On May 26, 2009, soon after I graduated college, I introduced myself to Ryan who was actually interviewing me for a sales position here in Richmond. After sending Ryan a professional “Thank You Mr. Shumate” email later that day (he still has the email!), he ended up not hiring me since I was leaving the next day for a graduation trip to Europe for 3 weeks. Believe me; I still give him a hard time about that! When I returned home, I setup another interview with HR at the same company and was hired in their marketing department. Ryan and I worked right across from each other for almost two years. During that time as friends, I learned a lot about him, a lot about myself and what I wanted in life, and couldn’t be happier how everything fell right into place.
In September 2010, absence must make the heart grow fonder because once he left town for a business trip to Texas – the email flirting began! I remember getting so excited for Friday to arrive when he would come home and our work crew would go out! I remember emailing him “Are you going to rally with us tonight?!” and his response was, “Does a duck quack?!” We met up later that night downtown at Havana 59 for drinks then wandered over to Tobacco Company where we danced the night away. The perfect ending to a perfect night was when just the two of us snuck away for a romantic stroll along the Canal Walk.
Our first date was on September 29th. We went on another date the next night, and another date the next night... It wasn't long before we fell completely head over heels in love (10.10.10)! Since then, we’ve been inseparable and I'm so incredibly happy that I'm his Bride!
The Proposal
The evening of Monday, December 12, 2011, started out as any ordinary night but it will be a night that I will remember forever. While driving home from work, I was looking forward to a nice relaxing night at home. I immediately got on my PJ’s, poured myself a glass of red wine, snuggled up on the couch, and waited for Ryan to get home.
Ryan arrived shortly after and he was very calm, cool, and collected when he walked in the door. I began to pour him a glass of wine when he asked me to get some warm clothes on and come outside to help him move some things out from his car. With a pouting face I begged that we wait until the morning to do it since I was so cozy on the couch. He wasn't giving in so I went in my room to grab my slippers and coat, and he led me ouside...
I quickly noticed that he had turned on all the white Christmas lights hanging on our back patio. A few weeks back we made a tradition that every Christmas we would give each other an ornament that symbolized something special from that year. Ryan told me that he wanted to give me my ornament early and to go look on the Christmas tree that was lit up on our porch. I walked over to find a champagne bottle ornament with a BEAUTIFUL diamond ring hanging around the bottleneck. I gasped! As I turned around to face Ryan he was already down on one knee. He reached for my hand, looked up at me, and said "Allison, will you marry me?" I burst into tears, fell to my knees, wrapped my arms around him and said, YES!!!
I quickly noticed that he had turned on all the white Christmas lights hanging on our back patio. A few weeks back we made a tradition that every Christmas we would give each other an ornament that symbolized something special from that year. Ryan told me that he wanted to give me my ornament early and to go look on the Christmas tree that was lit up on our porch. I walked over to find a champagne bottle ornament with a BEAUTIFUL diamond ring hanging around the bottleneck. I gasped! As I turned around to face Ryan he was already down on one knee. He reached for my hand, looked up at me, and said "Allison, will you marry me?" I burst into tears, fell to my knees, wrapped my arms around him and said, YES!!!
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