Engagement Day

The day Dustin and I got engaged, May 14 20016,  is a day I don't ever want to forget! 

 Dustin started our day off telling me that he had several surprises for me (but wouldn't tell me how many) He arrived at my apt close to lunchtime (having met my parents that morning to pick up the ring that had been at the jeweler) and told me lunch was in the car!  

Surprise #1

He showed up at my door with a dozen roses.  They were beautiful and so fun to receive.  

Surprise #2

He took me to UAB's campus (where he was once on staff and is returning to be on staff) for a picnic on the lawn.  We ate Jimmy John subs (my favorite) and enjoyed beautiful spring weather.  When we were finished eating he showed me his campus and world there.  

After lunch we came back to my apt for Surprise #3.  

Surprise #3

Tennis balls so we could go play tennis.  Tennis is my favorite sport and since dating, Dustin has started playing with me.  It's something we really enjoy doing together and was so fun to do on this day!  

After being outside for awhile and getting very sweaty we took a break to take showers and regroup before surprise #4

Surprise #4 

Dinner at a Japanese restaurant.  I once told Dustin that I loved Japanese steakhouses and would love to go to one sometime.  He did some research and found a good one in Vestavia Hills that we went to for an early dinner.  it was really yummy but Dustin was definitely super quiet during dinner. Now the quietness makes sense.  Boy was nervous:-)  

After dinner we were scheduled to go meet his friends at an overlook in Vestavia Hills.  Like I said in my last post his friends had asked to do some photos to help their photography business.  To be honest I was not super excited about this but was trying to be a good sport.  The weather was beautiful and I knew we would get some good photos!  

If you want to know at this point if I was suspicious, I definitely was but Dustin was really good at downplaying this whole thing and even showed me a text his friends had sent about the photos.  I also had in my head that we probably wouldn't get engaged until July. Let's remember he never talked to me about  a ring:-)  

Surprise #5

We arrived at the lookout right before sunset and met his friends Alec and Katlie.  They were great at arranging us for pictures and thanking us for being their "models".  It was a beautiful night and was actually a little fun to take photos together.  They took a few photos of us before telling me they wanted to get one with Dustin behind me.  As I was looking at them and Dustin was behind they snapped a few and then told me I could turn around.  It was at this point that I saw Dustin on one knee.  It was one of the must surreal, crazy moments I've ever experienced.  I immediately saw tears in his eyes as he begin to express his feelings for me, tell me he loved me and then asked me to marry him. 

When he took out the ring he immediately asked me if I recognized it.  You see the back story of not ever talking about rings was that my mom wore a beautiful diamond on her right hand that I had admired since I was 7 years old.  It was big and beautiful and fit my finger perfectly.  I knew I wanted that ring and even prayed when I prayed about marriage that one day that ring would be passed down to me.  The ring was my great great aunt Hedies and is over 100 years old.  It has stayed in the same setting for all these years and was passed from Hedie, to my grandmother, to my mom, and then to me.  I love the story behind it and that not a single thing about it has been changed in over 100 years.  It was even the perfect fit for my finger!  

To say I was excited about the ring was an understatement, but even more importantly I couldn't believe that this man who has so patiently and tenderly pursued my heart was now asking me to be his wife.  It's one of those moments I've dreamed of and prayed about for so long that in the moment I couldn't believe it was happening.  I think I actually responded with, "are you kidding me?"  but then definitely gave him a quick "yes"!

The moments after were some of the sweetest that Dustin and I have experienced.  The photographers were there, but they were at a distance and we were able to spend those moments just soaking in the joy of what happened.  The sun was slowly setting and the moment was beautiful.  He was able to express to me the words that he said he had wanted to express to me for a long time, and I was able to respond.  

Having his friends photograph the whole evening was one of the best parts.  For me being an amateur photographer and really valuing photos it was so special to have these pictures taken and to be able to have them for a lifetime to document this special night.  

Dustin thought through it so well and and couldn't have chose a better way to propose to me.  We stood overlooking the city we fell in love in and relished the day.  

This day is in some ways is a day I have dreamed about since I was a little girl, but in other ways I did not let myself ever think about it.  Thinking back over that day it really was so very perfect to me.  The timing, the day, the way Dustin planned it out was so very special. I'm thankful for a man who cares so deeply for me that he put so much thought in planning out every detail.  

Thank you katie and Alec for capturing our engagement so beautifully and giving us a gift we will always treaure.  Check out their blog post on our engagement HERE. 

After awhile of enjoying being together and being ENGAGED Dustin asked me if I wanted to go back to my apt to start calling our family.  Little did I know that he had one more surprise!  

To be continued....