A couple people asked about our engagement story….well…here it (finally) is!  😀

On Saturday, February 26, we went ring shopping.  I couldn’t wait for the Pilot to get off work so that we could head over to the mall.  It seemed like the day was passing so slowly!  🙂  Finally, he was off work and we could start shopping.  I knew I wanted something small, princess cut, and not a solitaire.  At our mall there are about five jewelry stores….and about the third store I absolutely fell in love with a ring!!!  Nine small diamonds in the middle, with four smaller diamonds on each side.  After gazing at it for a long time we left the store and kept looking.  But eventually we went back and bought the ring.

The woman told us it probably wouldn’t be ready for several days.  On Monday when the Pilot and I were out together, his phone rang.

“Is that the jeweler?” I whispered.  Smiling and not answering, the Pilot finished his call and kept brushing off or ignoring my questions.

“Is the ring ready?”

No answer.

“Are we getting engaged tonight??”

No answer.

We were both so excited.

Because of various scheduling things, I knew 98% that he was going to propose that night.  Some people might think that knowing takes away from the specialness.  It didn’t.  I was absolutely beside myself with excitement all day.

The Pilot told me that he wanted to propose someplace that meant something to us.  I hadn’t told him, but for a long time I thought that a hike proposal would be wonderful.

“Wear lots of warm clothes, because we’re going hiking.”  One of the ways God had us get to know each other a few years ago was on our weekly hikes with a group from church.  Hiking was very influential in our relationship.  🙂

I went through my closet trying to figure out what to wear.  Finally I decided on a black skirt and green shirt, with the jacket the Pilot gave me for Christmas.   I was expecting “just” a hike proposal…but when he came to pick me up he asked if my “formal” black dress was ready in case I had to wear it later that night.

“Um…….yes.”  Hmm.  The man had something else up his sleeve.  🙂

As soon as we got in the car, he took a picture of me.  It was so sweet as he continued to take pictures throughout the evening to document the whole thing.  We headed out and he took me to Mt. McCoy, which is a well-known hill in our town because it has a giant cross on top of it.  In a few minutes…I knew that we were going to be engaged.  I couldn’t wait. We hiked to the top of the hill and caught our breath.

I was unbelievably excited.  I couldn’t believe that the day…the hour…the minute we waited for so long to arrive…was here.  In a few minutes I would be engaged to the man I loved more than anything.

A few minutes later he told me he had something to ask me.  The dearest man in the world told me that he loved me….and he knelt down and asked me to marry him.  The moment was rather a blur…but in the midst of the tears I said YES. He held up the ring and it was even more beautiful than I remembered. He put it on my finger, then stood back up and we hugged.

We were engaged.  Engaged.

Underneath the cross, we prayed together, thanking and praising God and praying for our engagement that we might come to be an accurate representation of Christ and the church.

We stayed on the hill for a little while, taking pictures, still absolutely thrilled and amazed.  Before too much longer, we headed back down the hill because he had dinner reservations at 8:30. We went back to my house, showed off the ring, I changed clothes….then we went to his house, showed off the ring, and he changed….

We headed back out…and I still didn’t know where we were going.  During the drive, I called my sister and two closest friends to tell them the news.

He took me to a place in Burbank called The Castaway. It was so nice. Our meal was really good…and it was so fun to just sit and talk with my fiance.  Our waiter kept announcing that we were engaged.  At the end of the meal, he brought out a complimentary cake in the shape of two hearts to celebrate our engagement.

We left there and went back to his house. I wanted to update Facebook and let the world know that the man of my dreams and the love of my life had asked me to marry him! When we got there, he said, “And the night isn’t over yet.” I was surprised…he still had more up his sleeve?? We updated Facebook….then he brought me back home. He went to his car and pulled out a dozen red roses. He is sooo sweet and thoughtful.

Everything was absolutely perfect. I love him so much and I am astonished that I get to be his wife for our whole lives. God is so good!!!

-Bonnie