October 17, 2009
On this amazing day (started out horrible, but ended pretty good...), I said, "yes" to the man I was going to marry, Joseph Wallace Drake. Ok, I've been in reminiscing mode and I really just wanna tell our engagement story! (warning: its long) But here goes...
October 17, 2009 was a Saturday and started out pretty awful. I started my day out by taking the GRE for grad school. So that explains that, well anyways I gave myself about an hour and quickly decided to not let that test ruin my whole day. I went home (since I had to take it in Dothan) that weekend and Caroline and Matt were home too. Saturday in October means FOOTBALL! We boiled some peanuts and watched college football all day. Joseph told me that he wanted to take me out on a date Saturday night for all my hard work in studying for the GRE. At this time I started to get curious because the Auburn game started at 6:30, so I was like really?! Isn't the Auburn game during that time?! So he proceeded to tell me that we were going to "hurry up" and be back by half-time.Well, that just made me mad. I had a suspicion this was going to be "the night", but was confused because Joseph was with me ALL day. He dropped me off at my house to get ready at 4:30 and said he will be back at 6 to get me. So I knew he didn't have time to plan anything... meanwhile, Caroline and I were frantically trying to figure out what I was going to wear. It was our first "cold" weekend of the season and packed nothing but short sleeve shirts. Anyways, Joseph came to my door looking extra handsome, but I was still in my foul mood, due to our "hurry up" agenda. Anyways when I got in the car he said we needed to go by his work (Flowers Hospital at the time) to get a coupon for the place we are going to eat, Conestoga Steakhouse, I probably rolled my eyes and I was like whatever. Still pissed at this point. So we arrive and he said just stay in the car. So I wait, and I wait, and I wait, getting a little more agitated. About 20 minutes later, Wesley (his brother, who also works at Flowers) comes to the car. Nothing unusual, and I thought he was just going to chat. But instead he gets in the drivers seat and handed me a note.
It said: Hey baby, everything is ok. Follow what Wesley says and you will have fun. You'll have a little trip around town following some sayings that you should know pretty well. I love you!!!!
"Grab your new friends Ben and Jerry, and let's turn your ass into a helipad!"
It took me a while to realize where we were going... we went to the hospital's helicopter helipad and there was a little cooler right in the middle of the helipad with a thing of Ben and Jerry's ice cream and another letter...
Letter #2: I hope are enjoying some good ice cream, but don't get a brain freeze!
Harry Burns: Repeat after me. Pepper.
Sally Albright: Pepper.
Harry Burns: Pepper.
Sally Albright: Pepper.
Harry Burns: Waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash.
Sally Albright: Waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash.
Harry Burns: But I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie.
Go to the place we call our 1st date, and you will receive further information from the hostess, but you must use the right words to get it!
Our first date was at TGI Fridays. I go to the hostess and tell her who I was and I was suppose to have something waiting for me. And NO I did not say, "Waiter there is too much pepper on my paprikash!!"
Letter #3 I bet that was embarrassing! HA! Well onward...
"The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino."
I'm sure you can guess where you are going next and what you have to order...
This was interesting... I went to the Starbucks in Target and before I could say anything, she rambles, "you can't get nothin' hot." I was like ok.. "Well, I'm Allison Bradford and I think you have something for me." She was like, "I don't know what you are talking about." I was like ok... well. Then the other girl there said "yeah we do".. anyways she was trying to "play" with me. Regardless, I got my letter, but no coffee.
Letter #4 Sorry for decaf if you are feeling a little tired...
"Kathleen Kelly: What will NY152 say today, I wonder. I turn on my computer. I wait impatiently as it connects. I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: You've got mail. I hear nothing. Not even a sound on the streets of New York, just the beating of my own heart. I have mail. From you. "
You've got mail at 1002 Fieldstone Dr.
At this point, I was like, is he going to propose at his house!?!? surely not! haha I guess it would have been fine, but I was wrong, and Wesley told me that I needed to look in the mail box. Whew, that one was easy...
Letter #5 I know you are wondering when this will end. Soon...
Sally: I'd like the chef salad please with oil and vinegar on the side, and the apple pie a la mode.
Waitress: Chef and apple a la mode.
Sally: But I'd like the pie heated, and I don't want the ice cream on top. I want it on the side, and I'd like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it. If not, then no ice cream, just whipped cream, but only if it's real. If it's out of the can, then nothing.
Waitress: Not even the pie?
Sally: No, just the pie, but then not heated.
Wesley will take where you need to go... But you will have to order some pie, you don't have to be picky.
Here, I was completely clueless. We were kinda back where we started (near the hospital) and he was going out that way. So I began to think what restaurants are around there number one (because not too many) and which one will have PIE?? So random! I guessed Waffle House! No, Dakota! No, well I gave up and Wesley kept driving down 84 onto Brannon Stand Rd, then I knew BBQ Shack! Let me tell you, this is the most run down, random, out-of-the-way place! Either way, I went inside and bought pie! I was starving! Remember, we were suppose to be eating dinner!! I got another letter, which is my favorite.
Letter #6 Almost there! I hope you are having a great time!
Harry Burns: I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.
Follow Wesley's instructions and enjoy some coffee and ice cream. I love you!
So I knew it was getting CLOSE! I kept wondering, "where is Joseph?!?!" After reading the letter, I started to get out my pie I just got to start eating! But Wesley, took the pie and said, No no, no pie for you. You need to put this on.. and he give me this black tie and tells me to blindfold myself! I was like but Wesley I get really car sick, and he says well you'll just have to hold it in. Great! So I blind fold myself and I thought we were going out to their farm, which is in the direction we were going, but Wesley went this weird way and half way through I had no clue where we were. I felt like we were going over speed bumps, and doing all kinds of twists and turns. Well soon enough, we turn on a gravel road. We were here, the farm! I got out of the car and took the blind fold off and there was Joseph. I started to cry uncontrollably, and there were candles lining the dock.
He sat me down on a bench and began to read this letter he wrote to me. SO ROMANTIC. More crying.. then he told me to stand up and he got on one knee and said, "Will you make me the happiest man alive and will you marry me?" Of course, I said, "YES!!" There were flowers all over the dock and bouquet of 28 roses (at that time we had been dating for 28 months) and there was a card on each one stating a reason why he loves me. It was the most amazing day of my life and a complete dream come true. I am so luck to have such a romantic, thoughtful man. He is truly amazing.
Poor Wesley! He was so great! He stayed around to take some pictures, which I am so glad he did!
We went back to my house to share the exciting news. It was the perfect weekend, being that my ENTIRE family was in town, which is very rare. So I was able to share all the excitement with everyone. We drove up my drive way honking and everyone came out and we hugged and celebrate. It was such a great memory. We went inside and told the whole story.
Reading all the letters...
Telling us how he pulled this whole thing off!
I love this picture. We were so happy!
28 roses with 28 reasons. So amazing!
All of the flowers, the daisies were all around the dock. And of course, the BLING! So I totally forgot about that important part! So my ring is amazing and I love it. I did help pick it out but, he did the important part... :) I am so blessed!!
After telling my family everything that happened we went to his house to share the news. We were STARVING by now, so Wesley and Leah picked up Conestoga (finally!) for us and we enjoyed that with some champagne (I'm telling you, he thought of everything!). We toasted and shared our excited with everyone in our phone book on our phone. Called grandparents and all of our close friends. It was a great night!
Whew! I told you it was long. Congrats to you if you made it all the way through! I know its very long, but it is such a special story to me:)
