Personal: The New Year's Eve Proposal

TEN YEARS AGO TONIGHT...

you proposed. 

We'd gone out to dinner to our favorite little place. You'd sweetly asked my parents about it weeks ago, so our family was entirely privy to what was about to happen. I was home visiting from college on my Christmas break. While it felt like I had already waited an eternity for you to propose, I had no idea it was going to be that night. On shaky knees, you knelt down in the parking-lot of the restaurant as we were leaving. You'd told me you just couldn't decide when to ask me at dinner. I was so excited I asked you to do it again! I remember how much you were sweating, but it didn't hold a candle to my tears. ;) 

After smiling too much and having lots of champagne toasts to celebrate, we crashed on your couch for some alone time. I put on a pair of your pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt so I didn't have to be dressed up anymore and we spent the next few hours admiring the beautiful ring you picked out and the awesomeness that was ahead for our future. I had no. idea. how fun life was going to be with you.

This was us on that couch. Freshly 19 & 20. I almost don't remember being that young. 

Tonight, we are alone. I have just put our first child to bed. We have no special plans, no fancy drinks, and no friends to party with. But we are happy. Healthy. And in love. We don't have champagne in the house, but we'll probably share a Coke and a midnight kiss. There won't be any confetti popping in our living-room tonight, but you can bet I feel it exploding inside me every time we're together. I can't imagine a better life than the one I've been blessed enough to have with you. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR, JASON.