Brenna Without Borders

I was going to Pittsburgh for work. My day job of working for a third-party exhibit house has been a mess since the pandemic began. We have had so much turnover and change so, I was appreciative when they decided to let me be fully remote. This allowed me to move to Savannah and be closer to Garrett. That being said, I had promised to visit the office on occasion.

I flew to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, November 16th. My anxiety about flying is still very real. Candy crush and The We Can Do Hard Things Podcast by Glennon Doyle are what have been making flying a bit more tolerable.

I stayed downtown so I could get to work first thing in the morning, promising my parents I would be with them the whole weekend. I have been missing my friends like crazy, so I scheduled lunches and dinners with all of them – one for almost every day I was in town.

For some reason unknown to me, Garrett insisted on coming up to Pittsburgh for the weekend to be with me. I truly didn’t understand. I found it adorable that he wanted to visit Pittsburgh with me and see my family, but I proceeded to tell him, that I was just going to work. In all honesty, I was feeling overwhelmed at the idea of working full days, seeing all my friends, spending quality time with my family, AND doing fun Pittsburghy things with Garrett.

In the end, he insisted and flew into the Pittsburgh International Airport on Thursday, November 18th at 5:30 pm. He picked me up from work and we went to one last friend’s house, before heading back to my parents for the night.

We spent Friday, November 19th night at Phipps Conservatory walking through the holiday flower displays with my best friend and her boyfriend. Phipps was our 5th date back in 2019 when we had first started dating. On that same night, I met his friends and he met mine. I was feeling nostalgic and grateful as we walked and admired the lights and crazy floral arrangements.

Saturday, November 20th started as any other day in Pittsburgh would. Garrett and I had coffee with my parents and then my mom and I headed out for some early Black Friday shopping. My mom and I chatted as we always did. She told me about her 3rd grade class and the bathroom remodel. I told her about my crazy work drama and what life in Savannah is like. She expressed to me that she and my dad were supposed to be going out to dinner with their friends that night. She said she was tired and just really thinks she should stay home. I told her something like “Go! You will have fun! and then since they are such early birds, come meet Garrett and me at Light up Night downtown”. to which my mother, who hates downtown Pittsburgh, laughed and said no.

We continued to chat and I told her that I just didn’t understand why Garrett insisted on coming on this trip with me. Jokingly I said, “I have to be nice though, because what if he proposes”.

My mom smiled. “Do you think he’s going to?”

“No way.” I laughed. “I don’t think it’s going to happen for a while.”

And that was that.

As I mentioned, Garrett and I were going to Light Up Night in the city. Light Up Night was our first date; the first time we ever met face to face in 2019 after connecting on a dating app. I met him at Bar Louie for a drink and then we walked all around the city looking at the lights and waiting for the fireworks.

This time, I bundled up, put on practical shoes, (more practical than the chunky heeled booties I wore on our first date), and was ready to go! Excited to go! I love Light up Night in the city. It’s pure Christmas magic!

We drove down, parked in the North Side, and walked over the bridge into the city. People were gathered around the main stage listening to whatever band was playing. Garrett and I started to tour around to see all the excitement the city had going on this year.

There was the music of course, food trucks, and Christmas trees on every corner. A street with a variety of inflatable dinosaurs, that made my laugh. My favorite was the giant Coca-Cola truck all lit up with Santa’s workshop in front. A line of children and their parents formed down the block, waiting patiently for the chance to get a picture taken.

We continued our walk, right down to the Point of the city. There stands a very large red and green Christmas tree that can be seen from all sides. We took pictures and appreciated how pretty is was for a bit. Then we continued our walk.

We walked down towards the main stage again and decided we needed to warm up with some cocoa. But all the food trucks were selling out as fast as we could get in line. Finally, we successfully secured some average-definitely Swiss Miss hot chocolate and a heater to stand by.

We watched as the American Authors took the stage. Light Up Night is known for finding those bands that were really popular for a hot minute, but then we all forgot about them for a few years. I didn’t know the first two songs, but when they got to song #3….. “wooooooh, wooooooh, This is going to be the best day of my lifeeeee” almost every person around me was bobbing their head and singing.

It made me smile to see so many people out, enjoying the world again. I song we had all forgotten how much we loved at one time, playing live. Bopping along. Sipping hot chocolate and the love of my life standing next to me. This was a moment that made me very happy.

After the song was over, I knew I wouldn’t know any more of their songs and asked Garrett if we could go find a place for the fireworks. Without a beat, he said, “sure I was thinking we would watch them from the same place we watched them on our first date”.

I know what you’re thinking – “how did you not see this coming?!”. Listen, Garrett is incredibly sedimental, his thinking about our first date and wanting to create a new memory in the same spot, is not shocking at all.

Okay so anyways. We get across the bridge and notice that the police aren’t letting anyone down to the riverfront trail. Which is where we were trying to go. We begin to walk away from the city, around the stadium. I make the casual suggestion that we can just watch the fireworks from somewhere different his year.

He responds “No- we will find another way down.”

At this point, we have made it around the stadium and are heading back to the riverfront trail, just further away from the police. We walk around a barricade and continue down to the river. We find the same railing we leaned against two years ago as strangers. This time Garrett wraps his arms around me as we wait for the fireworks.

We talk about the buildings, the city, and how much we love it. Then he says he loves me. But not just once, three times. Every time I reply “I love you too”. I feel some tension in his arms and hear it in his voice.

And then I hear it. The soft strumming of a guitar. That’s weird. I’m still facing the city, but I know it’s coming from behind me. Garrett is still holding me. The guitar gets louder. “I know that song,” I think.

The man with the guitar starts to sing. But not just any song. Our song: Blessings by Florida Georgia Line. The song I told Garrett was “our song” because when I first heard it, I knew it was written for us. It mentions a Jeep (which we both drive), the moon ( I love the moon), and building a life with the person you love.

As the man sang, Garrett started to talk to me.

“I was nervous on our first date and I’m nervous again tonight.” At this point, he turned me around. “I love you so much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He got down on his knee and he asked, “Will you marry me?”

It’s hard to remember what happened next. But I believe my first response was “Are you serious?” and then I followed up with “Yes, of course!”

Our personal troubadour, as I’m calling him, finished the song and a few strangers in the darkness clapped.

Out of nowhere, my best friend comes out of the darkness holding a camera and cheering. I am still in shock, I hug her and show her the ring. She tells us she wants to take more pictures and positions us with the city in the background.

She took several pictures. Too many before I noticed that the crowd of people standing behind her were not strangers.

My parents. Garrett’s parents. my cousin. His cousins. All those freaking friends I had worked so hard to see all week long. They were all there.

It was unbelievable.

My mom, who said she had dinner plans. My best friend, who told me she was doing Thanksgiving with her boyfriend’s family. Garrett’s cousin, who does not live in Pittsburgh and I was texting earlier that day! My friend from my first job. My friend and coworker from my last job who just had a baby.

After I cried and hugged everyone at least once, the fireworks started.

I’m going to be honest. I did not watch the fireworks. or maybe I did. I can’t really remember, I was so overwhelmed with love and happiness.

As the fireworks concluded, I finally got to ask my questions. “How did he get your numbers?” “Did you all lie to me?” “what are you doing here?” “Did you really all know? For how long?”

We walked up from the river to Bar Louie where more friends were waiting and a celebration took place.

Garrett blew me away with his proposal. Not only was there one surprise after another, it was so personalized and special to us as a couple. He is the man I have always hoped for and saying yes to him, (once I knew he was serious) was the easiest thing I’ve ever done!