Once Upon A Time...

Well, due to the massive amounts of email, I've cleared my schedule for the evening to ensure enough time to blog the juicy details of the latest development in my life. :-)

First I have to give some background information so that you'll be able to understand the entire scenario, but you have to promise not to judge me (you'll understand that comment soon enough)...

Once upon a time, in the far away land of Orlando, FL, there was a princess named Jessie...

About three years ago, Phil and I began dating. We had been together for roughly four months when my insecurities got the best of me and we broke up. I broke up with Phil on Valentine's Day, 2004. I know, I know... I've been listening to the jokes for a few years. Anyway, we didn't speak for a few months, for obvious reasons, but then we began talking again. I knew I still had feelings for Phil and was pretty sure he still had feelings for me. He was still hurt, with good reason, but we grew closer and closer. On May 9, 2004, I was chaperoning a prom. At the time, Mike Kelley and I worked at the same school, and we decided to make a fun evening out of it and actually double dated with some friends from church. Even though I was interested in getting back together with Phil, I had already committed to bring a different date to the prom (that's sounds so high school...). At one point in the evening, I received a text message from Phil that said "Meet me downstairs." I went downstairs and there was Phil, all dressed up, holding a carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream (my favorite). We sat outside for about 20 minutes, talking and eating ice cream. Then I had to go back inside and complete my duties for the evening. When I got home, Phil met me and we went out for a drink. It was then that we decided to get back together.

Fast forward two years later, April 29, 2006. I was chaperoning another prom (my first set of 10th graders at FHS are graduating this year). Phil could not attend with me because he was playing the piano for UHS's production of Evita. I was bummed, but understood that it comes with the job. At around 11:15, I received a text message that said, "Meet me at the lagoon." I had no idea where the lagoon was and didn't know if I'd be able to leave early since I was actually helping with something. Finally at 11:45, I got permission to leave prom early and went to go find this lagoon. At this point, I sorta' had an incling as to what was going to happen. When I got there, Phil was all dressed up, waiting for me. He handed me a rose and told me he loved me. Then we sat down and he handed me a carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream. I was freezing, so I asked him to open the ice cream for me, but he said no. At this point I was sure as to what was happening. Why else wouldn't Phil open a carton of ice cream for me? When I opened it up, inside was a jewlery box and inside the box was the most gorgeous engagement ring I have EVER seen. By this point, Phil was down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course, I said yes!!

And that's the beginning of OUR story...