her start from the building she was at so I put a note with the first clue. It was to go where we first met (the Baptist Student Union). The next note led her to her old room where we would hang out, then where I we first prayed together, we studied (library 3rd floor), our old dorm, her sorority, my apartment, then the park we would hang out a lot. I probably missed a couple spots that I had her go.
At the park, I came up behind her and blindfolded her. Then I led her on a trust walk, where she had to follow my lead while being blindfolded. I lead her a long way to where I asked her out two year before. (Side note: when I asked her out, it was in during Freshmen week late at night when we decided to go for a walk in the rain) I was trying to make it a surprise where we were at, but she guessed it by the sound of an ATM! Well, I got on one knee, removed the blindfold, and asked if she would marry me. She said yes!
We were very happy and visited my mom that weekend, I believe. These pictures are from my roommate using my camera. It was his first time using a digital camera so he wasn’t used to it (that is why it is blurring). My other roommate had a better angle and a tripod with his camera, but forgot his batteries that he was charging so they wouldn’t go dead while taking pictures of us. Jennifer didn’t know they watched us getting engaged!
Well that is the story of how we got engaged!
P.S.-That building we are next to is now torn down. Now where we got engaged is in the middle of a grass lawn.