A life with the man I love...

Our engagement story...

If you know Chris, you may have a small inkling of his personality and his love for joking around. You may also know that he secretly dislikes surprises. Even though HE doesn’t like surprises, he LOVES surprising other people. Because of this, any time of year involving presents turns into a game.

Chris has been hinting at what I was getting for Christmas this year. One day he would hype up the gift, the next day he would downplay it. Monday morning, November 22, I got a text from Chris, telling me that he’d picked up my present. I asked what it was, he told me he wasn’t telling. I asked what store he got it from, he wouldn’t say. I asked what TYPE of store he got it from, and he laughed. Then he said that he would give me my present early if I took him out for barbeque. Good deal for me – I agreed.

During our date, I asked him if he was SURE he wanted me to have my present early. I didn’t have his present ready, so I felt a little bad about accepting my gift early. His explanation went something like this: “Well, I want you to get good use out of your gift, and you need it for these cold weather months. You should really have it now so that you can use it. If you don’t get it until the end of December, you’ve really lost half of the good cold weather time…you should really just have it now.”

So after dinner, he handed me a decent sized box, wrapped with Christmas paper. When I shook the box (I love shaking the box), it clunked around. He really had me convinced that I was getting something like boots, or a scarf, or some gloves. I opened the box to find…..a three hole punch and a stapler. I started thinking that he made up this huge ruse just to get me excited about my present, and wrapped up junk from the house. We would just laugh at how I fell for it and go home. I turned to look at him (maybe to call him a jerk), to see him holding a ring box, asking me to marry him. Of course, I said yes. Surprisingly, I didn’t cry! (Those of you that know me understand what a feat that is!) The ring is beautiful, and I’m so excited to be engaged to such a great man. I am very lucky!!!

Our current plan is to have as small
of a wedding as realistically possible in the Kansas City area during the early summer of 2012. That gives me about a year and a half so I can stay sane while planning! Thankfully, I have a close friend with experience, and a sister-in-law that is an unending fountain of wedding tips and advice.

I do look forward to the party associated with the wedding. But more importantly, I look forward to a life with the man I love.