Surprisingly Surprised!!!!

Phil and I decided very early on that we planned to marry each other someday. We just knew it would happen. It may sound stupid or like some made believe fairytale, but from the very beginning we sensed something about each other and knew in our hearts that we'd found "the one". Plenty of friends and family members probably thought we were nuts...but this is the really fun part where we get to say "told ya so!" LOL (Okay maybe not....but still...nice to be right for a change! haha)

Anyway, back to the story... Phil and I knew we'd get married someday and finally the day came that we decided it was time. We quietly began the wedding plans, setting a date, location, etc. and telling only our closest family and friends. We didn't want to go "public" with our engagement until it was official. I wanted a real proposal and Phil wanted the ring on my finger. So we arranged to get the ring.

However, my ring was being shipped from Utah and was unexpectedly held up at customs, and just hours before I hopped on the bus to Canada we found out it wouldn't make it until after I was back in CT :( I was very very bummed.

Given that there would be no ring to propose with, I figured I wouldn't get my real proposal for a few more weeks and that we'd have to just go ahead and go public without a ring and without a fun story to tell people. Phil picked me up at the bus terminal as usual early on Saturday morning. Usually we just head straight back to his house, but this time he took me to a park. It was only about 7:30 in the morning so there really wasn't anyone there and the park was beautiful. We started walking around and I was very curious as to why he'd made the detour. I wondered if he had planned the proposal and decided to go ahead with it, even without the ring. We walked around the park, took pictures, kissed...then we got back in his truck and left...no proposal.



We ended up grabbing breakfast and stopping at a second park...once again, no proposal.



At this point all thought of a proposal that weekend left my mind. Of course, Phil is a guy, and as part of his guy DNA he isn't going to go to the effort to do some grand romantic thing if he doesn't have to right? The ring wasn't there so why on earth would he propose? I resigned myself to the fact that it wouldn't be for a few more weeks and to just enjoy the weekend together without being on edge wondering for the millionth time if "this is it!" or not.

We picked up his girls and took the 3 hour drive out to Phil's mom's trailer. The camp area where the trailer is was so beautiful and their spot was right on a gorgeous lake. When we first arrived, Phil and I walked down to the little wooden dock to look out at the water. We took some pictures and sat in chairs holding hands and just relaxing. It was so nice. Then we spent some time with his mom and took a nap before dinner. After a nice dinner and birthday dessert for Phil's daughter and brother who had both had birthdays that week, Phil's mom took the kids to one of the camp site activities.



After cleaning up a bit I walked down to the dock again with my camera to take some sunset sky pictures. Phil put the cake away and then walked down to join me. He asked me for the camera and I gave it to him. He told me to stand near the edge of the dock and he took my picture. Then he fiddled with it for a few mintues and set it up on a small table to take a timed picture of the two of us together....or so I thought.

After hitting the button on the camera Phil rushed over to me but instead of standing next to me and posing for the photo he wrapped his arms around me and started kissing me. "Aww" I thought, "a kissing picture, how romantic!" But after a few more seconds, I realized I hadn't heard the "click" of the camera indicating that the picture had been taken. I was about to look over at the camera and say something about it when at that exact moment Phil pulled back from me a bit, looked me in the eyes and went down on one knee! It all clicked into realization at once...this WAS it! Phil was proposing! And the camera hadn't "clicked" because he wasn't setting it up to take a photo, he'd set it up to take a video of our proposal so we'd always have it to remember the moment that he knew meant the world to me! My baby is so romantic!



I immediately started crying before he'd even said a word. He then said the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me and asked for the priviledge of being my husband. He then reached in his back pocket and for just a tiny moment I thought maybe my ring had arrived afterall...but then the next moment I was laughing and of course still crying tears of extreme joy, as he slipped a tiny pink hair elastic onto my ring finger.



There was no diamond ring but it was definitely the most wonderful moment of my life! The ring would come later...but this man would be mine forever! He loves me! And now, we were officially engaged! Through the laughter and the tears and the overwhelming emotion I couldn't even get a word out. Phil finally said "Is that a yes?" and through more laughter I nodded, somehow got out the word "yes" and then he was holding me again and kissing me again and I was happier than I've ever been. And the whole thing was all the more impressive because he actually surprised me! I wanted to be surprised and I thought since we'd already made the decision and started planning that there was no way he'd be able to surprise me with a proposal. He did it! My future husband is amazing! :)

Just moments later, Phil's mom came rushing down to the dock, bummed out that she'd missed seeing him on his knee! Haha We reenacted the moment for her and had her take a few pictures for us.



After that, Phil took me out on a romantic little boat ride around the lake.





What a perfect proposal! Phil, I love you soooooo much! Thank you for making all my dreams come true! You are my soul mate in every way, I love you darling! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

As of right now, our wedding is just ONE MONTH AWAY! It's so crazy to think that in just one month I'll be Mrs. MacDonald! It is coming so soon but still it feels it just can't come fast enough! I can't wait!