Jason’s Version of Our Proposal Story...
In October, I took Erica to this pumpkin patch in Chunky, MS
called Lazy Acres. On the way home from the pumpkin patch, I wanted to
take Erica to this old bridge called Stuckey's Bridge. Well, after
getting lost several times and not finding the bridge, we went home. So,
it was discussed on the ride home that I would look up the proper directions
and we would go next time Erica was in town. Little did I know at that
moment that it would be the location of the proposal.
The next time Erica and I saw each other was Homecoming
Weekend. This would have been the stereotypical time for me to propose to
Erica, but I would have no part in that.....plus I didn't have the ring
yet. Looking back on that weekend, I did all these things like take a
walk with Erica on campus at night, and go to the Rose Garden on Saturday that
seemingly would have been good times to pop the question. But no, I
didn't and this apparently left Erica on pins and needles.
It was sometime the next week that I found out that I would
have the ring in time for Erica's visit. I had long been pondering
whether to do the proposal in Meridian or make a surprise drive to Nashville a
day before my expected arrival. Well, after thinking about it, there was
no way I could hold on to this ring for two weeks to do something that I had
longed to do for so many months. I had two plans....the first was a night
proposal at Bonita Lakes, a park here in Meridian. The second was a
proposal the next day at....our return trip to Stuckey's Bridge. I really
liked the first idea, because we were going on a date to Outback Steakhouse,
Erica's favorite, and then to the movies to see the new Twilight.
However, anyone that knows Erica knows that she hates cold and a random trip to
Bonita Lakes at ten o'clock would have been suspicious. After all, I
wanted to really surprise her. These ideas came on Monday, and it wasn't
until Wednesday that I made up my mind about the location and how it would go
down. I needed the help of my great sneaky friends Zach and Chandler to
help the plan go down.
Remember, in our relationship, there has always been this
awkward third wheel named Capachi, Erica's stuffed bear. I had always
wanted to use Capachi somehow in the proposal and with Erica in town, I could
very easily. I decided to place Capachi in the middle of Stuckey's Bridge
with a banner with four name-tags on it stating "Will You Marry Him"
with the bear speaking in first person. The name-tags have a special
significance because Erica and I wrote name-tags together at the Wesley
Foundation for over two years. Zach and Chandler helped me set the bear
and sign up at the bridge without Erica knowing.
So when we were leaving my house on Saturday, I remember on
the way out the door, my mom gave Erica and I these really big hugs....bigger
than usual. I remember thinking....well that was obvious, but Erica still
had no idea. Our first stop was to my church because I needed to stop by
and check up on things. Really, I went in to pick up the ring which I had
left in my desk drawer. I didn't want it in my house because Erica tends
to be nosey sometimes. I had told Chandler that I would let her know when
we were leaving so she could come by my house, pick up the bear and banner and
head out to the bridge to prepare the site. I was staying remarkably calm.
Erica wanted Chick-fil-a for lunch, so of course I took her. More killing
time. Erica then wanted to walk over to Bed Bath and Beyond to look
around. While in Bed, Bath, and Beyond, I also found out that everything
was ready at the bridge, and we could head out.
We finally began our drive out to Chunky again to Stuckey's
Bridge. It was here that I began to get really nervous. We drove
for a while, and I felt the intensity rising. We kept driving, and I
honestly don't remember anything from that drive except that I did successfully
find the bridge. The moment had finally come; I parked the car around a curve
from the bridge so she couldn't see the bear if it was out in the open. We
walked through the steel gate closing off the end of the bridge and my first
thought was....."Where is the Bear?" I panicked, and my
heartbeat jumped quickly as we walked towards the middle of the bridge still no
sign of the bear. Erica wanted to hug, but I didn't want to even
embrace her because my heart was thumping out of my chest if felt. It was
at this moment that I saw the bear. It was tied to the gate at the
opposite end of the bridge, and it was kind of in the shadows a little.
So, I then got Erica to walk down the bridge and that's when she saw it.
Erica took one more step and that's when I took one step back and got down on
one knee and pulled the ring out of my pocket. I didn't really know what
to expect, but Erica literally flipped out. She kept repeating, "I'm
not ready for this! I'm not ready for this!" I knelt a little
confused, but just told her quietly to come here. She walked closer
trembling, and I asked her to marry me. I was already trembling as I took
off her cross ring and put the engagement ring on her finger. I stood up
and hugged her and gave her a kiss. It was perfect! She was so
surprised!
We walked down the bridge to see the bear and had a moment
with just the two of us. After a while, I texted Chandler to tell them
they could come out of their car to see us. We then took reenactment
photos and other shots on the bridge. We stayed and chatted with Chandler
and Zach for a while and then left to go call and let the world know.
