Happy Engagaversary!

Flashback with me if you will to April 18, 2002. I was getting ready to leave the school where I worked as an aide with two preschoolers with autism, when my cell phone rang. My aunt told me she needed my help with something. Truth be told, I had accidentally seen an e-mail from DaddyClay to my parents titled April 18th, so I was already a little suspicious. We knew we wanted to get married, and I had already made plans to move to Birmingham (where he was in seminary) to start a masters program in June. I had made it quite clear I was not going to pick up & move without some (shiny) symbol of his committment. He wanted to try and plan a special proposal and attempt to surprise me, but he was running out of time.

When I hung up the phone, I even joked with a co-worker that I thought I might be leaving to go get engaged, and I hurried home to meet up with my aunt. We ended up driving all around this neighborhood in Covington, supposedly to meet someone and pick up furniture. The thing is, I really started believing her! I seriously thought we were getting furniture and I guess I kind of forgot about my suspicions in the weirdness of it all- until we ended up at one of my favorite places: Devou Park. Here is a picture of the view:



When we pulled up to the park in her truck, she asked me if I knew "that guy over there" and pointed to him- freshly flown in from Birmingham, dressed up and sitting on a picnic blanket with all sorts of keepsakes & fun stuff to commemorate different events in our relationship (and even candles, which wouldn't stay lit). Then he read some scripture, got down on one knee, with a few tears in his eyes, and asked me to be his wife.

We were so excited to show everyone the ring and share our good news. I was so excited to become his wife; I loved him so much. But I had no idea how much more I would love him every day as we began to build a life together. We usually go out to celebrate April 18th, but this year it came and went by fairly quietly. Appointments, yard work, kid stuff, an event at church- life kind of got in the way. But (to quote Jon & Kate) it is our life. One we set out to share seven years ago, never knowing how wonderful it, or we, could be. I love you, sweetie!