After spending 9+ years together, our story is a bit hard to tell! We'll highlight some of our favorite times and the rest? Well, the rest is history - and we're looking forward to the many adventures of our future!
HOW WE MET
[ALEXIS]: Marie and I "met" in September 2002 at Room 710. Now, I put met in quotes because I don't count this - but yes, officially, we met in September. I went out with a mutual friend of ours, Dana, to hear some local bands play. Over by the front of the stage at the bar were two of Dana's friends. We walked over and BOOM - introductions happened. Then a bunch of other dramatic stuff happened and Marie and her friend Kerry quickly left for the dance club across the street.
Fast forward to October. One night Dana asked if I wanted to join her and a bunch of her friends at their weekly karaoke outing at The Common Interest. "Why sure! I've finished all my homework for school so let's do it," I said. I walked in to a hardcore bunch of about 10 friends who had dominated the lineup for karaoke that evening. A bunch of introductions happened and there was one pretty girl in particular that caught my eye. I didn't get a chance to sit next to her so I chatted up a bunch of dudes at the table instead. I ended up bonding with the entire group quickly which formed years of wonderful friendships. Through karaoke at The Common Interest, catching live music at Room 710, playing pool at The Ritz, 80's night dancing at Elysium and daytime hangouts - Marie and I got to know each other pretty well. We were definite night owls so we spent a lot of time together after I got out of my classes and she got out of work. Our friends saw the attraction between us right away. It took us just a little longer for our stars to align and Marie ended up asking me to be her girlfriend in a Taco Cabana parking lot the night before I left to see my folks in Phoenix.
[MARIE]: I have a vague memory of meeting Alexis for the first time at Room 710 and hanging out at the karaoke bar a few times after that. I thought she was fun and cute but it took a bidding war to make me realize how I really felt about her...
Alexis had been convinced to be a "bidding item" in a date auction as part of a fundraiser party. She was worried that no one would bid on her and she would end up feeling silly at the auction. Even though we had only met a handful of times, she appealed to me to bid on her...just as a friend, of course.
I agreed to do so, but I only intended to place a bid in the unusual case that no one else at the auction bid on her. Not surprisingly, Alexis was a hot commodity at the auction and several folks were placing bids. Though my bid to protect her ego was obviously not necessary, I nonetheless felt the urge to place a bid...and win.
After a bidding war, and borrowing some cash from a friend, I won the date with Alexis. At the end of the night, we agreed to arrange our "just friends" date soon and then shared an infamous hug. Meant to be a brief goodbye hug shared by new friends, we were possessed by an unseen force that would not allow us to break away from the hug for several minutes. Though the exact length of this hug is not known, it was certainly long enough to get the other partygoers talking and convince us that something more than friendship was developing.
THE PROPOSAL PLANNING
It's not like it took me 8.5 years to figure out I wanted to marry Marie. But when whatever clicked clicked, it happened in a big way. In March 2010, I was hanging out with our long-time friend, Michelle. We had spent almost all day together and were stopping at the East Side Showroom for a quick drink while I picked up dinner for Marie. This quick drink turned into hours of conversation (and excited squeals from Michelle) about how I knew I wanted to be with Marie forever and I wanted to propose. Michelle also interjected that she predicted this from the beginning. Marie's dinner was very late.
I certainly remember that night! Alexis had planned to be home by 8:00 and offered to bring me dinner. I ended up eating at midnight. I remember wanting to be frustrated with her for being so late, but she was so sweet and adorable when she got home that I couldn't be. And she brought me chicken and dumplings; that probably helped too.
From March onward, I enlisted Robin, Alicia, Kendra and Michelle to help me figure out the details.
Over the summer, Robin, Alicia and I devised an ingenious plan about how to get Marie's ring size. I had an old ring that was too small for me and I figured it would be a good starting point. Alicia was going to say she found it on the ground and at our beer and pizza dinner that night, she would say: "Robin, look... I found this ring. Try it on! Oh, is it too small... What about you Alexis... and Marie?" Seriously, we were doing this. So the plan was set, the ring was "found" and I went to place our order and get a pitcher of beer for us. I came back and nothing happened. No plan. No nothing. Apparently when I was placing our order, Alicia took the ring out of her pocket and before she could start the plan Marie immediately asked if she could see the ring and put it on her ring finger. Done.
I remember the events surrounding the "ingenious ring plan." I had no idea what they were doing and I wasn't suspicious at all. The only thing I thought was strange was that Alicia would actually pick up a ring from the ground and put it on because she is allergic to a lot of metals.
Kendra saved me big time in September/October. I had emergency knee surgery in August and was stuck at home, unable to drive. I had Marie's ring picked out and this dirty old ring that fit her, but no ring size. Kendra and I figured out a time when Marie wouldn't be home and she snuck me out to the mall where we got everything sized officially. It was on now.
I had no idea. So sneaky! And...the ring fits perfectly.
THE PROPOSAL
After much deliberation, I decided I would propose to Marie on our anniversary in December. We decided to get a hotel room at our favorite staycation hotel because I was going to be leaving soon for Phoenix and when I got back her folks would be in town so we wouldn't have a lot of time to hang out just the two of us. I figured this would be the perfect time to propose!
Everything was planned and set. Friday morning was here. I was working from home for a half-day and taking the rest of the day off to have our staycation. Marie took the whole day off... and ended up sleeping until 3pm because she wasn't feeling well. Crap. We got everything ready to leave for the Hotel San Jose and we stopped to get lunch for me and chicken soup for Marie. We checked in and I realized I forgot the bottle of champagne at home. Ok, no big deal. I had the ring and I could buy a bottle at the hotel. After hanging out for a bit, Marie started to feel better so we decided to go for a casual dinner at Home Slice so we didn't have to get dressed up. We finished a light dinner and headed back to our room. After another hour or so, Marie was feeling a lot better so we got a cheese board and some champagne since we didn't eat a lot at dinner. We were watching movies, talking, eating and celebrating. At this point, I had the ring in my pocket and I had been jamming my hand in my pocket every 5 minutes to make sure it was still there. I'm surprised she didn't notice. We finished our snacks and I got up to put the food away.
My original plan of popping the cork, accidentally dropping it, and kneeling to pick it up and proposing wasn't going to work because 1) we already opened the champagne; and 2) my knee wasn't fully healed and if I got on my knee... I wouldn't be able to get back up. Quick thinking. I crawled over the bed towards Marie and kneeled facing her in the middle of the bed. As I fumbled in my pocket and pulled the ring out, I instantly burst into tears instead of proposing. She stared at me and the ring in my hand, and exclaimed "WHAT IS THAT! WHAT IS THAT?" I mustered up every ounce I had to speak and asked her if she would marry me. More tears, hugs, kisses, and a yes sealed the deal!
Oh man, I really did not feel well that day and I felt guilty for messing up our anniversary plans by being sick. Alexis took great care of me and did not let it show at all that I was actually messing up her PROPOSAL plans! I didn't suspect anything that evening; the only thing that was strange was that she was getting an extreme amount of text messages (friends and family members who knew about the proposal and were checking in for updates).
I was totally confused when she knelt on the bed; she looked so awkward! I asked her what she was doing but she was too emotional to respond. Even after she took the ring out of her pocket, my brain still couldn't really comprehend what was happening. Obviously she finally managed to get the words out and I managed to say "yes" but it is all a bit of a blur!