It’s A Love Story

So my promise is long overdue.  I want to share the infamous engagement story I’ve been telling you about.  Before I tell it I want to preface that I have matured and grown up a lot since that time, so please keep that in mind J  I don’t know why, but for some reason I’ve tried writing this about 4 times and I can’t get it right. Probably because I love telling it in person and I think it’s way funnier that way.  Its times like these I wish I knew how to video blog (I think I’ll add that to my techno grow list).  Here’s how it all went down…

Andrew and I were dating about a year before he invited me on a family skication to Red River, New   Mexico.  I was excited and nervous because I had never spent more then a couple of hours at a time with his family.  I thought this trip would be a great opportunity for me to get to know them better.

Before I go any further I must give you a little background on my emotional and psychological state at this point in my life.  During my senior year of college I started feeling consistently depressed. I wasn’t used to feeling this way at all so I started seeing a counselor at Baylor.  I think I was going through what my former life coach Christine Hassler coined “a quarter life crisis.”  I was constantly worried about what I was going to do with my life, I started questioning my identity and I felt completely lost in every way.  Andrew knew I was struggling, but I don’t think he knew to what extent.  Marriage was defiantly on my mind, but it wasn’t at the top of my list as I was dealing with so much anxiety.

Ok, fast forward to our family vacation.  First off, the vacation almost didn’t happen because the town got snowed in.  I’m talking no food trucks for like a week so we had to stay at Andrew’s grandmother’s house in Amarillo until the roads cleared.  Once we finally hit the road Andrew and I had great conversations in the car and we rocked out to Michael Buble.  Right as we pulled into town I told Andrew how serious my depression and anxiety had escalated.  To which he replied if you don’t love me you might want to tell me soon.  I thought that was a ridiculous reply and assured him of my love but that I was a little lost right now.

After day two of skiing I was wiped and went to take a nap.  Andrew informed me that we would be going out to dinner that night just me and him and instructed me to wear my fancy black dress.  I was a little skeptical since I thought we were going to eat with his entire family but none the less I dozed off.  When I woke up I seriously debated taking a shower thankfully I came to my senses and decided it was a good idea.  His family acted very odd around me while I was getting ready.  When Andrew came down in a suit I had never seen before I got a little suspicious.  Before we left I had a gut feeling that we should take a picture.  I wish I knew where that picture was and I could post it because it is hilarious. Our faces look scared to death.

In the car on the way to the Italian restaurant I was looking for the Michael Buble CD to set the mood.  For some odd reason I couldn’t find it.  Andrew then drove me around the town and asked me if I wanted to break off an icicle and eat it to which I replied no thanks ( I told him when I was a kid I came to Red River every spring break and I would break off ice cycles and suck on them, pretty nasty I know).

When we got to the restaurant they seated us right away which seemed strange since there were quite a few people in front of us.  I felt a little out of place in the restaurant since we were all dressed up and everyone else was in their jeans.  Our waitress acted like she was from Italy and had an over the top Italian accent.  We would laugh when she left the table.  Then all of the sudden I heard Michael Buble playing in the background.  I thought that was such a strange coincidence and not only did they play one song but they played the whole CD.  Andrew was pretty antsy the whole time.  I kept giving myself a pep talk in my head telling myself not to be nervous but to enjoy this special date.

As we were headed to the car Andrew suggested we go across the street to see if the hot tub is open.  I thought he was nuts wanting me to walk in the snow in my heels (diva).  I told him he could go check and I would wait in the car.  He was not having it and encouraged me to come with him.  I decided I would go but I wasn’t happy about it.  I grabbed his hand and stomped through the snow with my head down.  I was on a mission.  We were about half way across a cute little bridge with a stream flowing beneath it when Andrew pulled me to stop.  He pulled me close and told me he loved me, I quickly said I love you to and pulled him right along.  He then turned me back around and for the first time I noticed the tea candles and flowers all over the bridge.  It was beautiful.  He said a bunch of sweet things to which I don’t remember and then he got down on one knee.  I was the most nervous I had ever been.  I always wanted a surprise engagement but I had no idea how caught off guard I would be.  It took me a moment to answer but then it came out “Of course I will marry you” I hugged him as he was trying to not drop the ring in the river.  I think my next words were “Did you ask my parents?” He assured me that of course he asked them.  To which I replied “what did they say?”  He said, “they said yes of course.”

He then whisked me away to a venue where he had flown my parents in to surprise me.  We had an engagement party with both our families.  It was so nice to be with my family.  To be 100% honest I was scared out of my mind.  In hindsight I think it terrified me to make such a long term decision when I was so unsure about everything else in my life.  I knew I loved Andrew more than anyone, but I also knew I had so much growing up to do.  I still felt like a child making an adult decision.

Sweet Andrew put up with so much insecurity and immaturity in those first couple of years.  I wasn’t a rebellious teenager, but I think I was a late bloomer in that department and started rebelling in my twenties.  Poor Andrew had to deal with all my craziness.  Luckily we are both committed to developing ourselves and growing in everyway possible.  The hard part for me with Andrew getting sick is that I feel like we’ve just found our groove and are finally at a healthy place as individuals and as a couple.  I pray that God will give us many more years together because I truly feel that the best is yet to come.  Thank you for listening to our story.  We appreciate your love and support.