How It Happened, What I Said, And What I Wore When I Said It.

Given that it was our 1-year anniversary of dating, celebrations were already in order. Sneaky. I was greeted by 2 dozen red roses when I got home from work last Friday, and 2 dozen more when we got to dinner at Fogo de Chao. But like the practical and unassuming woman that I am, I didn't think too much of it. Like Garrette said, I wasn't thinking "engagement" I was thinking "All you can eat meat." 

By the end of dinner I had really bad hiccups. Like, drunk girl hiccups. It is a problem of mine. Adam tried to feed me bogus riddles, saying that getting your mind off the hiccups cures them. I told him that was stupid, and that the only way I can get rid of them is by drinking water upside-down, which was clearly not appropriate at this restaurant.

I was still hiccuping my guts out as Adam drove us over to the National Mall, parked, and led me to the middle of it all - and my favorite view in DC. I love seeing the U.S. Capitol lit up on one side and the Washington Monument on the other. It is a breathtaking view, every time. It wasn't until that moment, when he actually started saying really nice things, that I clued in.

He took a deep breath and bent down on one knee. He pulled a box out of his pocket and illuminated it with his newly-purchased flashlight iPhone app. Inside was a beautiful, pear shaped ring. He said my full name when he asked me to marry him.

I said, "Yes. Of course!"

Then added, "You got rid of my hiccups!"

And then I started to giggle-cry. I think it is the best combination, actually. Real tears convey real meaning but giggles mean that everything is still ok. And everything is SO ok that you are actually moved to tears.

All the things Adam had been keeping from me for the past few weeks came pouring out like a bad confession session. How he secretly asked my dad two weeks ago in Ohio over ice cream after the Priesthood session of General Conference (he liked the formality of wearing a tie because it seemed akin to an interview anyway). How he'd looked at 30 different diamonds in NYC and special ordered and designed this ring for me based off a pictured I'd shown him in passing months and months ago. How he actually had the ring shipped to my house, addressed to my roommate who works from home, although upon discovering she wasn't home that week he jumped on a bus to come and intercept the package. I just thought he really missed me and came early.

Then we drove to Georgetown and had frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity. It represented the end of our courtship and the beginning of our life together. We toasted ourselves and our future. And when we got back to my house he gave me one last bouquet of 2 dozen red roses. Because, he said, he wanted me to wake up everyday this week and remember that he loves me and that we are getting married.

Life hardly ever turns out the way we plan. And yet, I feel like everything I have found in my relationship with Adam has been exactly what I always knew I wanted.

I think the only thing I didn't plan was how this happiness would feel, because I never even knew this kind of happy existed.

This is the best ring shot I've got, unfortunately. 

Not that it really matters or anyone really cares, but I think it's worth noting that the day after we got engaged we went back to the spot where it all happened and recreated it for pictures. Hence, the proposal picture I posted on Monday. Huge thanks to Noelle and Matt for biking DC with us and taking our pic! We also didn't tell anyone until the next day, which was also fun. It was our little secret for 12 hours.