The Story of John and Jen, Part 5

July 7, 2002

We had spent the July 4 weekend at John's parents' vacation home in West Virginia and were driving home. I had been hoping for a proposal that weekend, but after an emotional few days (long story) I had given up on it happening that trip.

On our way home, John got off at my parents' highway exit. When I asked why, John said that he wanted to sing worship songs by the lake nearby. We had spent several dates at that lake, and we were both emotionally frazzled, so it sounded like a nice idea to me... although I have to admit, I started wondering whether "this was it" since the idea seemed so out of the blue.

We found our way in the dark to a hill by the lake, and John pulled his guitar out of the case. Strangely, this evening he had trouble coming up with the chords for the worship songs he played every week in church.

After two or three songs, John started playing chords that I recognized, but not from a worship song. We both love the movie "The Wedding Singer," especially the song that Adam Sandler sings to Drew Barrymore at the end, "Grow Old With You." I had told John at one point how much I'd love it if he'd learn that song and sing it to me someday, and in my mind I had thought (but not verbalized) that it would be a great way to propose. It seems John had thought so too. And when John started playing the chords, I was pretty sure I knew what was coming.

I wanna make you smile whenever you're sad

Carry you around when your arthritis is bad

All I wanna do is grow old with you

I'll get your medicine when your tummy aches

Build you a fire if the furnace breaks

Oh it could be so nice, growing old with you

I'll miss you, kiss you

Give you my coat when you are cold

Need you, feed you

Even let you hold the remote control

So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink

Put you to bed when you've had too much to drink

I could be the man who grows old with you

I wanna grow old with you

(Below is the clip from "The Wedding Singer". John sings it better but unfortunately I wasn't quick enough on the draw to videotape his proposal.)

When John finished singing the song, he pulled a box out of his pocket, opened it, and asked me to marry him (we were sitting on the ground so taking a knee would have seemed ridiculous). I remember thinking to myself, "Say something witty or profound, because you'll be telling this story for the rest of your life" (my mom had answered my dad with the very romantic, "Are you sure?"). But the best I could do was stutter out, "Of course!" and throw my arms around the man whom I would never have to let go of in this lifetime.

Before leaving the lake, we took these photos:

Then we drove the five minutes to my parents' house so my mom and I could jump around the den together and we could call all of our immediate family members.

Happy fifth anniversary to the man I will love forever!