Jess and Jeremy

As the time got closer, I started getting filled in on the details of the trip. We were going to have some meetings Friday when I got in and then dinner Friday night with the CareerBuilder team and a Bulls game was slated for Saturday. I was kind-of bummed honestly because it sounded like there was going to be a lot of down time and I wanted Jeremy to come with me! I've never been to Chicago and it was somewhere that we had talked about going together. But - its a new job and I didn't know how that would look to bring my boyfriend along, so I didn't push it.

Friday rolled around and I was scheduled to fly out of Salt Lake at 10:00. Dan was originally on the same flight out as I was but Thursday morning told me that his wife had decided to join him in Chicago, so he would be taking a different flight with her and getting in a few hours later. So, alone I took my flight, arrived in Chicago around 2 and jumped in a cab to my hotel (the Hard Rock). As I arrived at the hotel and checked into my beautiful corner room with a magnificent view, I was immediately disappointed that I would be spending the next two nights in this place alone :( But, I quickly decided to seize the time I had before work would begin and I hit the streets for some shopping!

As time for dinner was getting closer, I headed back to the hotel. I got a few text messages from Dan saying that he had just landed and would just meet me at the restaurant. He told me that it was in the Trump tower just a few blocks from our hotel and it was at a place called Sixteen. I got ready, called Jeremy to see how things were here in Utah and headed over to the hotel. As I was walking into the hotel, I was immediately hit with a feeling of being severely under dressed. I was in my power suit, all set for some big negotiations in this meeting, but was met by women in outfits embellished with sequins and more fur than I have ever seen.

I headed upstairs to the sixteenth floor and checked in with the hostess. I let her know that I was there to meet Mike or Dan. They asked for last names, which I couldn't remember and then she suddenly said, "Oh, are you with Careerbuilder??" as their faces lit up with recognition. I said yes and they told me that I was the first to arrive, so I could have a seat at the bar while they got our table ready. I would have killed for a drink at that point. The uncomfortable feeling that started when I walked in the front door had multiplied as I sat at the bar of this beautiful restaurant waiting for my boss and some guy I had never met before. But, it was a business meeting after all, so I opted for water and proceeded to wait.

In a few minutes, the hostess came to get me and let me know that the table was ready. She led me to a table placed by the window with the most amazing view. There were a couple of fabulous buildings just outside and the city scene in the background. It was honestly somewhat breathtaking. I sat down and in an attempt to not look so alone, I pulled out my phone and started texting Danyelle. I was actually making some smart remark about how ridiculous I felt when the hostess approached the table and pulled out the chair across from me. I assumed this meant that one of the guys had arrived so I turned around to see and instead of seeing my boss or the Careerbuilder rep, instead, I was looking square into the eyes of my amazing Jeremy!!

I'm fairly certain that my jaw dropped as my mind raced 100 miles an hour trying to figure out what exactly was going on. I remember that my first thought was "Am I dreaming this?" I tend to have pretty vivid dreams and have gotten pretty good at asking myself that question when things start to turn a bit unreal. However, lucky for me, it wasn't a dream this time. As realization set in, I liken it to the movie "The Sixth Sense" when you find out that the guy was dead all along and the movie flashes back to all of the scenes where you should have realized that was what was going on but didn't have a clue at the time! The shock was pretty apparent on my face, from what I'm told and I couldn't speak. Jeremy grabbed my hand and told me that he loved me more than anything in the world and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me! He got down on one knee, opened this beautiful little box, and asked me to marry him! Unfortunately, my body and vocal cords were still frozen and I just stared at him for a few moments. The look on his face changed to worry and then I quickly realized that I hadn't answered him! I said, "YES, of course YES!". He stood up and hugged me and the crowd went wild :)

It was such a surreal moment. He gave me the most amazing diamond (in a solitaire so that I could pick out the setting I loved) and the next few hours are a blur of elation and overwhelming happiness. We laughed about the involvement of everyone in my office for this elaborate plan and about how perfectly executed it had been. Jeremy loves to prank me and although I typically don't admit it to him, I usually have some inclination when something is going on. I honestly can't remember a time where I didn't at least have the thought cross my mind of what was really happening.....other than this one!

The setting was perfect! The restaurant showered us with amazing champagne, complimentary desserts and delicacies, and everyone seemed completely excited for us. Several couples who were dining in the restaurant approached us to offer their congratulations and to pat Jeremy on the back for a job well done. They told us how they had been married for 40 and 50 years and gave us their advice and well wishes on a life full of the same.