My Favorite Surprise

Everybody's been wanting to hear the story of how it happened, so here it is from my perspective:

I took Friday off of school to attend a photography workshop hosted by three amazing professional photographers (a post about my awesome experience there is sure to come!) both that day & Saturday. After a long day of learning Friday, I was experiencing a little "brain mush." As I drove home from the workshop in Kalamazoo, I called my friend Tess & invited myself over to join her family's pizza & a movie night.

Just after we had started the movie and our dinner, Fred called me on my cell phone. He told me he was taking some stuff up to one of his former students at Faholo Camp & Conference Center. He is still living in Toledo, so it was an hour & a half drive and he wanted someone to talk to. When he found out I was at Sean & Tess's (his cousin & cousin-in-law) house, he asked to speak with Sean and made it sound very convenient that I happened to be there. I told him I'd call him when I left, and let he and Sean talk about "car stuff" for about 5-10 minutes. When they hung up, we all jumped back into the movie.

About an hour went by, and he called me again:

Fred: Hey, what are you up to?

Emily: Um... I'm still watching the movie. (Duh. I told you I'd call you after.)

Fred: So are you in the room with them right now?

Emily: No. (That would be rude.) I am downstairs.

Fred: Well can you do me a favor, then?

Emily: Maybe. (You can't make me.)

Fred: Put on your shoes & turn on the outside light.

Emily: Do I have to tie my shoes? (What?! Why did that even cross my mind, let alone come out of my mouth?)

Fred: Nope.

Emily: Okay...

It was at this time that I opened the front door and my best friend came walking up the driveway, surprising me with an impromptu weekend visit, yet again. We greeted each other with an embrace, and salutations, when suddenly Fred leaned back, told me he loved me and that he wanted to marry me. Then he got down on one knee, pulled out a ring, and proposed to me right there - in that floodlit driveway on a muggy night at the end of May.

I told him I'd think about it.

JUST KIDDING! I said yes. I am so honored & excited to be in this stage of our relationship, and am very much looking forward to the new life that God has for us.

*Photos Courtesy of ShutterSam (Samantha VanderList)*

P.S. I love my ring! He picked the PERFECT ring for me, and had it within 40 minutes of looking - further evidence of his impeccable taste (heehee!).