"Anybody who knows me, knows that I am big on family (with a conveniently large family at that). So, when my maid of honor and little sister, Emily, was a freshman at Oakland University with me, we joined right along with my friends. The TKE formal was coming up and I already had a date. But, she HAD TO GO TOO and everyone already had dates. Fate was on my side— I ran into Trevor sitting in the “TKE corner” at the Oakland Center. I had a plan... but, if you know Trevor, you know he doesn't sugar coat anything and he's not trying to impress anybody. He answered in typical grouchy Trevor fashion, "No. I don't want to drink. I hate parties. I'm not going." However, it took much less persuasion than I expected to have him crammed into a carpool drive to Frankenmuth not even 2 hours later for me…. I mean Emily... That night was filled with a late-night, barefoot trip to 7-11 and a whole lot of talking and laughing. We've talked every single day since, even if he was running late at 12:15am in the P18 parking lot (Sorry MIL), driving like a mad man cross-country (@ groomsman Jacob Sharpe), or thousands of miles away, racking up an impressive phone bill while I was studying abroad. In each of these over 2,000 days, I am constantly reminded of Trevor's same selfless and generous love. I am continually lucky to marrying this stubborn (but not for me) old soul."

So there I was on my OWN birthday, standing at the counter of the jeweler, waiting to see the ring. I’d spent about a month going back and forth trying to nail down the perfect design and was excited to see all the hard work pay off. But, just as he’s walking out there’s a ring, and not one that I was expecting. It was the ring of the door opening… ELAINA’s MOM(?) She didn’t see me at first, so I tried to stay as low key as possible. But, just as I thought she was finishing up and I began breathing a little more easy, I heard “TREVORRRRR?!” I slowly turned around….”Ohhhhh heyyyy, Mrs. Brower!” She squealed, “OHMYGOSH, are you getting a ring?” Then asked if they can see it. So, all three of us were standing there in awe, admiring the hard work. But, all I could think about was how I hadn’t even asked for Elaina’s parents blessing. Flash forward to a few days later and the most stressful day of my life — asking for her parents’ blessing. I’ve already spent the majority of day pacing around my house and talking with my mom about if they say no. She keeps saying, “YOU’LL BE FINE. Just go, just go. They like you, I know they’ll say yes.” But, what if they don’t?! I call Emily (MOH) on the drive over to make sure that both of her parents are there. But, when I walk in the house, it’s dead silent. I call out, “Hey is anybody here?” And hear Mr. Brower respond, “Oh hey buddy! We’re back here.” I nervously walk to the back room and say that I have a very important question that I want to ask them. I say how much I love Elaina and how I’d love to have their blessing to propose. Mrs. Brower cries, “YES YES, WE LOVE YOU, YES! Of course you have our blessing.” Mr. Brower stands up and says with a hug, “Absolutely, buddy!” In all of the commotion and happy tears, Emily peaks her head around the corner too, saying “Can I be apart of this?” Shortly followed by, “WHERE’S THE RING?!” Mrs. Brower laughs because she already knows it’s perfect.