Valentine's Tales: Mandi and Brad Spanier

My husband, Brad Spanier, and I met in December of 2003. We were both in 10th grade. We were in some classes together, and he used to always make these paper footballs and flick them at me and around the room while I was trying to read. I remember I would always grab them if they were by me and crumple them up and throw them away. It never deterred him, he just made more.

Months later I finally decided I liked him enough, but I was too scared to ask him out. We had a mutual friend, and I asked him if he would ask Brad if he would go out with me. So he did at lunch that day, and Brad said yes. Two and a half years later he asked me to marry him on my deck. Here’s where it’s funny, and I never let him live it down.

We had just picked out the ring I wanted at Walmart, and he was bringing me home. I was hoping and or thinking he would ask me soon and told him goodnight and that I loved him. I climbed out of the car and he said, “Well, do you want your ring?” I turned and looked at him wide eyes and said, “Well, not if you aren’t gonna ask me to  marry you.” And shut the door. 

He got out and busted out laughing, looked me dead in the eyes while giggling and asked, “Will you marry me.” I was angry he didn’t even get on his knee.

Flash forward 15 years and he re-proposed to me with a new ring since mine broke about five years prior to this. He planned this whole thing, and our kids and his parents were in on it. It was our 15-year anniversary. Unfortunately, we had a major snow storm in Minnesota, and we couldn’t made it north to the festival of lights in Duluth. So instead he took us south to a Texas Roadhouse, and he got down on his knee and re-proposed to me saying he knew he didn’t do it right the first time but wanted to make it better this time. It wasn’t where he wanted, but I was so surprised and loved that he made the effort. 

We were married, graduated and had a baby all in 2006. Next year, we will celebrate 20 years married and 23 years together.