Thursday, April 16, 2009

I Said Yes

Big news folks...


I'm engaged!!!

Jim popped the question on Good Friday while we were camping at Inks Lake. When we met back in 2006 Jim convinced me to go camping with him. I did not grow up in a camping family, had never been camping, was not really interested in camping. Then he began to tell me about hiking the trails, roasting marshmallows, snuggling under a blanket by the fire. Now THAT sounded fun. So I borrowed some equipment from my boss, Jim purchased a new tent and I packed a blow up mattress.

Our first go around at Inks Lake was anything but ideal. Jim was living in Houston at the time and drove to Austin with the FLU. He wasn't going to let anything keep him from camping. It was Easter 2007, the year Austin froze over! Not only was Jim sick as a dog, but we were SO cold at night and the air mattress would not fit in the tent so sleeping on egg crates was very uncomfortable. I can't explain how that awful camping trip got me hooked, but it did. We've camped five or six times since then and always plan a trip over Easter weekend.

So there we are on Good Friday, setting up camp - we each have our jobs and areas to unpack and set. When we finished I opened a bottle of wine and crawled to the top of our site where we can look over Inks Lake from the high rocks. It's a beautiful view of the Hill Country and the sun sets right in front of us.

It was a perfect moment and Jim took the opportunity to kneel on the rocks, hold out the most beautiful ring and ask me to marry him. I cried and said "are you serious?" about three times before I was able to get out a "yes!"

Jim and I spent the next two days talking about the engagement, the parties that will take place, the registry we must complete, the date we will find and the location of the ceremony. This last week has been a whirlwind of excitement and I am really looking forward to moving into this next fun stage together.

Jim is my all time love. The one who I believe God put on this earth to partner with me. I can't wait to share every day of my life with you Jim!






23 comments:

  1. Congrats.... we need pictures of the ROCK already.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations!~ I wish you all the best. Keep us posted on all of your fun planning.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congrats! Love your ring, very well done!

    ReplyDelete
  4. ♥CONGRATULATIONS!!!♥ Or I guess you are supposed to say that to the guy and "best wishes" to the girl...that's what I remember anyway.

    Your ring is beautiful! Happy engagement! It sounds like you both got a good one! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow! Nice ring, really nice. But a really sweet story because it is something special that you do together and with the sunset coming the moment would be perfect.
    Me, I hate camping, so if someone actually got me up there and then proposed, I'd probably push him off the cliff. Okay, maybe not if they had a good ring.
    Congratulations and blessings to both of you.

    And you know we all expect posts of all the festivities.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Congratulations Mandy!! I wish you both much happiness!! Your ring is absolutely beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  7. BEAUTIFUL ring! Like my dad says, "Those diamonds will reach out and slap ya!" LOL Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congratulations!! What an awesome memory to have! Enjoy your engagement...the wedding planning was so much fun for me!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm still screaming inside from the GORGEOUS RING!!! LOVE YOU BOTH AND WISH YOU THE BEST!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congratulations! Erica and I are so happy for you two!

    ReplyDelete
  11. YAAAY!!!!! I love how he asked you! What a great place - I bet it was beautiful I absolutely LOVE your ring! Congratulations - so happy for you guys! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congratulations! That is such a sweet story, and your ring is gorgeous!

    Before I met my boyfriend, I was not a camping/outdoorsy girl at all. The thought of sleeping "out in the wilderness" just did not appeal to me. We had a pretty awful first experience camping as well, but over the last five years we've gone several more times; I'm totally hooked! I think it's important to be with someone who challenges you to try new things and get out of your comfort zone :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congratulations! Your ring is superb.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Congratulations Mandy! What an absolutely beautiful ring too!! I love that setting. Fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  15. How romantic!! Congratulations ... and best wishes!

    ReplyDelete
  16. CONGRATULATIONS! What incredibly lovely news Mandy! Your ring is STUNNING and I actually had tears in my eyes from reading your engagement story. You two are going to have a wonderful "rest of your lives" together, I just know it.

    By the way, I said, "Are you serious?!" several times after Fred popped the question to me too!

    ReplyDelete
  17. congratulations, what a beautiful ring!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow Mandy! Congrats.



    Lovely ring!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Congratulations on the engagement! May you two be blessed beyond measure and have many, many happy years together. That's an incredible ring! Jim did good.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh I have the chills... how romantic!! Congratulations to you both!! Beautiful ring!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Mandy...I had to come back and look at your post...and gorgeous ring...again. My 10-year-old is looking over my shoulder, as usual, and he said, "wow...her ring looks like the eiffel tower!" I thought that was pretty cool, and it does (from the side)! ;) Maybe he'll pick out a beautiful ring like that for his fiance someday!

    ReplyDelete
  22. HOORAY!!!! The ring is GORGEOUS!!! Camping is the best isn't it? What a fun memory of your engagement, now let the ceremonies commence. I can't wait to see what you'll be cooking up.
    Jaime (from Jaime and Jen Dish)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Congratulations! Absolutely stunning ring! Did your fiance consult with your family or friends before selecting this ring?

    ReplyDelete

Your comments mean a lot to me, I love hearing from you!