"Will You Marry Me?"

Wow.  The past few days have been a blur.  I'm not even sure where to begin!

I'm engaged!!

Aaron proposed this past Friday evening, the twenty second, and (of course) I said yes!

Mmmmm... So, here's the story. It's a little blurry, but I'll do my best. 

I had been suspicious on Friday   Not sure why, except that I really hoped he'd propose, but our families had planned a dessert night at his parents house that evening, and I thought that would be a wonderful day to do it.  Anyway, a friend of mine (check out her lovely blog here) came over Friday morning and talked for a few hours.  I told her how I was feeling, and how I didn't want to be impatient or disappointed if he didn't propose.   I'd been talking with my mom about this, too.  So strange, since I hadn't been impatient at all until early this week.

On his lunch break we chatted and he mentioned that he was hoping to get off early, so maybe we could go for a hike.  So... being the girl that I am, I made sure I was wearing cute clothes and my makeup was just so.  So silly of me, but you know, I'd rather be safe than sorry... ;)

He showed up around 3:30, and all suspicions disappeared.  He was acting way too normal!  He wasn't in a hurry to leave, or acting nervous at all.  He was just being wonderful, normal Aaron.

So, I resigned myself to the idea of not being proposed to that day.  It was raining, so we brought umbrellas, and headed out.

We got to a park by a nearby river (I'd never been there before) and he told me a few stories of when he and his family played there when he was younger.  We started walking and talked just like normal.  We stopped and admired the beautiful scenery a few times, and then finally got close to the river.  

As suspicious as I'd been earlier, I'm telling you, the Lord blinded me at that point.  I can't believe how utterly oblivious I was!

We followed a little path through the shrubs that lined the river, and saw a little, sandy clearing... with a camp fire and candles in it.

Now, here's the embarrassing part: I totally thought this was a homeless person's camp out!  

"Aaron, someone's camping here, we need to leave!"

He insisted that he wanted to check it out.

"Aaron, they're gonna come back!!"

He kept insisting that it couldn't be a camp out and that he wanted to check it out.  I followed him, but I kept saying that they were going to come back and find us here.

We walked down to the river and he acted like he was going to walk along it, but he stopped and saw a bottle sitting, halfway in the water, with a note in it.

This is where I finally knew something was up.  He couldn't get the paper out, so I did, and it said,

"X marks the spot."

So, now we're looking for an X.  He knew exactly where it was, and then started digging.

Watching him digging up the box

He pulled out a wooden cigar box.  When he opened it I saw a collection of memorabilia from our courtship.  Letters, bottles from jam I'd made him, playbills and wedding programs from events we'd gone to together, the CD I recorded him for Christmas... and then a little box in the corner.

I started gasping barely audible words.

"What?  *gasp* What?"

He looked me in the eye and said,

"I don't want to spend my life with anyone but you, I love you Emily."

And then he knelt to the ground.

"Will you marry me?"

I couldn't speak.  Or I forgot.  Either way.  I just hugged his head.  A little while later I realized that I hadn't said yes.

"Yes!  Yes... yes!"

And then he stood up and we hugged and laughed.  And kept on hugging and laughing.

His sister came out of the bush she had been hiding in at that point (Taking these AMAZING photos!!!), and left.  

"Are you going to put that ring on my finger?"

"Yeah!"

I've had a purity ring since I was thirteen, given to me by my parents, and I've always worn it on my left ring finger.  He removed that, and moved it to my right hand, and placed the most spectacularly beautiful engagement ring on my finger.  (photos coming soon)

I couldn't have imagined a better, sweeter, more us proposal.  Ever.

God is so good!  I have been blessed with a man who loves the Lord tremendously.  A man who is gentle and kind and patient and hard working and just perfect for me.

I can hardly wait to cook his meals and wash his laundry and go on trips with him and have his babies!

Oh, Lord!  You have blessed me so much!  I could never deserve this!  Father, thank You!!

Over and out,

~Emily

P.S.  The credit for these amazing photos goes to Aaron's sister, Alexa, of Gabrielle Photography.  Be sure to check her out!