Engagement

One of the best days of my life: Ryan asked me to marry him on May 9, 2009. It all started with a date to watch "The Notebook" over four years ago, and here we are now engaged!

On May 9, Ryan took me and my puppy Frankie to Letchworth State Park because I was dying to go as the spring buds were beginning to bloom. It ended up being a beautiful day and we hiked through some very beautiful trails and viewed the many waterfalls throughout the park. After eating lunch and packing up to go back out I went to the bathroom - when I came back Ryan said that he wanted to go back to a lookout viewing the middle falls to take a picture. After walking down to the lookout and waiting for people to leave the area so that Ryan could take a clear picture he asked if I noticed anything missing from Frankie's collar. I clearly did not notice the fact that her collar and tag were not "jingling" like normal, and when I looked down there was a ring hanging from her collar! Ryan then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him - of course I said yes (he claims that I did not say yes at first or answer, but to my defense I was in shock)! He then put the engagement ring on my finger, we shared a kiss, and the rest is history. :) It was so romantic and creative, I was truly touched. I am more excited than words can say to spend the rest of my life with the love of my life!

The ring is absolutely beautiful and perfect. It's a solitaire, princess cut diamond with a thicker white gold band. I love it, it's perfect, and it's exactly the "classic" type of ring that I wanted! Pictures are to come, of course.

So, the day was amazing. After the proposal we bought matching Letchworth mugs as our first items for our "Hope Chest" and for the memory and visited with our family members. Ryan then took me for a delicious dinner at Schimschack's, complete with the waitress preparing Bananas Foster at the table (very cool), and we went back to my house to toast with a glass of champagne and to cuddle on the couch.

As you can see this is the very beginning of what will become my wedding blog, which will create a memoir of the whole wedding planning process and of the wedding itself. We don't have a date set yet, but at the earliest we are thinking of getting married in Fall 2010. I cannot put into words how excited I am (Ryan knows, I have been obsessing already only 2 days in lol), and how much I cannot wait to spend my life with my one true love. I am so lucky to have met my "other half" who knows me inside and out and has stood strong by me for 4 years plus. :)