We’re Engaged + The Story Of Us

Well, 2020 certainly started off with a bang and has been a whirlwind ever since. I can’t even believe I’m even writing this post — the post about our ENGAGEMENT!! It definitely wasn’t on my original editorial calendar for this year (lol), but Michael proposed and we got engaged on January 4! So here we GO!

Before I share our engagement day at Mike The Tiger’s cage, and how I was really difficult leading up to that point (imagine that), I’ll tell the story of us.

The Story Of Us

I’ll give you the highlights because our story is a LONG one! It goes all the way back to 2008 — so we’re talking over a DECADE of Michael and Leslie.

We were acquaintances, then friends, then best friends for so many years, and ultimately it resulted in our engagement. How crazy is that!

I should probably draw you a friendship connection diagram, but just stick with me! We met the summer between my junior and senior year at LSU (I was 19 years old). I had just gotten back to the United States after a summer studying abroad when we were both hanging out with some mutual friends. I had met a group of girls on the trip who he was friends with. He was also friends with one of my co-workers — who funny enough I ended up dating a couple years later.

Little did we know that we would start dating 11 years later and that A LOT of life would happen in between.

Even after the other relationship ended, Michael and I stayed friends and in the same friend group. He dated people. I dated people. But we were always close friends.

He was my go-to friend who would do anything for me. He helped me mow my yard when I needed it. He pushed my car out of the mud once. He was just always there.

My mom asked me years ago why I didn’t just marry Michael. And all my friends wondered why we didn’t just date, but things went the way they did for a reason.

A couple years ago, I jokingly asked him if we’d be each other’s second marriage. He asked if we could be each other’s first instead.

Sounds like a plan to me — and now the timing is perfect.

When we finally decided to start dating early in 2019, it was a BIG conversation. Us dating wasn’t something we took lightly. We knew that our friendship (and a lot of our other friendships) would be at risk if it didn’t work out. But deep down we knew we were really meant for each other. We didn’t need to make it a difficult decision anymore.

So after many conversations, we finally decided to go all in. Honestly, I would have married him then because I knew that was it. He was the one - no question. And part of me knew it for a very long time.

When we first started dating, we told a few family and friends — which NO ONE was surprised. Everyone saw it coming and didn’t understand why it didn’t happen sooner.

We basically became inseparable at that point. The best part about dating your best friend is there is no awkward phase. We were ourselves from day one.

We already knew each other so well. We already knew each other’s family and friends. It was even better now.

Then for YEARS we had talked about taking a road trip to the Grand Canyon. We finally went this summer, and that’s where he first told me he was in love with me.

Since then we’ve talked about marriage some, but we’ve never been super specific about a timeframe. So when he proposed two weeks ago, I was completely surprised!

OUR ENGAGEMENT

Michael’s birthday was on Sunday, January 5. He asked if we could celebrate his birthday on Saturday (the day before). I knew I needed to go run that morning, and I needed to pick a cake up for him at noon.

He had a very detailed morning schedule for us and wanted me to be ready by 11AM. So obviously I was extremely opinionated. I had things to do! Haha

He said he wanted to go to the LSU store by Mike The Tiger’s cage to get a T-shirt for the National Championship. If LSU wouldn’t be playing in the championship and it wasn’t his birthday, I probably wouldn’t have agreed to go here. So lucky for him the stars aligned!

Either way, I didn’t think we were in THAT big of a hurry to get there. I mean, the store wasn’t going anywhere. Why was he so set at going at 11AM before we ate lunch? (He knows he needs to feed me to keep me happy.)

So I went and ran that morning. I thought I was being nice and saving time by running 4 miles instead of 7 miles like I needed to. Once I got home, I took my time getting dressed, but then I was STARVING!

He picked me up a little after 11AM (I was almost on time!). I asked if we could eat lunch before (obviously)… still being super difficult about going to the LSU store!

But we went — with me complaining the whole way. Once we got there, we were going to go look at Mike first. I saw a group of people huddled around the cage (no where near the Tiger), and thought “wow that guy looks like my dad!”

I didn’t think much of it though.

Then I saw his mom and was thinking “oh that’s weird that y’all came to see Mike the same day too!”

Then I realized that WAS my dad — and my mom, and my best friend, and his parents.

My brain exploded. Everything was in slow motion, but really fast at the same time.

Then Michael’s dad told me that I may want to turn around…

So I did, and Michael was on one knee :)

He asked me to marry him with the most AMAZING BEAUTIFUL ring I have ever seen. And I said YES!

Now we’re engaged. And yes, my head is still exploding!

It was such a perfect day… even though I don’t think I was fully comprehending anything that was happening. I was just telling myself to smile and not look as confused as I was haha.

I loved having my parents and my best friend Maggie there — she’s a photographer, so that’s why we have all these amazing photos, which made the day even that much better. I’ve looked at them about at million times.

Now a couple weeks later, we haven’t done any wedding planning or even picked a date yet. We’re just enjoying the engagement for now, but I know the planning will start soon enough! We’re currently tossing some ideas around to see what kind of wedding day we want. :)

Photos by Maggie Bowles Heller | Blue Lemon Co