We're engaged! [And here's the story.]

I've only repeated this story maybe one hundred times already in the past week, so I figured it would be easier just to put it in one place. When people ask to hear it in the future, I can just hand them my business card and say, "look at my blog." Now that's some effective marketing right there. ;)

This past Monday was our anniversary, and Christian had planned for us to celebrate all weekend long. He was adamant that we should make it a special day: "Let's do something Saturday, and have lunch Sunday, and do stuff all day Monday, and..."

Let me explain something about Christian: he is all about the spur of the moment. This kid does not plan things. I'm the planner of the two of us. So naturally, my interest was peaked and I was a little suspicious. Why did he want to do so much stuff? I thought maybe he was planting red herrings so I would be surprised when he decided to propose. What can I say, I'm a quick one.

So Friday and Saturday passed, with no proposal. I was a little tired of the emotional roller coaster ("Is this it???? Oh...no. Is THIS it???? Nope.), so by the time Sunday morning came, I was doing my best to put it out of my mind and never think about it again. I had a long day planned for Sunday: I was singing and playing in church until 12:30 and then (so I thought) leaving for a friend's bridal shower at 1:30. Christian had promised me he would have lunch set up for me at 12:30 when I got home from church, and that we would have lunch together. Sure enough, when I came home he had food from Sticky Rice set out for us to eat. I was starving by this point and didn't really think about anything except food.

After we ate (a completely normal meal...he didn't act strange at all), he told me he had a surprise and led me into my living room. I sat down, he pulled out his guitar, and proceeded to play and sing me a song. I just giggled at him. (To understand my reaction, you need to understand that I'm a voice major, he's a guitar major, and of the two of us, I'm the only one who ever sings. This was the first time he's ever done this!) After the song (and after I stopped laughing...no really, he did sound good! I was impressed), he put his guitar down and started saying really sweet things to me (none of which I can remember). I didn't get what was about to happen; I just thought "Oh, he's being so nice because our anniversary is tomorrow!" Then he knelt down in front of my chair. I still didn't quite process what was happening. (After all that suspicion, I don't see it when it's right in front of me!) Not until he pulled the little black box out of his pocket did I realize what was going on. He held it up, said "I have a question to ask you," and opened it to reveal the most beautiful sparkly ring ever.

After a few seconds of silence, he said, "Well?" I blurted out, "You didn't ask me!!"
In his nervousness about popping the question, he forgot to actually pop the question. So he said, "Will you marry me?" and I said "Yes!!!!" After that I think I just kept saying "It's so beautiful! It's so beautiful!" He asked me if I wanted Jennie to come take some pictures of us. Jennifer is my neighbor/friend/fellow photographer and was anxiously awaiting right next door with her camera. I took stealth pictures of her from the bushes while her fiance proposed, so it was fitting that she showed up with a camera right after I got engaged! I did sit in a nest of centipedes for hers though, so she still owes me. ;)

Anyway, we went out to the balcony, and Jennie took some pictures of us still freaking out. Here they are. :)

[All photos by Jennifer Ling Photography]

At this point, I heard someone from the street yell, "Hey kids!"

I looked down to see my parents walking up. I was tearing up before this, but at this point, I officially lost it.

I told Christian a long time ago that it was really important to me to be able to see my parents soon after I got engaged. He remembered and made that happen. That meant so, so much to me.

Not only did he plan for my parents to come and surprise me, but he asked many of my good friends beforehand to write me notes or e-mails of encouragement and love. My heart was absolutely overflowing.

Thank you again to Jennifer for being there to capture some of these moments on camera...as a photographer it means so much to me to have these pictures!

The most beautiful ring in the entire world. Seriously, I can't stop looking at it.

Thank you to my friends and family who helped make this such a special day for us. I don't really know what to say, except that I still feel like my heart is overflowing. I don't know if that feeling will go away for a while. I hope it doesn't. :)