5 years ago today....

justin asked me to be his bride. i was caught off guard, unexpectantly overjoyed, and it was the best day of my life. (next to my wedding day, the birth of elliana and tucker.) i love that he choose this day february 13th instead of valentine's day.

that year valentine's day was on a friday and he had school all day and then had to work (at best buy) at night so we decided to celebrate valentine's day the day before since we both had it off. we thought it would be fun to have a picnic in upper park. it had just rained so everything was glowing green and the gray skies were delicious. i remember justin saying we should bring the camera. and i was like, "what if it rains? i don't want to get my camera wet!" but then i thought, well, ok. and then he told me, "aren't you gonna take a shower?" and i was like, "ew. no! its all rainy and my hair will get all frizzy anyways!" but then i did. he knows me so well and knows i'll do anything to capture a moment on film, and little did i know that he was planning to ask me to marry him, and he knew he couldn't do it without the camera and me not having my hair done. i absolutely would've killed him.

so we got our sandwiches from kona's, loaded chessa up in the car and went on a hike to upper park. it was just beautiful. as we were walking justin was telling me how much he loved me and how lucky he was and how blessed we've been. i knew we were celebrating our valentine's day so it wasn't so out of the ordinary yet. and then he said, close your eyes i want to give you something. so i held out my hand and opened my eyes and he had given me a wooden heart with a key attached to it. and on the back he had written, YOU HOLD THE KEY TO MY HEART. i thought it was the cutest thing ever. because all i ever want is for him to be creative and make me something. and he did. so i thought was it our gift exchange, a few nice words and we were on our way back to the car. very lovely.

there is a giant cross near the parking lot of the north rim trail entrance and we decided to walk down that way. i always like to find little trinkets to remind me of special times and i remember telling him i want to find a special rock. "i think there are some down here" he said smugly. so as we walked down by the cross i saw these words written in stone: JEN WILL YOU MARRY ME. he didn't even have time to say anything i just ran over to it and started freaking out. he put his knee in the mud and asked me to marry him. he pulled the ring from his jacket in a little metal fortune cookie box and we sat there for what seemed like forever just crying and holding eachother. it was amazing. i had been waiting for this moment since i was a little girl. and it was everything i thought it would be. and of course, i saved every single rock that he used to spell out marry me with. they are in a red heart jar on our bookshelf.

maybe that's why i love valentine's day so much now. its so much more than just a day for me. oh yea, AND the fact elliana was conceived on valentine's day. :)

sometimes i wonder how i got so lucky :)

happy engagement day babe!