While at the game, I was freezing! It was snowing and very windy, though it was nice to be able to say we made it and cheered Josh on as he played! The game ended just in time to get back to my house, give Matt a haircut, change, and get ready for the Friends Thanksgiving.
The Friends Thanksgiving was a lot of fun! Matt got to meet a lot of new people from the church I grew up in and of course there was lots of food, games, and laughter!
We left just before nine and as we walked to the car Matt thought he had forgotten his wallet at my house, in the bathroom, so we drove back to my house to get it.**
We arrived and he asked me to go in and look for it while he checked the car once more for my purse or his wallet. I didn’t think anything of it and took my keys, unlocked the door and walked up the steps to the bathroom. After looking and not finding it, I tried calling him, but he didn’t answer so I started down the stairs to return to the car. Halfway down, I heard him honk the horn, so I assumed he’d found his wallet.
Perfect.
All jolly, I open the house door and that’s when I heard the sound of tires spinning on a somewhat icy road. To my surprise, Matt was peeling down the road and I didn’t understand why. I stood in disbelief as he drove down the block, thinking maybe he was playing a trick on me. When he didn’t turn around and completely left my development and I couldn’t see him any longer, I tried calling him again.
No answer.
I thought to myself, “Well, what in the world! Maybe he is going to get my purse, BUT WHY wouldn’t he just wait for me!” I was completely devastated; just like in the movies except it was freezing outside and I was in front of my own house instead of a deserted gas station in the middle of a desert. I stood in dismay realizing at least I had my keys and my car, though I wasn’t sure what exactly they could do for me at that point.
After standing outside for at least two minutes, I decided I may as well go back into my warm house. As I turned around, I noticed something move behind the tree near the corner of my house.*** I leaned in to get a better look; it was one of Matt’s good friends, Zach. As he came out of hiding, I went off like a later mentioned Bop-It, “Zach! What are you doing here? How did you get here? Where’s your car? What are you holding in your hand?” After repeating those questions a few times he interrupted saying “Anna, can we pleeeease just go inside, I’ve been out here for like 20 minutes and I’m freeeeezing!” My inconsiderate self kept going, “But what are you doing? What’s going on?! and Where did Matt just go?!” Finally, I relented and we went inside.
He wondered on in, as I’m completely frustrated and getting a little angry, I repeat the questions, because he hasn’t said a thing! He put this:
on the table and I ask, “What’s that? Why do you have a Victoria Secret bag at my house? Is it from Matt!?” Saying his name, I was reminded that he just left me, I sent him a text saying, “MATTEW!!! What’s going on!!!”
I was irate.
Picture Zach just looking around all calm and collect and me pacing fiercely.
Zach asks for a tour, since he’d never been to my house. I gave him a look of shock and ask, “Really?!” without letting him say anything he got what he wanted, but my version. I pointed to my left “This is the kitchen!” then pointed to my right “This is the living room! Now, tell me what’s going on?!”
He smirks and pulls out a GPS**** sneakily from the bag and says, “Well, I suppose you can have this”, referring to the bag. Completely skeptical I say, “okay…” as I walk over and see a card sticking out of it, “Do I open the card first?” I ask madly, doing so without an answer. It read:
“Our First Kiss” I couldn’t help but beam, knowing it was from Matt, my heart softened. Next in the bag was
a pair of pajama pants***** (hence the Victoria Secret bag) that read “Kiss Me” all over them.
Thinking that was all in the bag, I snap back to the situation and I wasn’t charmed any longer, so I ask Zach, “Okay, what now?!” He said there was more in the bag, so I continue to look.
Sure enough there was and this is what I found:
A gas card. I quizzically look and him and ask, “What’s this for…are we going somewhere?” Of course, no response from Zach, so I kept looking in the bag and I found:
a tennis ball that had, “Ghetto Tennis” written on it. I couldn’t help but smile again and Zach asked what it was.
I told him about the time Matt and I played tennis for one of the first times. It was March of 2010, snow on the ground, but not on the courts, it was gorgeous outside, but the nets hadn’t been set up yet. We improvised and created our own net with an orange extension cord. We jokingly called it, “Ghetto Tennis” and it was an inside joke ever since.
Zach, playing a long asked, “Where did you do that at?” I, not picking up on his lead, thought about it, “I actually can’t remember where that was.” His face immediately changed. So then I figured it out that we’d have to get there. So many thoughts ran through my head, “Where DID we do that...oh where did we do that??? “I don’t have my purse!” “Oh, I do have my keys though…” “BUT where did we do that?” I frantically thought for a minute and then I put all the pieces together and shouted, “Oh yes! It was at the middle school, for sure, yeah...that’s where we played!”
Within minutes, we were all set to go, in my car, “UH OH” I blurted out, “My car needs gas!” playing along again, Zach said, “Oh man…and you don’t have your purse.” “No, I DON’T!” We thought for a minute and I remembered the gas card that was so conveniently in the bag. Telling Zach the plan of where we'd go for gas and then how to get to the school; he asked me if the card was for somewhere specifically. Of course it was, and OF COURSE it was a QuikTrip, which we don’t have around here.
I freaked out a little bit as I recalled that I still didn’t have my purse, which holds all my money. I asked him, “Well, do you have any money?!” He hesitantly said, “Umm..yeah, I think so..” In my head I was thinking, “Okay, either you have money and we can use it or you don’t!”
When we arrived to the middle school I was searching for Matt’s car, but there was no car insight. I wasn’t sure what else I should be looking for and I saw nothing, so I looked at Zach and he just sat there smiling. I looked outside some more and then I saw something in the snow, “HEY! There’s something in snow!” I shouted as I got completely giddy and ask, “Should I go get it?!” Zach nodded with a smirk, “Yup…”
I ran out of the car and grabbed the object from out of the snow. As I jump back in, Zach asks me, “What’s that?”
"It's a bowling pin with 'Our First Date' written on it!" I explained. I proceed to tell him that Matt and I went bowling in Eden Prairie on our first date. Beaming I state, “We must have to go there, huh?!” Then I froze, thinking out loud “Oh man, I don’t remember how to get there” as I try to remember, we sit in silence. Then it occurred to me, “THE GPS!!” I shouted. Though Zach was just waiting for me to finally figure it out, he played along and said, “YEAH!” We hooked it up and found that Matt had already programed our destination into it.
I was impressed.
As we drove the 30 minutes to Eden Prairie, Zach asked me all sorts of questions.
“How was the first date?”
“It couldn’t have been better! It wasn’t awkward at all. He asked for a hug upon first meeting me. He paid for bowling, but he was very impressed that I not only offered, but reached for my purse. After bowling we went to Old Chicago and split a pepperoni pizza and shared a great conversation, plus he let me pay!”
“Did you beat him in bowling?”
“Nope, I lost both games, I was too nervous to actually bowl my best!”
“How are you feeling right now?”
“I feel really excited, I don’t know what’s going on, but I love it!”
At this point, I really didn’t know what was going on. I was seriously just super excited and giddy that I didn't even think to stop to try and figure it out!
As we pulled up to the bowling alley, I asked, “So are we going in to bowl or what?”. I thought that maybe we were meeting Matt and a bunch of others to do a little bowling. Of course, Zach didn’t answer, but instead asked me, “So...where’s the side door?” I was totally confused because for one, why would I know where we were suppose to go and two I didn’t know where the side door was and three why the side door?! We drove around the parking lot, so I was looking for Matt’s car or even other cars that looked familiar, I didn’t see any.
Finally, he just pulled up to the curb and I got really anxious. I asked him whiling looking around, “What am I suppose to do? Are we going inside?!” Then I saw movement in the door. “OH! I just saw something move! Is it Matt?!” The door to the alley opened and out came, Josh, Matt’s other good friend. “It’s
JOSH-EY!” I got really excited and flew out of the car running up to him. Full of energy, I give him a big hug and tell him he did a great job during his football game since I didn't see him after it. I asked him, “What are you doing here!?” and he smiles saying, in the most monotone voice, “I have something for you.” As he didn’t immediately hand something to me I beam and ask, “What might that be?” Then he whips out a bundle of something. So I take hold of it and look at him confusedly. He unemotionally looks at me and says, “Well, open it.” So I did just that and I unraveled:
JOSH-EY!” I got really excited and flew out of the car running up to him. Full of energy, I give him a big hug and tell him he did a great job during his football game since I didn't see him after it. I asked him, “What are you doing here!?” and he smiles saying, in the most monotone voice, “I have something for you.” As he didn’t immediately hand something to me I beam and ask, “What might that be?” Then he whips out a bundle of something. So I take hold of it and look at him confusedly. He unemotionally looks at me and says, “Well, open it.” So I did just that and I unraveled:
Matt’s Operation Christmas Child t-shirt, name tag and all. “Awwww!” I said “It’s Matt’s Operation Christmas Child shirt!” “Turn it around…” Josh states, again without any excitement. The back read:
“Where we first met”. “Are you coming with us?!” I ask Josh after reading it, knowing that’s our next stop. “Nope…” “awww..really?!” I said disappointedly, “Okay, well…BYE!” I said without much thought and ran back to the car beaming.
“What did you get?” Zach asks as if he didn’t already know, so I explain to him that Matt and I met at Operation Christmas Child and that we were suppose to go the warehouse it was at. “Oh no…I don’t remember anything about how to get there though, I don’t even know what town it’s in!” I was at a loss trying to figure out where to go, then it occurred to me, “THE GPS!” I shouted. Zach nods, “Yup!”
Still not having a clue as to what’s going on exactly, we headed to the warehouse about 15 minutes away. I was thinking Matt was there waiting and we were going to have a candle lit dinner or something. When we got there and I didn’t see Matt’s car I looked at Zach and asked, “What am I suppose to do, here?” He just sat there and waited as I anxiously look around for something. I saw foot prints that lead to the sidewalk. My eyes followed them upto something in the snow again. Without saying anything I jumped out of the car and ran up to find:
a wine bottle that read “Our First Picnic”.
Returning to the car, Zach asks, “So…what did you find?” “It’s the wine that Matt and I shared on our first picnic!” I exclaimed. “Oh that’s nice! Where was that at?” “It was at Lac Lavon Park!” knowing just what to do, I checked the GSP and sure enough we were set to go! Though, I did insist a few times that I already knew how to get there, Zach, a little concerned with my sense of direction, urged that we use the GPS, just in case.
On our 20 minute drive to Lac Lavon Park, Zach asked me questions, just as he did before.
“How was your first picnic?”
“It was so nice; Matt surprised me with a super cute blanket and also a picnic basket! It was so adorable!”
“It was so nice; Matt surprised me with a super cute blanket and also a picnic basket! It was so adorable!”
“How was the weather?” – This was him trying to get me to remember where we ate, but I didn’t pick up on that at all, I just kept on talking.
“Well, it was kind of windy, so we had to eat behind a retaining wall, but it was still great!”
Halfway there, Zach announces, “Ya know, Anna, I really have to go to the bathroom, do you know of a gas station around here?” I just glared at him, figuring this was not part of the plan. “Do you really have to go to the bathroom, Zach!? Or are you just stalling?” “No, Anna, I really do…I’ve been drinking all this water!” he said holding up is empty bottle. Not convinced at all, I direct him to a gas station.
As I was sitting in the car alone and soaking all that was happening up, I got even more excited! I’m pretty sure if anyone was watching me, they probably thought Zach was crazy for leaving a person with spasm issues in a running car alone. At this point, it may have dawned on me that something bigger than normal was occurring, but it didn’t cross my mind fully that Matt was going to ask me to marry him that very night. All I knew was that I was super excited that something was happening!
Zach returned to the car and asked, “Are you ready?” I look at him, “REALLY? Yes, I’m ready!” We drive a few more minutes to the park and as we pulled into the parking lot I noticed a black car. “Is that Matt’s car!?” I shout without getting a response. Driving closer, I realize that it’s not and that instead it’s Nate’s, Matt’s brother's car. “It’s Nate’s car!!” I exclaim. We pulled up along side of it and I again, wasn’t sure what I was suppose to do so I ask and with a little hesitation, Zach says, “well, let’s get out.” We get out of the car and that’s when I spotted foot prints in the freshly fallen snow. “I think we should follow these!” I suggested. We did and I couldn’t help but leap from one print to the other, because I was so excited! Halfway down the path I realized that Zach was really following the prints, instead is heading straight to the place Matt and I ate at. Laughing, I shouted to him, “I guess I probably don’t have to follow the footprints, but it’s really fun!” Nate had made the path quite zigzagged.
As I approached the corner of the retaining wall, I stopped and just peaked around it. There was Nate, posed, lying on the blanket, next to our picnic basket, holding to empty glasses. As I run up to him, he says all elegantly, “Come Anna, have a glass of wine with me!” I burst out laughing, then realize and say, “OH NO, I forgot the wine in the car!” He chuckles under his breath and says, “Oh, it’s okay, it’s freezing out here, I don’t think we’re actually going to have a glass.” “Oh right of course!” I say as I sit down next to him beaming. We sit there smiling and enjoy the moment, then he asks, “How ARE you?” with a big grin, “I’m doing great!” I reply, not sure what’s going on anymore. Then he says as he reaches into his jacket, “Well I do have something for you.” And he pulls out:
a coconut! I take hold of it and just stare at it, not sure what that is suppose to mean. “Guys,” I say quietly, “I really don’t know what this one means…” hoping they’d give me a clue, since I really had no idea what a coconut had to do with anything.
They let me freak out and search my brain for anything it could lead to, but I didn’t come up with anything. After a few minutes Nate says, “Well, I have something else for you that might help.” Completely relieved, I grabbed the note that Nate handed to me.
It read:
“Meet me in Mauritius” My eyes grew big, because that’s the place Matt and I talked about going for our honeymoon. “What does this mean!?” I ask “He couldn’t possible be in Mauritius….right?!” hoping they’d confirm and tell me where this leads me. Of course, they didn’t and I sat there again, wondering where “Mauritius” was, because I knew he wasn’t all the way to a small island off of the east coast of Africa!
After a few more long minutes, Zach says, “Well, why don’t we just go back to the car…” It was cold outside, so we did, though I wasn’t sure where we would be going after that. Getting up to go, Nate grabs me, “Com here!” and gives me the biggest hug he’s ever given me. I think then, after so many people were involved, it occurred to me, but even still it wasn’t like it had settle in completely that by the end of the night I would be engaged.
Zach and I returned to my car and we just sat there. I didn’t know it, but we were waiting for Nate, because then Nate came along after picking up the picnic stuff and Zach says, “Oh! I forgot to give something to Nate.” I replied with, “I am sooo sure, you did!” I sat in the car as they talked, presuming they were done, Zach opens the doors, but I guess they weren’t, because he shuts it. I sit there confused, but excited!
Finally, Zach gets in the car and says, “Alright, let’s go!” “But where are we going?!” I blurt out. “Where ever God takes us!” He says with a smirk. “Are you serious?!” I ask astonished, hoping he actually knew where he was going.
We drove about a block when he slowed down to read another park sign. “Nope, that’s not the one” He said and kept driving. I couldn’t believe I didn’t know where we were going, I felt so anxious. We drove about another block and he slowed down to read yet another sign. “Oh, this is the one!” He exclaimed. I think my heart skipped a beat as he said it.
As we pulled into the park parking lot, I saw Matt’s car immediately. I was beaming, ear to ear, no joke! “Oh man!!! That’s Matt’s car!” I screamed. Pulling up behind his car Zach says, “I think you’re supposed to take this one alone” and he gives me a hug.
As I’m following the foot prints that lead me behind a building, I’m freaking out inside, knowing my baby is finally around the corner waiting for me! I slowly look around the corner and there he was, standing (and shivering) in a black suit, looking as great as ever! “Baaaaby!” I shouted and ran into his arms. Then he took my hands and said his beautiful proposal and pulled out he ring from his pocket, “Marie, will you marry me?” I literally danced in my place, screamed with excitement and said, “Yes! Yes! YES!” He put on the ring and I probably jumped in place a few times and then gave him a huge hug and kiss! I checked out the ring once more, probably screamed again, then probably jumped around some more, and gave him another hug. I was beside myself, completely ecstatic; no words can actually express my feelings that night, so I won’t even try any harder.
In the end, I was surprised.
For months, I had been reading into things, guessing, presuming, and hoping that it would be that day, but it never was. When it finally came, I was surprised. Matt did a remarkable job setting it all up, even though it didn’t go quite as planned****** and he did an exceptional job with dealing me the entire week prior*******.
What a story, huh? It’s definitely, one I will never, ever forget!
Extra details:
*I wasn't really the one who got the day off for myself, though I did in fact request to have the day off, my request wasn't granted. I had requested it off since Matt and I decided we'd both would because of the Friends Thanksgiving, though it was at night, we thought we'd just spend the whole day together. It worked out perfectly that Josh's last game was that day so we didn't have to take off any more time of work to watch him play is last season.
Now, two weeks prior to the 13th the schedule was posted and I saw that I worked that Saturday. It was odd, because most of the time when you request a day off you get it. I double check that I had written in the request off book and I did, so I left my boss a note. It explained that I had requested the day off and still would really like to not work if it was at all possible. I placed it where the notes for the boss go, right above the computer.
That night, after work, I of course expressed my frustration and concern with Matt that I was scheduled. I mentioned that maybe it would be okay if I still worked and got someone to come in a little early so that I could still make it to the Thanksgiving Party, he wasn't to fond of that idea.
The next day, I went into work and asked my boss if he'd seen my note. Sitting in his chair, right in front of the computer, he looks around confused, not sure of what note I was talking about. Then he looks, where the notes go, and says "Oh..." and reads it. I was thinking to myself, "really dude! that's where they always go" I had figured he had seen it but didn't want to deal with it until I came to him about it. Annoying.
After reading it, for the first time apparently, he turns to the schedule and says, "Saturday the 13th? I didn't schedule you that day..." I knew he was lying, because the day prior to, I looked and tried to figure something else out on my own without having to talk with him about it. I checked other people's schedules to see if someone could cover for me and they couldn't. So when I looked and saw that I indeed wasn't scheduled I couldn't believe it. I looked at him very suspiciously, thinking he was being prideful and didn't want to have missed my request and now has to grant it to me. I really couldn't believe it, but I got it off so I didn't really care how it had happened.
I called Matt to tell him what had happened and he was so excited, couldn't believe my boss would pretend he had given me the day off all along. It was ridiculous, really.
It turns out that Matt had called him that morning, after finding out I was put on the schedule. My boss gave him a very hard time, saying, "I can't disclose the information of an employee's work schedule." Matt literally had to tell him, his plans of asking me to marry him and that it was very important that it was the 13th and that I had to have it off.
So basically everyone at work knew, before I did.
**On the way back to my house, I realized I had left my purse at the party. Matt slowed down and said, "Really...are you sure?" maybe slightly annoyed. Luckily, I had my keys in my jacket pocket, so I could still get in the house and we could just get my purse on the way back. Or so I thought. In his mind he thought, "Screw the purse, as long as you have your keys the plan is still a go!"
***When I told this part to my cousin’s, who I live with, they said with complete relief, “Ooooh! That’s what those footprints are from! We thought someone was peaking into the windows!”
****Earlier that day when Matt came to pick me up for Josh’s football game, I noticed his GPS was gone. I questioned him where it was because I thought we’d need it to get to the game. He simply replied that he was updating it and forgot to grab it before he left. I thought nothing more of it.
*****Along with the, "Kiss Me" there were little animals printed all over the pants, which were apparently Matt’s favorite part. Anytime we told people the story, he was sure to point them out because he loved that part so much!
******The original plan was to have his friend Zach, surprise me in the morning with my favorite coffee and record the entire thing. Matt also had planned that each of his groomsmen would be at every stop to give me the next clue, but because of the mass amount of snow that was falling traveling wouldn’t be as easy or safe and Josh wouldn’t have made it to his game on time. So, then with the plans being changed, not every guy could be there when we did it at night, unfortunately.
*******The whole week prior, Matt and had been meeting up with his guys all the time and I’d get frustrated that we couldn’t talk or even hang out because he was with them, planning apparently. I didn’t make it too easy on him, especially the night before. He had to make a quick call, to Rachel and beg her to make plans with me Friday night because I was hurt that he didn’t want to be with me. She did and saved the night, but I was still frustrated and I wasn’t afraid to express it to him. If I had only known…
