SW517

Stephanie and Joe have known each other since middle school. Stephanie had a crush on Joe in 8th grade, but never pursued it. Senior year of high school, Stephanie and Joe became extremely close friends. They spent all of their time together, until it was time for Stephanie to leave for college. When Stephanie was away they spent every night on the phone, and Joe would wait up on her parents front porch for her, when she was driving home from school. It wasn't until Stephanie's sophomore year in college, at the age of 19, that Joe finally decided it was the right time to ask Stephanie to be his girlfriend. He took her out to the City Museum and they had a wonderful evening, but Joe never asked. It wasn't until three days later, September 19, 2006, when Stephanie was back at school, that Joe took that leap of faith.  Stephanie had text Joe, knowing that Joe hated the music she listed too, and ask what song he would like to be his ringtone. He wrote in reply 'how about the song "I want my best friend to be my girlfriend", yeah, I like that song." Stephanie and Joe have been together ever since. They worked through two and half years of Stephanie being away, and made a home together in September of 2009. On December 26, 2012 Joe took Stephanie out to see the beautiful Christmas lights at Tillis Park that she had been begging to see. While driving through the park, Joe pulled to the side and asked Stephanie to get out of the car. He walked around the car, pulled a ring out of his pocket, got down on one knee, and asked her to marry him. She said YES!