How We Got Engaged:

December 25, 2003 is one day that I will never forget! I invited Joey to spend Christmas eve and Christmas Day with my family since he just moved into his apartment in Roswell, Ga., and he also had to work Christmas Eve and his home in Mississippi is 5 hours away. He arrived earlier than I was expecting because he told me he left Atlanta at 4:00 p.m., but he had been planning his 'Surprise' arrival-- which was supposed to just be my Christmas present... My brother, Matt, had the pleasure of distracting me so we went to the mall so I could buy his Christmas present. I kind of thought something was up because he made several non-discreet phone calls to our house asking in code words if the 'GOOSE HAD LANDED?' We arrived back at our house in Charlotte and his truck was already there, but I thought he wasn't going to be here until 8:00 p.m., so I kind of freaked out and turned to ask Matt if he knew whether or not I was getting engaged and he replied with the typical answer 'How the hell would I know?' So we ate dinner and went to midnight Christmas Eve service. Christmas morning rolls around and everyone got up and did the usual eating and opening presents. After if was over, Joey went outside to let his dogs out and my mom and I cleaned up all the boxes and wrapping paper. Joey came back in with a present for me. So I saw him walking towards me, and I told him he was a sneaky little devil! I opened the present and inside the box was a single red rose with a hand written poem that said: 'A single rose for the one I love and the only one for me. Turn and look to see the one who loves you down on one knee.' So naturally, I turned around and lo and behold there was a white box and Joey was on one knee in my family room with my Mom, Dad and brother right there behind him asking me to marry him. The proposal happend around noon on Christmas Day, I would include more details about what he said to me, but I was so overwhelmed and shocked I have no idea what he said and all I know is I said 'Yes,' and Joey is now my fiance!

How We Met:

Joey and I met on August 6, 2001, at Buffalo's in Auburn. We both went out to celebrate Suzanne Reisinger's and Emily Powell's (Mitchell) graduation. I wish I could say it was love at first sight, but originally we didn't exactly hit it off. Our group decided to head to Bourbon Street Bar and when we got there Joey decided to start a bar tab with a check. I was next to him at the bar and I made the comment 'You're starting a tab with a check?' and he replied, 'Yeah, you got a problem with that?' So I walked away and joined Suzanne and these two other guys in a pool game. Joey came over and watched and we would chat between shots. After several games of pool, he asked me to dance,and I told him I would after we finished this last game of pool. He grew tired of waiting, and he told me that he was going to go dance without me. After the game was over I went and found him,and I asked him if he still wanted to dance. We danced to two songs and by that time the bar was beginning to close so Joey followed me to my house to make sure I got home okay. We sat in my driveway and talked for 2-3 more hours. Eventually I had to go inside because I had to get up and drive Suzanne to the Atlanta airport in the morning. The following day he called me from the firestation and I went down to see him at work. (My street is across from Station 1) We talked for several hours and by the end of the night we shared our first kiss. We met on August 6, 2001 and we have been together ever since!