Yes, the day finally came when Spence proposed. I was not expecting it at all, mostly because I was in New Orleans, but here is the story…

I am attending a conference in New Orleans (SEPA) from February 15-18. I saw Spence on Valentine’s day and he dropped me off at the airport the morning of the 15th and told me he would see me Saturday. Thursday, my friend Alyna and I spent all day going to different Psychological events. We were at the last event which lasted at 3:50 and Alyna told me she had gotten a text from her aunt saying we need to go to Jackson Square. I told her it sounded like fun but we should probably change before we go. Alyna said we didn’t have too and that she was fine in her business attire; I just went along with it. Little did I know she was in on the whole proposal surprise.

So we are walking through New Orleans (I am navigating because Alyna has a horrible sense of direction) and we are stopping in shops along the way, etc. Alyna then asked for my camera because she wanted to take pictures. She had already told me she forgot her camera so I didn’t think anything of it. She kept taking pictures of the scenery, buildings, etc. We got to Jackson Square and I asked her if she wanted to go in. She said yes but that she was going to call our friend Kim first and tell her where we were. I took the camera and started taking pictures.

Alyna got off the phone and asked for the camera back and told me she wanted to take a picture of me in front of the fountain. I thought this was kind of weird and that I didn’t need a picture in front of the fountain by myself but she insisted and said “My dad is a photographer, I like taking pictures.” As I was sitting in front of the fountain I saw Spence out of the corner of my eye. I jumped up and started yelling “What are you doing here?” It sounded like anger, as Spence and Alyna say, but I was just confused and I really do not like surprises. I was asking him how he got here and he said he drove (it’s a 10 hour drive from where he lives to NOLA). I was like “Why are you here?” and he said “Well I have to ask you something” and started reaching into his pocket. At this point I knew what was about to happen so I started to cry. 

Spence got down on one knee and grabbed my hand. I was shaking and crying and he was telling me to calm down (a typical thing for Spence to say to me) and that everything was okay. I don’t really recall all the words he said to me but I remember him saying something on the lines of “Jess, you know I have loved you since I met you…You complete me…Will you marry me?” Of course I said yes! It was so romantic and completely unexpected. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect way to be proposed too. I am truly blessed to have found such a wonderful man in my life and the fact that I get to spend the rest of my life with him is even more amazing.