The Post We've All Been Waiting For...

Drum Roll Please....

Yes, it's official...we're engaged!!! I put three exclamations on that sentence because that's how excited I am. If you already know the background and just want the engagement story, skip a paragraph or so. If you want it all just keep reading for details.

BACKGROUND:
I knew Austin wanted to get married soon, I knew about the plans already in the works and I even guessed the date of the wedding. I know you are now thinking, "What! You guessed the date of the wedding?" Yes, Austin always wanted a short engagement, but everyone reading this knows that you need TIME to plan a wedding. So, Austin and I had my mom agree to a 2-month engagement. About a month and a half ago Austin and my mom discussed it, and Austin had Mom begin the planning. Don't worry, she only called the people/places that I had told her in the past I wanted. By the way, having it on such a random day we have been able to secure everything that we wanted. I found out about their little conspiracy and then my sweet sister accidently let the date slipped. See, I really wanted it to be April 26 because Austin's birthday is July 26 and mine is August 26 (notice the pattern). A few weeks ago I told mom that I wanted the wedding at 4:26 p.m. because it is on the fourth month and twenty-sixth day. I was once again hounding mom about it the other day and Natalie said, "Who told you it was on the 26th?" Mom then replied, "No one told her that." Natalie turned bright red, I laughed and mom just shook her head. So, the secret was out.


Now, on to that ring.


FRUSTRATION
Well, I just knew (JUST KNEW) that I was going to get the ring last weekend. I JUST KNEW it would be then. Friday night went by, Saturday past and then by Sunday night I was a little upset. I didn't understand why it hadn't happened, except the fact that I constantly asked him about it (NOT A GOOD IDEA). Well, we even discussed the fact that Austin needs to plan more and I need to be a little more patient. I talked to him about not stressing ourselves and just waiting until fall or sometime for the wedding (that was me practicing my patience). But, please keep in mind that once again he was leaving and there was not an official date for me to be with him in Corpus. I was so upset. We did set the next date for me to go to Corpus (that was Austin practicing his planning).

So, Sunday night I said goodbye to him and he was set to leave town Monday morning.

THE PROPOSAL
On Monday morning, I was still really upset. When I got to work I went to the cafe and got a bagel (not a healthy choice, but remember I was upset). While my bagel was toasting I walked over to the window and stared outside at the foggy morning. There was a truck in the parking lot that looked like Austin's and it made me excited. I took my bagel out of the toaster and went back upstairs to see if he had called to ask me to breakfast. No such luck. I walked across the hall to the conference room and the truck was still there. In my head I'm thinking, maybe (JUST MAYBE) he came to say goodbye to me again. It's not something he would normally do, but I was getting my hopes up anyway. Then I realized that the tires didn't really look like his. I don't know how I know what his tires look like I just thought I did.


Well, I went back across the hall to my office and there walking down the hallway was my sweet Austin with my beach bag he had bought me but that I had accidently left at his parents house. He came to my office and sat down and asked if I wanted to go get breakfast. Even though I had already eaten I called my boss (who hadn't made it to his office yet) to see if I could go downstairs with him. Rand said that was fine. Austin stood up, handed my beach bag to me to put away and then said, "Is there anything in it?" I said no (I hadn't left anything in it). He then open the pocket and asked, "What about in here."

In that pocket was a little green box that held my future. He then got down on one knee, said some things that I don't remember because I couldn't believe it was happening and then asked me if I would marry him (or be his wife...not sure). I couldn't speak so I just said, "mmmhmm." I was hugging the poor boy so tight. He stood up and had tears in his eyes (he denies this, but he did) and we hugged and I informed him that he didn't have to do it just because I had cried the night before. I don't remember if he laughed or what but that was when he informed me that he had planned that all along.

He also told me that it was his truck in the parking lot and that it had been there for so long because he was talking to a couple of his close friends. Who wished him luck and promised to pray for him during it. AWWW....

It was a crazy moment, my feelings went from one extreme to the other. It took a little while for it to sink in...it still is actually.

NOW, if you've been a trooper and read all of that....it's PICTURE TIME!!!

This is Austin and me right where he proposed, but after breakfast.

THE RING...or BLING...or whatever you may want to call it. Ring background: Austin and I picked out the bands in Corpus back in September or so. We both loved them. The center diamond was his grandmother's. That makes it that much more special.

This is a picture Mindi took of me with my new bling.

Sorry if this post was really long, but I wanted to give you all of the details. We've had a great year of dating, a great two days of being engaged and now we're looking forward to a lifetime of marriage. I could probably post another 5,000 words about what a blessing Austin's presence in my life is. I've never understood how people can say they are married to their best friend. Before Austin, all of my best friends were girls, but now I understand.

Since Austin's big move on July 1, I have clung to this scripture:

"Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

As you can tell from a lot of my previous posts, patience is just not something I'm great at. But, this wait was well worth it! I'm still clinging to that scripture for other things now!

Thank you for what you mean in my life and thank you for taking this journey with me. Austin and I greatly appreciate your prayers as we start this next road in life together.