Engagement Stories: Heidi & Scott
This month's Engagement Story could, quite literally, be the plot of a great novel. Meeting at aviation camp and falling in love amidst survival activities and boot polishing, finding out they loved each other enough to tackle dating long distance...it is the story dreams are made of! Everyone: meet Heidi and Scott!
How did you first meet?
Our origins story began at a summer camp. (Yes, we're those people.) We met at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL, in the summer of 2011. We were counselors at Aviation Challenge, a kids military aviation camp. I was part of the new training class and Scott was a second summer veteran. He was, therefore, also one of the trainers. His role in training my class was to be the harsh, tough trainer that pushed us to our limits (think of a good cop/bad cop scenario). This went on for two weeks. But, it must have not had the effect on me that it was supposed to, because we eventually started hanging out. Being able to discover the person underneath that stern, military counselor was one of the best experiences of my life. Our first conversation was outside work, and started with a simple side comment about something we had in common. That conversation lasted four hours.
During the next two months we became close friends. We didn't actually see each other often at work, but when we did, it was usually while one or both of us was teaching land or water survival, or drilling kids into formation, or overseeing a night operation in the woods. He's the one who taught me to properly polish combat boots, and apply camouflage face paint. We're hard core romantics.
What did you do on your first date?
We went to a nice dinner, and after seeing each other in BDUs and Space and Rocket Center polos all summer, it was odd to see each other dressed in "normal" clothes. Like a dress. It was awkward, being so formal, but luckily after dinner on our way to a promising sunset, Scott got a call from work asking if he could stop at Dick's Sporting Goods and pick up some CO2 tanks for the next camper paintball session. That's when we learned that formal dates weren't our thing, and that we could still talk as best friends. So, we threw formality out the window.
When did you know they were the one?
I don't think either of us had a 'moment' when we knew the other person was the 'one.' A few weeks after we decided to start dating the summer ended, and we spent the majority of the next three years in a long distance relationship. It was hard work, but both of us preferred it to the alternative of not being together at all, and eventually we started talking about long-term plans.
How did he propose?
We were in gym shorts and t-shirts, and hanging out in a hammock in the middle of the night. There was supposed to be a spectacular meteor shower. But there wasn't, at least not where we were. Poor Scott had to wait for forever until we finally saw a shooting star, and he could tell me to close my eyes and make a wish. Luckily that summer there was an abundance of fireflies, and watching them twinkle across the few acres of open land made up for the lacking meteor shower.
What are some things you enjoy doing together?
We enjoy climbing, road trips, watching Netflix, playing Battlefront, watching me attempt to not destroy the kitchen while cooking...we don't have to dress up so much anymore, and we go to the gym a lot together.
What is your favorite thing about him?
There are so many adjectives I could list here, and none of them would do him justice. He's everything and more that I could want in a husband and best friend.
Do you want me to tell your Engagement Story here on the blog? Leave a comment below! Check out other Engagement Stories like this one here.
With love,
Whitney
