Anna | Justin {Christmas Engagements}

Hello Everyone!

We met up with Anna and Justin last Saturday and they were PREPARED! Lance and I are both planners to the MAX when it comes to things we are both passionate about, and that's what we loved about Anna and Justin. They had everything you could think of to have a perfect "Christmas Themed" e-shoot, and it was just that. Perfect.

We really enjoyed getting to know Anna and Justin, and we had so much fun trekking through Yell County with them. :P

We typically ask each couple when we can to write up their love story. As you know, I'm a sucker for a good love story, and I LOVED Anna and Justin's take on theirs. So sit back and relax, and feel all gooshy for a couple of minutes. (You know you want to, haha)

Truth is, I had a crush on Justin for years before we started dating. I am pretty sure he didn't even know I existed. I had watched him from afar, but I never said anything. I mean he was handsome and funny, but way out of my league. My junior year of prom I went with a friend that happened to be Justin's best friend. We actually went to Justin's house to take pictures with him and his date. I guess it is okay now to admit how I could not stop staring or thinking about him that entire night. Over the summer a lot changed. I changed. I lost about 60 pounds and gained self confidence. Justin had graduated and was attending college in Clarksville but still lived in Paris. Now when I say I went to maybe 5 football games my entire high school career, that would be stretching it. However, it just so happened that I went to this game and Justin was there about two seats behind me. I was with my best-friend Sara and I remember working up to courage to go talk to him. When I finally went over and sat by him (with Sara as backup) he talked to me for a whole sum of maybe ten minutes. Then he pulled this whole, “I'm going to go study for a test” line. He did make me give him a hug before he left though, so I felt as if I made progress. A few days later I saw that Justin had posted a status on Facebook. Since I had possibly been stalking his profile I knew this didn't happen often so I needed to jump on this opportunity. His status was some movie quote that I had no idea about, but did that stop me? No. I commented on it, and it ended up with him getting my phone number and texting me. We talked for a couple days and then he started picking me up from school and taking me home. We went on our first date (my first date ever) to a football game and dinner. At dinner Justin ate a salad, because he claimed his mom made him eat before he left his house. Justin was my first real boyfriend, and I had no idea that one day I would be marrying him. -Anna

The truth is I didn't really know Anna. I mean we both went to the same school and my best friend took her to prom my senior year. We took pictures before prom and I do remember taking picture where me and Coop ( my best friend) switched places so I was standing behind Anna. As the year went on, I graduated high school and got accepted to play tennis for U of O in Clarksville. I still lived at home and just drove back and forth to school. At one of our matches I got hurt and had to be put on crutches. One Friday night me and a couple of friends decided to go to the football game. I was standing up in the stands with my crutches of course and then Anna came and stood by me. I thought she was beautiful, she had changed a lot. As the game went on, me and my friends said we were going to “study” (actually we were going to play x box.) As I was leaving I asked Anna for a hug. She looked at me like I was crazy. Couple days later I had made a facebok status about movie I had seen. Anna commented on it and we went back and forth for a while and then I finally sent her a message with my number. Then we started texting back and forth. I used to race to Paris after my class just to make sure I would be in time to pick her up from school. - Justin

Our Proposal Story: 

Honestly I had no idea what Justin was getting me for my birthday, and that was killing me. I had done everything I could think of but he wasn't budging. It was Tuesday, July 3^rd. We were having our Wednesday night church service that night due to the holiday on our usual night. I went straight from work to the church and right to the platform. I am the praise and worship leader, and that meant I would be in front of everyone. I did not have a bottle of water so I was signaling for Justin to go get one for me, yet he was oblivious. I was starting to get really mad at him. He finally caught on and brought me a cup of water after I was done. I was so preoccupied with my water that I hadn't noticed my dad had handed Justin the microphone and that everyone was staring. When I did realize this, I had no idea what was going on and almost choked. Then he got down on one knee and asked if I would marry him. I was absolutely speechless! In my mind I was processing it all and trying to believe this was actually happening. Well, the fact that I hadn't answered had the room silent, then I heard someone say “Yes!” Turns out that it was me! It was the best birthday gift I had ever been given. I knew that God had made this man just for me. It is now six months until our big day, and I am still trying to tell myself this is real. -Anna

It all started with Anna's dad and I working out one afternoon. When I asked if I could ask him something and he said go ahead. So I asked him if I could ask Anna to marry me. He said yes I could, so later that week my mom and I went to Zales. When we were looking at rings I had one that I had looked at online, but when we got to the store I didn't like it as much. Then my mom and  I both, at same time, picked the ring that was the one! I knew Anna would do everything she could to find her birthday gift because she hates surprises, so I hid it in the ceiling at her parent's house.  For over a week she did everything trying to find it (the only reason she didn't was because she couldn't reach it). Then it was finally time. I had carried the ring around in my pocket all day waiting for that night. Anna was the worship leader at church so I decided that I would propose to her right when she got done singing. I was extremely nervous and I couldn't even look at her when she got there. I had my family come to this service (pretending to be there for her birthday), and I arranged for a hidden photographer. When Anna was done singing I got the mic from her dad and started giving this long speech about how much she meant to me and the many reasons why I love her, but typical Anna didn't hear a word of it. She was paying no attention to the fact that I was talking to her. I knew I had to act quick so when I finally had her attention I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me, and she said... NOTHING. She stared at me like I was crazy in complete silence. Just when I was about to panic, she finally said yes! We hugged and of course when I tried to kiss her, she punched me. I am thankful that God has given me not just someone to go with me throughout my life, but someone to live it with me to its fullest. -Justin

*cue collective sigh* :) 

I love it when both parties of the relationship are in on it 100%, and that is DEFINITELY the case with these two high school sweethearts.

Now time for some tree trimin', hot chocolate sippin', tree climin' fun!!!!! 

Happy, happy Saturday!

and after a session like that, I just have to say MERRY CHRISTMAS!