I moved to Nashville, Tennessee in the middle of January, 1997 from Camarillo, California. It was a risk as I have no family here and only knew Michael but we couldn't live long distance. I rented his grandmothers empty house in Nashville, while he lived with his parents, 15 min away. I know this arrangement must have been strange for his family in retrospect but we were so young and in love, we didn't notice others exhisted unfortunately.
Our Friends Dan and Kelly were falling in love as fast as we were, with all of us making wedding plans at the same time. I was "patiently" just waiting for Michael to give me a ring as a formality to start planning our wedding. Forward to my birthday on February 7th.. I meet Michael at his house before his church basketball game. We visited with his mom and stepdad, his mom took a picture for some reason and before we left we hung out in his room. (actual picture below)
Our Friends Dan and Kelly were falling in love as fast as we were, with all of us making wedding plans at the same time. I was "patiently" just waiting for Michael to give me a ring as a formality to start planning our wedding. Forward to my birthday on February 7th.. I meet Michael at his house before his church basketball game. We visited with his mom and stepdad, his mom took a picture for some reason and before we left we hung out in his room. (actual picture below)
He was making fun of the Christmas gift I made him, a SUPER cheesy coupon that was shaped like a dollar bill and read: "Good For One Worthy Wife" (aka: coupon to marry me), calling it corney. What can I say, it was. We went to his game, had a great time and then, DISASTER! Dan and Kelly announced they got engaged! Oh no, my life was over, our friends who started dating after us, were engaged before us! It wasn't pretty for Michael the rest of the night. I was so upset and cried. I didn't want my family and friends to get the wrong impression of why I moved to TN and mostly, just wanted to officially start planning our wedding for JUNE 21st! geeez!
Back to the story... We went to my house afterwards where I cried all night long, trying to understand why we weren't engaged yet. Of course, he had a plan. So exhausted, Michael fell asleep at my house and the next morning we stopped to get some supplies at his house before our scheduled hike at Fall Creek Falls State Park http://tennessee.gov/environment/parks/FallCreekFalls/index.shtml. He grabbed a "North Face" (so it can sound cooler but still, it's a... ) fannie pack for snacks, camera etc and we got on our way to an hour drive. I appologized the entire way and felt like a big jerk for how I acted the night before. Michael was so understanding and patient with me and said he understood how I felt about getting engaged and that it wouldn't be long but that he just wanted to do it right. I tried to trust him.
When we got to the Cane Creek Cascades of the Park, it was freezing outside. We couldn't even feel our noses when we got to the bottom. By this time, it was also now starting to snow! I stepped away from Michael, closer to the falls when he knelt down to get his camera out of the "Fannie Pack" to take a picture of me (in all my snotty nosed, non make up wearing, ugly clothes, cried out eyes, glory. see picture below).
Back to the story... We went to my house afterwards where I cried all night long, trying to understand why we weren't engaged yet. Of course, he had a plan. So exhausted, Michael fell asleep at my house and the next morning we stopped to get some supplies at his house before our scheduled hike at Fall Creek Falls State Park http://tennessee.gov/environment/parks/FallCreekFalls/index.shtml. He grabbed a "North Face" (so it can sound cooler but still, it's a... ) fannie pack for snacks, camera etc and we got on our way to an hour drive. I appologized the entire way and felt like a big jerk for how I acted the night before. Michael was so understanding and patient with me and said he understood how I felt about getting engaged and that it wouldn't be long but that he just wanted to do it right. I tried to trust him.
When we got to the Cane Creek Cascades of the Park, it was freezing outside. We couldn't even feel our noses when we got to the bottom. By this time, it was also now starting to snow! I stepped away from Michael, closer to the falls when he knelt down to get his camera out of the "Fannie Pack" to take a picture of me (in all my snotty nosed, non make up wearing, ugly clothes, cried out eyes, glory. see picture below).
Putting the camera away he said, "Oh, I almost forgot, I brought you something..." I said, "What, a granola bar?" He said, "No, I brought you this" and held up a ziplock bag with the coupon I made him for Christmas (mentioned at the beginning of this longwinded story).
Cluelessly, I kinda gave him a 'stank face' and said, "What did you bring 'that' for?" "I brought it to redeem it", he said. "What?!"... This time, he repeated phanetically, "I Brought IT, To Redeem IT". "OH MY GOSH! oh my gosh, OH my gosh, Oh my Gosh, OH MY GOSH!" He went back into the fannie back and with tears in my eyes, noticed suddenly there were hikers watching as Michael, still kneeling, pulled out my ring and said, "So. Will you marry me?!" "Oh My Gosh" x 10, later, I obviously said YES! And have now pursued this whole "And they lived Happily Ever After"thing from then on. grin. (engagement picture below by patty b.)
3 comments:
Lila,
I know you don't know me...I am Stephen Lineberry's wife, Crystal. Stephen and I just had a blast reading your story about you and Michael's engagement. It was surprising how close it was to our engagement story. Stephen mentioned that him and Mike had always been a bit similar (not only in looks). Stephen and I had been dating for about six months when he moved to So Cal to be near me...about 4 months later I started with the hints of marriage, but he kept ditching the question (I didn't know he had a master plan). Well, we went back east for vacation so I could meet the family and made a quick stop first in Washington D.C. for two days to see the sights. We headed to the Lincoln Memorial early in the day...Stephen wanted to stop at the reflecting pool and reflect. I had been emotional about the whole marriage thing earlier in the day as he ditched yet again the conversation, saying we were just dating. Anyhow, as I sat on the steps in between the reflecting pool and Lincoln Memorial, Stephen quickly turned to take a picture of me that he later titled "The Clueless Picture"...he then sat beside me and started to apoligize about his "dating" comments and asked me if I would be his "forever friend". I said of course I would always be his friend...He continued, "My FOREVER FOREVER Friend"...Still clueless, I said, "Of course". Then before I knew it he was on one knee in front of me, proposing with tears in his eyes. It was perfect and such a surprise (which is what I had always wanted). To make it sweeter someone was also watching us, unknown to us and they offered to take our picture, which is at the top of our blog...lineberry2005@blogspot.com...just wanted to share our mutual experience and let you know that we are thinking of you and hopeful that all works out with your adoption...much love, The Lineberry's
What a great story~! Love it. I remember being in TN just after Jeff and I got engaged and watching the boys play bball. Do you remember that? You were showing me your ring and telling me what you wanted to do with it (I think there were multiple bands). Of course, we were out in Cali about a month later at your wedding. Jeff looks SO YOUNG in those pictures. You guys look terrific. I am glad you shared this story.
am i wearing my jeans 'pegged' in that about to be proposed to shot? yikes! that should be illegal...
thanks lineberry's
jacquie, one gift i do not posess (but do have the rest. lol) is one of memory though sometimes if you are lucky i do remember something random. unfortunately, the ball game i'm sure was a blur in my 'bliss' but i hope we had a good time and i didn't talk about myself to much. how embarrassing! lol.
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