ENGAGED!

I know, I know, I know. Every time I say I am going to get better about posting, it somehow ends up being an even longer gap of time until my next post than it was between the previous two. I'm sorry to be such a disappointment, but thanks to my sister, Melinda (Bloggin' It From the Burbs) , for keeping me in check. :) And yet again, since it has been awhile - this is probably going to be a long post.

But yes, Drew & I are officially engaged!!! We had the most amazing two weeks together while he was here for his leave. It came and went so quickly, and the good-bye at the end was definitely not an easy one. In fact, it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it now. But we both agree that after looking back on that two weeks, we do not have any regrets; because we know that we savored every second we had with eachother.

Drew flew in on the afternoon of February 3. I was running around frantically (as I had been doing the entire weekend before) trying to clean my house; bake him cookies; and get him clothes (he didn't think about the fact he wouldn't be going to Alaska, so he had nothing except his uniform). When I thought I was down to the final few hours, he called and said he was going to be landing in ONE hour (about 2 and a half hours early)!! The excitement of getting to see him for the first time in 5 months totally negated the fact that I didn't get everything done I had wanted to. After showering and rushing to meet his parents to go to the airport, nothing else seemed to matter as soon as I saw him. I have never hugged someone so tight in my entire life; I didn't want to let go (I will need to get the photos of this from his parents). In fact, I don't think he ever let go of my hand that entire first day he was here.

The first few days he was here, we spent some time with his parents, did some shopping (to get him more clothes), and had dinner with some of our friends (thanks to the following for coming: Christina, Emily, Christen, Graeme, Frank, Rob, and Jake) .

On Saturday, the 7th, we headed up to New York to see my family. Mom & Dad were so awesome & took us around everywhere. We went to the Brooklyn Tabernacle for church and then had dimsum in Chinatown; took engagement/ pre-engagement photos with Andres Valenzuela (I didn't realize I was getting a ring later on, so I thought these were our engagement photos); ate at John's Pizzeria (my favorite); saw The Lion King on Broadway; and just relaxed at the house.

Photo Courtesy of Andres Valenzuela

Photo Courtesy of Andres Valenzuela

Photo Courtesy of Andres Valenzuela

Photo Courtesy of Andres ValenzuelaEnjoying Times Square with the love of my life

Eating at John's
Right before we went to see The Lion King With Mom & Dad at the college right before Mom took us back to the airport

We headed back to Florida on the 11th. Over the next week, we spent time with his family, had nice dinners, got engaged (story below), took "official" engagement photos at the beach (that he had set up without me knowing; let me know if you would like the site & password for these photos - they will be up until March 16), and just enjoyed spending time with eachother while we could. He headed back to Iraq on the 19th; and like I said before, that good bye was definitely one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I just had to keep reminding myself that these 7 months are nothing compared to the lifetime I get to spend with him. So we said our good-byes, and I went home to cry for a day or two.

Ok, ok... I know that you just want to hear about the proposal. Well, I was definitely caught at a moment when I least expected it; and it was definitely done in a "chill" way, which is so me. So here it is...

I thought that he was going to ask me "the big question" while he was home, but I really didn't think I would get a ring. I figured he would just order it while we were in New York City (when we picked out his wedding band), and I would get it later (which would have been fine with me, because I understand our situation is pretty unique). I knew he would have to wait to ask until New York, because he had wanted to talk to Dad in person. On the day we went into the city, we had already picked out his wedding band when Mom asked us to go to the ATM while she and Dad picked out a new setting for her wedding ring (something she had been talking about for awhile, so not too fishy); I knew something was up, but like I said, I figured they were just placing the order for it. Drew and I went to the ATM, stopped back by the store, and Dad quickly diverted us back outside; so Drew & I went to walk around Times Square before we met back up with Mom and Dad for a tour of the city campus of Dad's college, and then dinner and the show. The big question did not come that day - nor any other day while we were up in New York.

A couple of days went by once we got back to Florida and still no question. I was beginning to think that he really was going to wait until he had the ring in his posession and propose once he gets back from Iraq in the fall. On Friday night (the 13th), we went out for our Valentine's Day dinner - we wanted to eat at the restaurant where we are having our reception, and they were already booked for Valentine's Day; plus, his brother and sister were coming to town that weekend. So we got all dressed up and went out to eat, and still... no question. He was trying to toy with my mind, too - for example, he would fidget with his pocket to try to make me think he had a ring or something. And throughout his leave, he would joke around with me and say, "Beeeeethhhh... I've got a serious question to ask you" (kind of singing it like a little kid trying to annoy you). When he didn't ask at dinner, though; I really had decided that he was going to wait until he returned in the fall.

We spent Valentine's Day hanging out with his family. We ate dinner and sat around the table and talked for awhile. Then Drew asked me if I wanted to go for a walk out on the dock (which wasn't out of the norm, because I had told him earlier in the day that we should do that). That dock holds special meaning for us, because it was where we kinda had our first date (I went over to his house the day his dad introduced us to go kayaking behind their house). So it's late, and I'm in sweatpants, a t-shirt, and one of his dad's jackets that he had given me; and we walk outside and take a seat at the end of the dock. We started talking about the day we met and all the thoughts that had run through each of our minds during that first date. The sky was so clear, and the moon was shining out over the water. It was so amazing!

But then the wind started to pick up, and it started getting colder, and he said he was freezing; so I suggested we head back in the house. We got up, started heading back in the house hand in hand; and right before we got off the dock, Drew stopped and said, "Hey Beeeethhhh..... I've got a serious question to ask you." I laughed and said, "Shut up, Drew; it's not even funny anymore." I took a step or two to pull him toward the house, and he yanked me back and got on one knee.

I just kept telling him how this really wasn't funny as he appeared to be tying his shoe. He wasn't really tying his shoe, but the sweatpants he was wearing didn't have regular pockets; they only had a pocket by the ankle, so he was trying to get the ring out and struggled for a minute. I asked him what he was doing, and he just told me to hold on for a second. He finally gets it out, and holds it up in the air; being so dark outside, I couldn't see it and asked him what it was. He said, "Beth, will you spend forever with me?" I said, "Drew this really isn't funny. And what is that?" He put the ring on the tip of my finger and asked, "Will you marry me?" I said, "Are you serious!?" He laughed and said, "I'm not giving you the ring until you say yes." I said, "Of course!" We kissed; we hugged; and then we went back out to sit on the edge of the dock so that he could tell me how exactly he pulled all this off. He is pretty sneaky; you kind of have to be to get one past me, and I was definitely surprised.

We went back in the house (I was dying to actually be able to see the ring), called my parents (who probably don't even remember because it was like midnight their time and they were already asleep), had champagne with his family, and told them our story! It was a perfect night. And I am now engaged to the perfect man!

Right after the big proposal - showing off my gorgeous ring!
The day after we got engaged! (You can kind of see the dock behind us)