Nakita Grinie

Growing up, I was never a fan of Valentine's Day.
{This probably had to do with the fact that I never had a boyfriend when Valentine's Day rolled around}I had a couple boyfriends before I dated Kevin, but we had either broken up before Valentine's Day or didn't start dating until after Valentine's Day.

Kevin and I started officially dating in September 2001.
We had been hanging out all summer (I had graduated from college in May 2001)
We both grew up in the same town, but he was a few years older.
We went to the same high school & same youth group, but because he was older we didn't know each other. He actually was friends with my older sister & they went to the same college.
When I was in high school Kevin was a camp counselor at the houseboating camp our youth group went to every summer. (He was never my camp counselor). One of my best friends (Sue) and I would always pull pranks on Kevin's best friend Brian. During the summer of 1995, I developed a crush on Kevin & told Sue that I was going to marry Kevin one day.
Little did I know that would actually happen!

But, from the summer of 1995 until the summer of 2001, Kevin and I's path didn't cross.
He was at college & then I went off to college in Colorado.
I saw him briefly one night during Christmas break of 1998 when my older sister had a game night at my parents house.
I always thought Kevin didn't like me because let's face it, I'm loud, have a lot of energy & I talk a lot. And, the fact that I pulled a bunch of pranks on his best friend didn't help my cause.

Fast forward to July of 2001. I had just broken up with a guy I dated my last few months of college. Kevin's girlfriend of 3.5 years had broken up with him (on his birthday!)
I graduated from college in May & was home for the summer.
I had plans to move back to Colorado in the fall & do an internship with a youth group at a church in Boulder that I had volunteered with.
That summer of 2001 was life changing to say the least.
Our friends Reid & Kelly were getting married & Kevin was the best man. None of my friends were home that summer, they were either traveling or still at college. So, I just started hanging out with Reid, Kelly, Kevin & Elyse.
Kevin & I developed a great friendship that summer. We had SO much in common, we just clicked. I had NO intention of dating him because he was and I quote "damaged goods".
We started going on runs after work that summer. We would run for 1.5-2 hours and just talk.
I started getting feelings for him but was weary because I was moving back to Colorado...or so I thought. The assistant youth director job at our church opened up & I decided to apply. I had to let the church in Colorado know that they might need to find another intern & if it was okay with them if I applied for this full time job. With their blessing, I applied. And, I got it. (I worked there for 2 years (and got my California teaching credential simultaneously and then started teaching Middle School math in 2004.)
So, now that I was staying in California, Kevin and I had a DTR (define the relationship) on 9.9.01
The talk needed to happen since we hung out ALL the time. The DTR went well and we were dating. Our relationship progressed quickly & by December we were talking marriage. I was 22 & he was 26, but we both just "knew".

In January, Kevin started house hunting & wanted to buy a condo. He would take me along to look at the houses he was looking at to make sure I liked them & that I approved. The first week of February 2002, I was in a college friend's wedding in Colorado and Kevin came with me to meet all my college friends. We went for a week & the last day of our trip, he told me, "Wow. I haven't gotten sick of you yet". I told him I hadn't gotten sick of him either. Haha!

Little did I know, the day after we got back from Colorado, Kevin went ring shopping.
We also looked at a few more condos. The week of Valentine's Day was approaching. On Monday the 11th, Kevin put an offer on a condo. On Wednesday, they counter-offered him & then he counter offered later that night.
Thursday was Valentine's Day. Both Kevin and I were not big fans of Valentine's Day.
(side note: I was NOT expecting a ring for Valentine's Day)
We made simple plans to go to dinner at a local Italian place.
We made it clear that we wouldn't give presents on Valentine's Day. We exchanged cards.
It was simple. Just like us.

The next day, February 15th was a normal Friday. We had plans to head up to Tahoe for President's Day weekend with Brian & Angie & Kevin's sister and her family. We weren't leaving until Friday night after work. Kevin called me that afternoon & said he was getting off work early & that we should go on a run before we head up to Tahoe. I thought nothing of it because we usually went running 3-4 times a week after work.
I was living at my parents house, so he met me there at 3:30. We went on one of our normal routes, but then Kevin suggested we go "off trail" and run up in the hills.

We got to the top of the hill & it overlooked the entire valley that we live in. It was beautiful, all the hills were green. I told Kevin that we are so lucky to live in such a beautiful area.
At that moment, he got down on his knee (I thought he was tying his shoe)
Then he grabbed my hand & looked at me all serious.
I thought he was joking. I pulled my hand away & told him to stop joking around.
He grabbed my hand again & told me he was serious.
I was SHOCKED. He told me a bunch of nice stuff (I wasn't listening because I was just in shock that he was proposing. And he was proposing while we were on a run!
The whole time he was talking I kept wondering where the ring was. haha!
Finally, he pulled it out of his pocket. (He sewed the ring into his so it didn't fall out when he was running. Apparently, he sewed it a little too well & had a hard time ripping it out of his pocket!)
Of course I said yes & was shaking! We ran straight back to my parents house & my little sister Rebecca was there. Boy was she shocked when she saw the ring!
15 minutes after we got back to my parent's house, Kevin's cell phone rang. The offer on the house was accepted. So, not only did we get engaged, but we bought a house!
(I didn't move in until AFTER we were married)
February 15th is a special day for us!
Since we didn't have a camera took take a picture on our run (and we were both sweaty & in running gear), we went back a week later to take a picture of the spot where we got engaged (in normal clothes):
And, 6 months later on August 24, 2002, we were married!

(More wedding pictures on THIS post)

People always think it is funny that we got engaged the day AFTER Valentine's Day.
I think it is awesome!
So, every year, we DON'T celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14th.
Instead, we celebrate on February 15th & go out to dinner then because this day has more meaning to us!
And, you NEVER have to make a reservation for dinner on February 15th, restaurants are always pretty empty the day after Valentine's Day.
No pre-fix menu, no increased dinner prices, no crowds.
I think Kevin is a GENIUS for proposing on February 15th.
Happy Un-Valentine's Day, Kevin.
I love you & I am so glad I said "yes" to you 8 years ago!