Tuesday, October 23, 2007

engaged!

Here is our story for those who don't know.

JT and I met in the summer of 2005 when I was on Living Word, SNU's traveling PR team. He was a counselor at my district's church camp. When I got back to school, one of his friends told me JT thought I was cute, but it wasn't the right time yet.

When I graduated in December, I moved back to Tulsa, where we met again at a cookout at the mutual friends' house during the ice storm. I knew he was going to be there and remember feeling kind of nervous/excited even though I didn't really know him. We talked a lot that night and I remember being really drawn to him and I felt like everyone noticed. I went home and told my family that I was going to start dating him, even though I had barely met him once or twice and had no indication that was the case. He hadn't seen the new James Bond movie, so we made plans to go with a group.

We went a couple of weeks later and had a lot of fun. A couple of days later, it was Valentine's Day and I got an email. He had done his research and sent me a Chewbacca he'd photoshopped to hold roses. If you know me at all, you know this is very effective research :)

He had planned to go to Norman that weekend after his indoor game and we'd go out for coffee after that. Well Friday night, he surprised me at a concert I went to with my family and he came over that night even though he was supposed to be on his way to Norman. I made him some CDs and fed him death by chocolate cake and when I walked him out, he grabbed my hands and said, "So does this mean we're dating?" (!!!!) I said yes and we went out when he got back on Sunday.

Fast forward to October 18, 2007. We're in South Padre Island with my parents and mom's side of the family. His mom had picked out a pretty white dress for me before we left, so he asked me to wear it so we could take pictures on the beach. Well...we got back kind of late from horseback riding and the sun went down, so by the time I was ready, my parents were sitting in the living room of our condo and said JT was waiting for me out there to take a picture.

By that time, I had a feeling something was up. He had assembled an iPod dock out there that was playing some of our favorite music. We read from a book that had some of our first memories in it and a list of things he loved about me. Then he told me that he loved me for the first time. When we started dating, he told me that those words were reserved for his wife, so I knew. I told him I loved him, too, and thanked him for telling me all along without saying those words through his touch and the way he looked at me and took care of me.

"So you know I love you, right?" he said. I agreed. "Then there's only one thing left to do."

And he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. I remember saying "wow" and "oh my gosh" and I think my vocabulary was limited to that. Well, that and "yes"! We hugged for a little while and he said, "Don't you want to see your ring?" He had slipped this perfect ring on my finger. Apparently, he had designed it behind my back with the secret help of one of my best friends, LJ. It's yellow gold with a solitaire and seven smaller diamonds on each side. You can't see this from the pictures, but he got a European shank on the back because my ring finger is broken and that way the ring will stay in place. He really put a lot of thought into it and it was a lot better than I could have ever designed!

Our relationship has been anything but ordinary. We have pretty much been inseparable but have somehow grown individually. He brings out the best in me, encourages me, and makes me laugh all the time. He's smart, considerate, funny, spontaneous, artistic and hard to describe, but if you met him, you'd know he was perfect for me!

We are getting married this spring, depending on when we find a place since my church meets in a high school gym! Thanks for your encouragement! I'll keep everyone updated on the planning!

3 comments:

Robyn said...

Oh sure you'll blog when you're engaged!

I'm so happy for you.

I don't care when you get married as long as there's cake and I'm invited. Good cake.

p.s. I have practically that same "here's my hand, here's the ring" pic on my single gal blog.

jessica said...

yeah!!!!

I am so excited for you :)

Dr. G said...

Great recap and fun seeing it all in print. I knew the "picker" was there the first time I saw you two together. From that time on it was just sit back and watch for it to come to pass. No doubt about it.