Engaged!

WE'RE ENGAGED!!!

HE PROPOSED!!!

I'M MARRYING THE MOST WONDERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD!!!

Just a little excited. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! Okay maybe more than a little! 

JESSE IS NOW MY FIANCE! 

Jesse and I have been talking about marriage for quite some time now. I knew that this sweet, caring, hilarious, intelligent, amazing man was the one who would be by my side my entire life, holding my hand. I knew he would be the one to take care of me, to be by my side as we raise our children and weather the storms of life. How could it not be him? It was he who helped me realize my potential, who helped me believe and love myself.With him, I found myself and along with that found the true meaning of love. 

A couple months ago (Jesse thinks it was a couple weeks, but I definitely know it was longer than that!) we happened to come across a pretty and inexpensive ring. I told him that was the one I wanted! But I told him I didn't want to know when he bought it, because then I would be too anxious, waiting for him to propose. So a couple weeks went by, and he told me that he went back to buy it and it was gone. I was disappointed, but he was going to try looking for it again. A few more weeks went by (sooo slowly!) and I didn't hear anything. I had a suspicion he had bought it, by he was so darned mysterious I couldn't tell! 

Then TWO weeks ago, he ALMOST proposed! Apparently he had the whole thing planned out, but I got really sick and couldn't go on the date he had planned out. I figured I had missed the proposal and was so disappointed! So I waited again... and waited... 

Earlier this week I suggested that we should go to the fair on Sunday. He agreed, and said that maybe we could go to dinner after. I really thought he would propose. I thought I had heard him say something about a plan for Sunday. But Sunday came and he was so CASUAL about everything! He didn't have a specific time in mind to go to the fair, and when I asked him where we should go to dinner, he gave me a couple options. We went to the fair and had a lovely time, though I never stopped thinking that he might propose any second! Nothing. 

We then decided to go to Macaroni Grill for dinner. We have gone there for several "special" dates, and when we got there it was romantic and practically empty. I thought, a perfect setting! The entire meal he kept telling me how much he loved me, how beautiful I was, and kept kissing me. He also kept secretively texting his brother. I thought, okay, this is it! Any second! I thought maybe his family was nearby or something. So the meal progressed... no proposal...and then it was over! And we left! And nothing happened! 

In the car, I casually asked him if there was something ELSE he'd like to do. In the back of my mind I was thinking he would want to go somewhere. But he just said, let's just go home. I started steeling myself for more disappointment. In fact, I started planning the conversation we would get when we got home. "That was the most romantic day and you didn't propose! Are you kidding me!" 

When we arrived home, he was acting a little strange but I didn't want to get my hopes up. We walking into the dark apartment, and then he turned on the light. 

Immediately, my eyes filled with tears. He then began lighting the candles and listing reasons he loved me. "I love the way you smile, the way you laugh, the way you get so excited when we get to cuddle, how you're going to be such a great mom, how you are so good at wrapping your mind around problems and solving them, how beautiful you are..." He then picked up the ring from the table, knelt down, and asked me to marry him. 

YES! 

He put the ring on my finger and I just started crying and hugging and kissing him! Then I looked him and said, WE'RE ENGAGED! And I believe that's the moment I started jumping up and down and giggling. He laughed with me and we kissed again. I looked at the ring and realized it wasn't the one I had picked out. He said he had found a different one since the one I had chosen wasn't available. He was about to suggest that we could return or exchange it when I told him how beautiful it was! 

And the best part is, it was really inexpensive! We had discussed starting out with this, and then once we get married (or perhaps even on our one year anniversary) upgrading to something more extravagant once we've built up more savings. I knew we could have just waited a little while longer to get engaged and bought a nice ring now, but I REALLY did not want to wait too much longer to be his fiance! 

After that, we called our families and told them. They were (of course) all very excited for us. I'm looking forward to being part of his family; they've all been wonderful to me! Hopefully he is also looking forward to being a part of my family! (I think he is; luckily he doesn't get scared easily! ha ha)

And now I get to start planning our wedding! We are planning on getting married August 2012. Unless I can't wait that long. But knowing me, I'm sure I'll get stressed with the thousands of details that go into planning a wedding, so I think the more time the better! 

I am the happiest girl in the world. I am so lucky to have a strong, trustworthy, smart man to have as my husband. We are going to make the best little family!

I love you Jesse. Thank you for everything you are. You are completely amazing, and I am so excited to have the rest of my life to be with you. I love you! 

love,
lisapink