Candace

How we met...oh where do I begin! Lets start back in 2007....lol After graduating from college and searching tirelessly for a new career, I landed a job in the human resource department for CitiCards, as a Staffing Specialist in Louisville, KY. Like any normal manager, my manager took me around the building introducing me to everyone on my first day. Well, I guess I caught Mr. Hall's eye, and he soon starting asking around about me! If you let him tell it, I had an attitude and wanted nothing to do with him. He claims he tried to speak to me several times at various company events, but I just ignored him! (I dont recall that at all, and anyone who knows me can tell you that I speak to EVERYONE!) So a couple of months passed and we hadn't seen each other around work. Well sure enough we both got stuck working a job fair together. The day before the job fair, he emailed me at work stating he didn't know where we were going and that he needed my number in case he got lost. So of course, I gave it to him. We get to the job fair and the next thing you know, we spent the entire day just talking and getting to know each other. Turns out he was a really nice guy and I was anxious to spend more time with him. Obviously he felt the same way because the job fair was over and he had already text me asking for a "date night!" So we finally met up a couple of days later and I went to his house and we watched a movie. The first movie we watched was Mr. Brooks! Never forget that movie! I remember how he was so proud of his first home he had just purchased a few months prior. I came in and he gave me the grand tour...lol! That night went well so we followed the next with with endless hours of conversation on the phone every night, texting constantly throughout the day, and we went out on our first real date the next week. He picked me up at my apt and I remember when I answered the door, I just stared at him because I couldn't figure out why in the heck he didn't have a coat on in the middle of November!! haha! So of course I wasn't ready so he came in and waited. I finally got myself together and we went to my favorite place....RED ROBIN!!! lol! We had great conversation over dinner, and then we left and tried to watch a movie but nothing good was playing, so went went back to my place and watched one of my chick flicks! As sad as it may sound, the entire night all I could think about was how he had opened each and every door for me, let me sit down first, actually picked up the tab at the restaurant, and walked me to my door!!! Its the little things that really matter! So we started dating and things were great!....well at least I thought they were! We went through the whole on again off again over the course of a couple of months. We were together for a month then HE decided he didn't want to be in a relationship. Then we'd get back together a month later and things would be great! Then HE decided to call it quits AGAIN! I was determined and I wasn't letting it go. I figured, third times a charm, right!?! So we got back together for the third time and I guess it worked!! haha! :-) The Engagement! Well this was the second year that we had planned to go to St. Rita's NYE event. We had gone the year before and had a ball!! So as usual, I had invited everyone over to our house for drinks and appetizers before the party began. Justin's immediate family was there, my brother Quinn, my girlfriend Lisa, Ashley & Joe, Brian, Mike & Lindsey. We all were just having great conversation and getting ready to bring in the new year! We arrived at St. Rita's around 9:15pm and we got settled into our reserved tables. Anyone who knows me, knows I cant sit still, so I was immediately on the dance floor....me and my girl Lisa! At this point several songs had been played, the drinks were flowing and guess what comes on????? Beyonce's Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it.) so me and my girls are up dancing and as usual we are taunting all of the guys saying put a darn ring on it!! The next thing you know, Justin comes up and starts dancing with me. He starts whispering something in my ear, but I'm too busy trying to dance that I couldnt understand what he was saying. So I stopped dancing for a second and asked him to repeat. As he's whispering in my ear, I noticed that everyone is staring at us and starting to form a circle around us. He says to me "2008, 2009, I want 2010 to be OUR year!" At that point, he dropped down on one knee and pulls out this black ring box, opens it up and says those magical words that I have been waiting so long to hear, "Will You Marry Me?!?" Talk about SHOCK! I was in such shock that for a second I could even form any tears! I was looking around and everyone was just as shocked!!! I looked at him and said, "did you ask me dad?" lol he said yes, and he gave me his blessing. So of course I said YES!!!!!!