The day I asked Nikki to marry me was on April 4th, 2014, her 21st Birthday. It was also the first Friday of the month, which meant it was to be the day of our First Friday Picnic we had gone on for over a year (and still do even though with two kiddos it doesn’t always work out on the first Friday, but we still make time to go on a picnic together and as a family). I had the whole thing planned out for months and I knew this would be the perfect day because she would never see it coming. Nothing was normal, but at the same time nothing was different. So there were no subtle clues for her to pick up on that would give it away.

The day started by her getting a mani/pedi with her mother. Then later in the afternoon, I gave her a number of new dresses to choose from for her birthday and of course, to wear for the picnic. She chose a beautiful floral dress and we were good to go…or so I thought.

You see, Nikki and I had planned out what we were going to eat that night for our picnic and instead of making something we were going to order Pei Wei. She was feeling in the mood for rice all week so I thought I had that in the bag – it was on the way to the park, I’d order ahead and we would make perfect time – but that wasn’t the case. Nikki has decided on that Friday that she wasn’t really in the mood for rice anymore, so after all day of asking her where she wanted me to get food she still hadn’t decided on a place. 5:45pm rolls around and I’m trying to lovingly hurry her up in getting ready, because you know, we had a schedule. Finally, Nikki comes down the stairs at about 6 o’clock and tells me that she’s decided she would like rice now and still wants Pei Wei. Cue the panic! I jump on my phone put in some orders and go to check out for pick up thinking it’ll still be quick. Wrong! It was going to be 30 mins before it was ready and we didn’t have that long.

Side story: I bought the ring in September, booked the photographer in November, planned an incredible, sweep-you-off-your-feet-with-the-thoughtfulness surprise party for immediately following my proposal in January, and had invitations sent out in March to some wonderful people in our lives, including extended family that lived states away. This chain of events was all supposed to start precisely at when we always always always (mind you before kids) arrived at the park for our picnic. Which was ‘normally’ at 6:00pm.

So, I’m dealing with people checking on how it’s going, a photographer wondering where we are or if something has happened to delay us so much, a soon-to-be fiancée running late AND trying to figure out a rice – I mean nice – meal for us to eat at this picnic… and if you feel under pressure by reading all that, then just imagine what I was going through.

Back to the timeline; I tell Nikki we’ll figure out something on the way and then we hopped in the car. She suggests Wendy’s and I’m thinking “no way am I asking her to marry me over nuggets and fries!” Visibly frustrated, I tell her I’m going to Stonebriar Mall, where there was a little place in the food court that we would eat at all the time. It had rice, was quick (semi-nice) and I could walk in and get it to-go and be on our way. Nikki’s starting to notice my frustration and she too is not handling my attitude well because in trying to keep my cool, I wasn’t really keeping my cool. I get the food and leave, we sit at what feels like a thousand red lights and Friday night Frisco traffic and end up getting to the park at about 6:45pm. Yep, you read it right, 45 minutes behind schedule. I gather all the things in the car – picnic blanket, picnic basket that had silverware and drinks in it, a “special” present (more on that later) and of course, the ring – then we make our way to our spot. We always sat in the same spot, which was right on the top of this hill under the middle tree. The photographers are off to the side pretending like they’re on a picnic as well and had their little family under another tree where Nikki wouldn’t see them starting to take pictures.

We get up the hill and get everything ready. Did I mention Nikki brought her camera and wanted to take some pictures before we ate – I didn’t. Well, she did. And now it’s about 7:00pm (the same time that the surprise party was supposed to be starting).

We finally sit down, I pull out the food and she starts eating, I eat a couple of bites and have decided that it has to happen right now because otherwise, the whole plan will be in shambles. I set down the food and tell her I have another present for her. She’s starting to get very upset with me for making her stop eating and that I also told her she had to stand up for the gift. This gift that I mentioned above was a framed black and white picture of me holding a sheet of ice from the Dallas “icemageddon” that I wrote “Marry me?” on it. She opened it up and flips it over to see what this gift was (which she thought was a book by the way) and at that very moment I dropped to my knee, pulled out the ring and said, “Nicole Danielle, you are the love of my life and there’s no one I’d rather spend my life with than you. Will you marry me?”

Her response: *to the ring* “OH MY GOODNESS!” *to me seconds after* “Yes, of course!”

We did it! All the former crazy had come to an end and I had asked the big question. She said yes and we were going to get married! Cue next phase of the time fleeting plan:

Photographers came over and did what was supposed to be like a thirty minute session (once Nikki knew about it) in about ten minutes. We said bye and sent them on their way (they weren’t actually done, they just had to get to the party location before we did without Nikki finding out). I start to try and pack things up, but Nikki, being a photographer as well, wanted to get some pictures of the ring, of us, you know photographer stuff. I tell Nikki that we should go stop by the church and tell our families the news. My family was there getting ready for an event, and her family was to be there helping them, you know, coincidentally. We ended up getting to the church about 45 minutes late as well. People have been there for well over an hour because the invitation said arrive early and stay quiet. So all these people are in the dark waiting for us to arrive and here we come down this long dark hallway – because nobody is supposed to be there – and we turn the corner, lights on, and SURPRISE!! Nikki has no idea what was happening and I was even surprised at the turn out from our family and friends.

I sent out a good number of invitations and I had a reasonable number of people rsvp. What we showed up to was breathtaking though – almost 300 people showed up from near and far to congratulate us, love on us, and surprise my beautiful bride to be. Her family from states away came in and I had family that traveled many hours to be there with us as well. The Lord was so kind to us in immediately surrounding us with people who cared about us, championed us, and loved us from the very beginning. We are still to this day so thankful for each and every person that was there that night. And if you are reading this today, please know that we are forever grateful for you.

The rest of the night was so much fun as we took pictures, I sang some love songs I had written for Nikki over the years, ate so many yummy cupcakes, and of course, told the story of how we got so behind which was already laughable just a mere couple of hours after it had taken place.

It was truly a day and night to remember. I’ll always cherish it, and I’ll always look back and laugh at how I thought I had the whole thing planned out perfectly. But you know, that’s actually been a mark of mine and Nikki’s lives together. We’ve made plans just to watch them unfold in front of us. There were times when we would get so frustrated at things that were very much out of our control, and there have been times when we faced the unfolding plan head-on, knowing that God has a better plan than we could have ever dreamed up. And that’s it, He really does. I’ve seen it! I know this to be so true and so life-giving, not life-taking… This may have seemed like the perfect proposal story. With it’s beautiful, crazy twists and turns, but know this – we didn’t do it all right, we’ve had to ask forgiveness and we’ve had to work through tough seasons, we’ve celebrated victories and we’ve rejoiced with laughter. Through and through our God is so good and so faithful. I know this first hand because I was the guy who thought I didn’t deserve a beautiful, kind, caring, and God-honoring woman because I thought she would see my failures, my sin, and turn away. But God! He has shown me more of His attributes, His character, and His desires to me through this woman that I now call my wife, my helpmeet, my co-laborer, and my bride. It is an honor to stand by her, a joy to do life with her, and a reward to serve her.

I’m so thankful to be married to you, Nicole Danielle. Thanks for saying yes…right after you acknowledged the ring. I love you always…