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The Story According to Allie

Our story began at Azusa Pacific University in September 2001. During a new student orientation session, I was recruited to work in student computing. My second day in the office, one of my managers walked into the office accompanied by the cutest brown-haired, blue-eyed boy I’d ever seen. I was suddenly very grateful that I wasn’t sporting my siren-red employee tee shirt and — even better — that I’d dressed up that day.

I don’t even remember if I introduced myself. He started installing a network card in a student’s computer, making witty banter about the lack of tools in the office and using a piece of scrap metal as a screwdriver. Honestly, he could’ve been talking about crop trends in Iowa or the ratio of WWI to WWII documentaries on cable television — I just couldn’t believe he was talking to me.

That night, he looked up my instant messenger username on the office computer and messaged me the following day. I worked the computer lab on Saturdays, and he met me at the end of my shift so we could grab something for dinner. In the car, he mercilessly made fun of my Sarah McLachlan albums and my “impressive” collection of mix CDs. Outside the car, he teased me about the window stickers on my red 1996 Dodge Neon. In his apartment, he was appalled that I’d never seen half of the movies in his collection. After a quick screening, I headed back to my dorm. I was pretty sure I’d just landed myself in the friend zone.

On Sunday morning, I was on my way back from church when he called me. We went to the mall, had dinner, and watched Jerry Maguire with Ryan & Sarah. In the middle of the movie, he finally held my hand. After the movie, he kissed me goodnight on his front step. His hand was perfect, the kiss was perfect, and I was crazy about him.

Then came the 48 hours of silence. The dreadful, painful silence. I was beside myself. Why hasn’t he called? Has some other girl swooped in already, with her indie CD collection and unadorned silver Toyota Celica and impeccable movie taste? No, no — I was doing the panic-that-he-thinks-you’re-ugly girl thing and he was doing the don’t-seem-over-eager guy thing. By the end of the week, we were practically inseparable.

The rest is history. We’ve had our ups and downs, our trials and blessings, but we’ve grown in amazing ways as individuals and as a couple over the last seven years.

Josh proposed on my birthday, January 5, in a beachfront suite at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. If you’ve been there, you know that it’s idyllic and lovely, even on a rainy weekend in January. There were hundreds of rose petals, candles, a bottle of wine from my favorite winery (Penfolds), and the most perfect ring I can imagine. I picked out the ring several years ago when my roommates and I were ring-browsing, and Josh had it custom-made for me even though they discontinued the design long ago. They say that you want your engagement ring to say something about who you are as a person. I can only hope to live up to the characteristics of my ring — timeless, elegant, delicate, unique and feminine.

Josh is my best friend, my partner in crime, my complement, my encourager, my confidant — the person who makes me want to be better. I love his generosity, his sense of adventure, his dedication, his brilliance, his unyielding fairness, his deliberate tenderness, his selflessness. My gentle, sensitive heart needed a defender; my passionate, perfectionistic intensity needed a moderator; my independent spirit needed a companion — and God provided all of these things in Josh.

The Story According to Josh

I had just embarked on my second year at Azusa Pacific University. The rubble of the World Trade Center was still warm, and nobody was certain what the future would bring. My new roommate Ryan had convinced me to join the RezNet team on campus where he had already worked during the previous school year. As I accompanied him into the student computing center on my first day of work, I immediately noticed the cute girl on duty behind the desk. A techie hottie — what luck! I would soon come to learn that she was not like any other girl I had ever met, or would ever meet.

Trying to conceal my nerves, I casually invited her to come watch a movie with us at our place — and to my surprise she accepted. After that I just kept inviting her to do things, and she continued to come. On October 5th we agreed to date, and since then we have shared a special bond that has seen us through difficult times and circumstances.

Six years later the proposal was all planned out. The room was booked, the Penfolds and rose pedals had arrived on-time, the candles were purchased, the presents were wrapped, and I was ready to head down to San Diego ahead of Allie’s arrival in order to set everything up. Just one problem: the custom-made ring was running late, but my sales associates assured me that it was being rush delivered to their store that day. My heart sank as I learned that they had accidentally delivered it to the wrong store. The time I needed to leave had already come and gone, but I continued to wait while they rushed it over by car.

By the time it got to the store and the jeweler got the center stone mounted, it looked like I would probably not even make it to the airport in time for Allie’s arrival — much less set everything up — but I hurriedly started my trek down interstate 5. Meanwhile, I anxiously awaited Allie’s father to return my call so that I could get the family’s blessing. I had waited to ask them until that day because I knew it would be difficult for them to hide it from Allie if they knew my plans. She’s perceptive like that. Thankfully we were able to talk, and I barely made it to the airport in time for Allie’s arrival.

After improvising a little and sending her off to wander around the grounds of the Hotel del Coronado and take pictures, I quickly arranged the room. Of course she knew something was going on at this point, but there was no way to know whether it was just a birthday surprise — which I had planned to coincide with. As the clock hit midnight and Allie and finished opening her birthday presents, I inconspicuously got the ring out of my pocket, got down on one knee, and asked her if she would marry me. My heart skipped a beat and she squeaked out “yes” as she started to cry.

I am grateful for everything we have in common that makes life easier and more fun to share. I love her organization and attention to detail coupled with deep empathy and thoughtfulness, as well as her unflinching loyalty, her seemingly effortless intelligence, and her love for the Lord, family, and friends. Allie is my unicorn — the most rare combination of traits that makes her my perfect complement.