There's No Love Like SNOW Love, part 4

It was May. School was coming to a close & I was busy finishing up my first year of teaching. David had made plans to come into town for the weekend. He said we might go look at rings one more time. I was excited & disappointed all at the same time. It was so fun & exciting to go look a rings together, but the last time we looked in Abilene there was one that I really loved. Of course I wanted the decision to be David's since I didn't know his budget & I wanted it to be something he picked out. By this point I really felt like he knew my likes & dislikes.
The last day of school was Friday & I had the option of doing my teacher workday on Saturday or on Tuesday after Memorial Day. I was moving classrooms, so I decided I would go on Saturday & work until David got to town, he was going to come help me move some of the heavy things & then I would go back & work all day on Tuesday. My phone rang right before lunch time that he was in the parking lot, so I ran out to meet him. As I approached his truck I realized that my dad was sitting in the drivers seat & David was no where to be seen. My first thought was that he had brought my dad to town with him so I could spend a little time with him before he left for Africa. But I quickly realized that was not the case. The first thing I said was "What are YOU doing here? Where is David?" Not that I wasn't excited to see my dad, I was just a little confused. My sweet dad calmly told me to go back inside, get my purse & come back, we had somewhere to go. So I ran back inside straight to my friend Leslie's room. I told her that my dad was in the truck & I didn't know what was going on. She screamed, "Oh my goodness, you are going to get engaged today!!!!!!!" By this point I was so excited, nervous & confused. So I grabbed my stuff & ran back out. Little did I know that David, my mom & his parents were spying on us the whole time, and that spying went on all day!

When I got in the truck there was a box & a letter from David, and a box of Kleenex's in the passengers seat. The letter was precious & talked about how much he loved me & wanted me to enjoy this day. Inside the box was a camera to use throughout the day to document the excitement! I had so many questions, so I started asking dad. What is going on? Where are we going? Where is David? What are we going to do? When am I going to see him? {so on and so on...} The answer I got every time was "Love is patient."
We arrived at a little sandwich shop down the street from my apartment. After we placed our orders I went to go find us a table. I walked around a corner & saw a table that was reserved, so headed the other way to look when Dad told me that table was reserved for us. OH! We enjoyed our lunch & I tried to keep me mind from racing. I remember thinking how I knew this was a really special day & I wanted to remember each moment, so I kept replaying it all in my mind! When we finished lunch dad handed me an envelope with a clue in it, along with a scrapbook page full of pictures of the two of us.

The clue led me to believe I was going to get my nails done. So dad & I walked outside to go to the truck & he gave me a hug to say goodbye. Now I was really confused, until I looked over at the truck to see my sister-in-law Meg sitting there waiting. I got in the truck & she gave me a scrapbook to put my page in, and a page that she had made of the two of us. I was unable to get any answers as to what was going on from dad, so I thought I would try some on Meg. But, I only got the same answer. "Love is Patient." I told her that love didn't want to be patient right now!!! :)
We went to a nail salon & got our nails done. That was funny, because I had given myself a manicure the night before because I thought I was going to look at rings over the weekend! I'll never pass up a manicure though! We enjoyed our time to talk and relax a bit. When our time was up, she handed me my next clue.

I walked outside & my brother came running up in a monkey mask acting like a crazy man! It was really funny & we got some pretty strange looks. He took me to the Fort Worth Science Museum & we had fun playing around & looking at all the cool exhibits. Next we went to Starbuck to get some coffee. This was special because all through college we would meet on Friday mornings to get coffee together. That was always a time I looked forward to. For some strange reason he insisted on going to the Starbucks that was inside of Super Target {even when there was a brand new, nice stand along Starbucks right in front of it}. I realized I should not make any more suggestions & just go with the flow!! We sat & enjoyed talking & coffee until my next clue & scrapbook page was handed over.
It led me to the garden section of Target where I totally expected to see my mom waiting. I had been with all the other members of my family, mom loves to garden & we love target. But, I was EXTREMELY shocked when I saw one of my best friends Chelsie Sargent sitting there! What a surprise! We left target & headed to my apartment. As we were driving I mentioned how fun it was that she was there & fun it would be if Jenny could be there with us too! {The three of us had a prayer group all through college, so time together was always special & meaningful. Jenny & Chris were supposed to be moving from Colorado on that day.} We got to my apartment & walked it. There were new clothes spread all over my bed! Every girls dream, right? Then the bathroom door opened and Jenny walked out!! I was totally overwhelmed & shaking. I was completely at a loss for words & I think I had to sit down to get myself together!
They told me I needed to get ready for the evening. I tried on all the clothes & they help me decide what to wear for the evening. When our time was almost up they gave me my next clue & their scrapbook pages. We had such a fun time together & took LOTS of pictures.

I walked downstairs & my sweet mom was waiting for me. We drove downtown & pulled my next to La Madeline's. I asked if I had to eat! I was so nervous that I didn't even know if I could drink water! ha! We sat at a little table & talked & I think both teared up at times. Mom had put together a cute little photo album of pictures of us through the years, along with her scrapbook page. We left & she drove me to the Botanical Gardens {just as I guessed!}
She dropped me off & told me to follow the rose petals.

I did just as she instructed & walked down this beautiful little path. {It seemed really long at the time, when I went back later it was not near as long as I remembered!} I turned around a corner & saw David standing waiting on me. My heart melted. I had been wanting to see him all day & it was the most perfect moment. He said a lot of really precious words, then got down on his knee and popped the big question! When he opened the ring box it was THE ring that I loved when we looked before! It was perfect. Everything about it. Of course I said yes, and when he put the ring on my finger both of our hands were shaking so much he hardly got it on there!

We spent a little while there relishing in the moment & being excited that we were ENGAGED!!!
He told me that our families & friends were waiting for us at a restaurant. When we arrived all of my family was there, David's family, my good family friends Gordon & Pam, and Jenny. It was so special to be surrounded my so many people we love and to CELEBRATE!!

Wow! If you are still reading, I am amazed! That turned out to be REALLY long!
I am so thankful for such a precious husband that spoils me. He made that day so special & really took the time to think about & plan out perfectly things for that day that he knew would be extra special to me. Thanks babe, you are amazing!