When He Popped the Question!

4.6.2019
A day I'll cherish forever. Five words in and I'm already crying. My heart is SO unexplainably happy :) I haven't stopped smiling and I asked my sister the other day if I'll stop crying and she said "Absolutely not."

I thought I'd share a bit more of our story and a whole lot more of my heart here today. It's been 3 months since Austin proposed. At the beach the other day he goes "Oh my gosh!! In less than a year we will be walking down the aisle!! You've been waiting your whole life for this haven't you??" And then we laughed way too hard because it's totally true. Caught me, I'm guilty.
In a southern state like Arkansas, most girls wait the first 22 or so years of their life to become a mom, or housewife and get their "MRS. Degree." Yes, I might want all those things for my life (what girl doesn't?), but I've ALWAYS wanted to be a wife. A wife to someone who is my absolute best friend, who shares my dreams and I share his. A wife to someone that laughs at the things I do and heart aches for the same. To live and cherish life's greatest moments with, road trip with, start out life poor together with, and eventually grow a family with.

Guess what?? I found that man at the age of 16, my high school sweetheart who is literally the biggest sweetheart. He asked me to be his date to Homecoming Junior year and our first date was the night before at the Waffle House after the Homecoming Football game (typical dance team gal and football player). Then the next week he insisted on us going to a haunted house. If you know me, you know I hate that crap and the fact that he got me to go says a whole lot because I'm the biggest scaredy cat. 
Long story short, I fell hard. We went to college together, started chasing out dreams together, and I couldn't see myself with anyone else. Clearly he thought so too :))))))))))))))))))

Week of Proposal
One of my bestie girls asked me if I wanted to go to Crystal Bridges that upcoming Saturday because she hadn't been in awhile (naturally I said of course because I love that dang place). However, I did think it was slightly weird because she doesn't always want to go there/ would probably prefer to do something else if had the option :)
Day of Proposal
Woke up, did my usual Saturday morning stuff like hit the gym and watch some morning Friends with Maui. Then I thought ooo girl your nails look so sketchy today you might as well go get them done since you don't have plans till late afternoon. Clueless part 1. 
Also, Austin mentioned his sister was in town and that she wanted the family to go out for dinner that night. Not phased since we would normally do that!
Austin called later and wanted to go to lunch and grab a coffee and edit some photos while we waited for Erin to get off work and get ready the afternoon. I suspected NOTHING, he was so normal the entire time. 
We arrived at Crystal Bridges and Erin shows up with Anna, his sister and he was like "OMG didn't know you were coming!!" Then we were on our merry way to the entrance. We usually skim through the first collection because it is permanent but always stop by my favorite painting halfway through & take a picture with it (I take one every time don't ask me why because I guess I still don't know). 

We spent a little extra time in that collection room messing around and pointing out anything different. Then Austin goes "hey go stand up there at the gallery wall and look up at it  so I can snap a picture- Along the Shore by William Trost Richards BTW. Of course I waltz right up and take it in like I always do. A couple seconds later I got a tap on my should and turn around to see AUSTIN ON HIS KNEE WITH THE RING AND THE BIGGEST SMILE I HAVE EVER SEEN!
Now don't ask me what he said because I blacked out I guess. Oops.  Everyone says it happens and I didn't believe them until I did it too. I wish I knew what he said but the next part I hear him say is a whisper "take off your other ring."
Anna and Erin were literally there to take a video and pictures! Who'd have thought!? Not me because I'm clueless! 

Giddy, still crying, we rush through the rest of the museum and Austin says "so I guess you figured out we aren't going out for dinner tonight right?" We pull up to the cutest new AirBNB off the downtown square and I start crying all over again because our dads and my grandma are standing outside waiting. I get out of the car and hug my dad and start bawling again because I see my best friend's car there who lives out of town. We go inside and the house is decorated with a million pictures of us all the way back from high school. Our families and best friends were there to celebrate this special moment and I seriously could not have dreamed up a better day.

That evening, just us kids went downtown and had a few drinks and stayed at the house. Now, every time I drive by it my heart smiles because it holds my most precious memory and start to the rest of our lives together.

May 9th, 2020 we are coming for ya!!

Still crying, and snapping all my girls the news.