I Said Yes...

...To the dress!

It's true. I bought a wedding dress. The absolute, without out doubt, positively WORST part about it is that I can't even describe it because my ever-supportive fiancé reads these posts. So here I sit looking at a picture of the dress, truly wishing I could post it here, but alas, my hands are tied, my friends. 


The wedding planning has begun, and although I have basically planned the whole thing in my mind, we don't have a date picked out yet. I say this because it is definitely the single most frequently asked question I have heard for the last three weeks. I promise I will pick one soon. 

Yes, I also know the colors, and I've shared them with a few people, but those are yet another thing that I'm keeping tight-lipped about for the most part, because who doesn't love a good surprise?!


Until then, my life is nearly consumed with ideas, thoughts, and dreams. There is so much to do, and even though it seems like so little time, I'm determined to enjoy every step of this process, basking in the glow of the post-engagement happiness until they day it changes to wedding day bliss. 

Finding Happily Ever After

This post is one of the most exciting I will probably ever write.

On Thursday, June 21, 2012, Cameron asked me to be his wife, and I very excitedly said yes. Since then, I have recanted the story time and time again, and I have yet to smile less than I did the first time.

We had been planning for months to spend a few days in the Smoky Mountains, and finally, the vacation had come. In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, we packed the car and hit the road for the condo. We spent the day exploring the town and enjoying the much-needed cooler temperatures the pool offered.


Thursday, Cameron suggested we go on a hike, which we had talked about for some time. It was about 14 miles round trip. We began the trek ready to reach our "mystery location," at least, it was a mystery to me. About a mile in, we heard a rustling sound coming from behind us. We turned around to see a black bear lumbering onto the trail where we had just been! Of course, I wanted to snap a picture, but Cameron insisted (wisely, probably), that we move ahead and get out of the path of the bear, which happened to be staring at us. We continued on for a couple miles before hearing the leaves moving ahead of us. Though we couldn't see it, we could tell this was a big animal, and it began to run. All signs pointed to this being another bear encounter. Concerned about safety, we decided to go back down the mountain rather than taking our chances on the trail, especially because we hadn't seen another human in miles.

As we were heading down the mountain, we got close to the point where we had seen the first bear, and naturally, we were both on edge. It was at this moment that a squirrel decided to bolt toward a tree, essentially giving Cameron and I small heart attacks. Eventually, we had nearly reached the end of the trail, and saw yet another, much smaller, black bear!

We got back to the car, and headed toward the "backup plan," which was a 1.5 mile trail to our mystery destination. As we climbed this part of the mountain, Cameron repeated things along the lines of "I'm so glad you're here with me" and "I'm so happy." I thought it was very sweet of him, but I had no idea what was waiting at the end of the trail.

Once we got closer to the end, I could hear the sound of water, but I thought it was one of the many creeks we had heard along the way. Instead, it was the sound of a beautiful waterfall, our mystery destination. There was a handful of families at the waterfall taking pictures, and as we watched the water cascade down onto the moss-covered rocks and into the pool of water below, Cameron said he had hoped there would be fewer people there. Thinking he had wanted to enjoy the waterfall without the sounds of squealing children, I still thought nothing of it.

Finally, as we were about to leave, a wonderful gentleman asked if we would like a photo together; it was an offer we gladly accepted. As I began walking toward the waterfall, which was the only waterfall in the state park that people can walk behind, Cameron stayed behind. I thought he must have been explaining how to use the camera. Little did I know, he was hinting at what he was about to do so that we could have the perfect picture. He eventually caught up and took my hand. He told me to wait, but I was so stuck on the idea of getting a photo behind the waterfall, that I began to protest, but he insisted. He told me he loved me, and was so happy we were there together, and I told him the same. He then took my other hand, and locked eyes with mine. Almost before I knew what was happening, he put a hand in his pocked and retrieved a beautiful diamond ring. He repeated that he loved me one more time before getting on one knee, holding my gaze the whole time, and those words finally came, "Elizabeth, will you marry me?"

Though I had always thought I would cry, no tears came, and I managed to blurt out a breathless "yes!"

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect location, and I couldn't be happier or more excited to start this new journey in life. As Cameron and I start to plan our lives together, we have been blessed with congratulations from all over the world (literally!), and welcoming hearts. This is a memory I will carry with me for the rest of my days.

Something In The Water

I'm sorry, did I miss something? Yesterday (ish), I was just graduating high school, and by the afternoon, I graduated college, then by the evening, I was moving into my own place. Somewhere along the line, it seems like everyone started doing one of the following:

1) Getting engaged
2) Getting married
3) Becoming pregnant
4) Having a baby
5) A combination of two or more of the above.

I won't say who, but I know of at least five people who are having babies, a handful of weddings to come, and honestly, I have lost count on engagements within the last three months.

At first it was all happy and exciting, then it was "gee, this is getting to be a normal announcement..." and finally, it turned into "I am no longer convinced the timing here is all coincidence, there must be something in the water that is producing rings, flower arrangements, and babies."

 It's making me a little unwilling to get my daily intake of water because I don't really feel old enough to be attending so many weddings as a friend rather than extended family member, and I definitely do not feel old enough to know of people I graduated high school with who have been married, had a couple kids, and then got divorced. 

I mean, honestly, I'm thinking back now on all the summer afternoons I wished would speed up because I was just "sooo booorrreeddd, Mom," and yes, it's disgustingly cliche, but I am feeling like time is now in fast forward and I don't have time to adjust to all the new things coming my way before another comes along.  I say this as I think "the vacuuming and bathroom cleaning needs to happen this weekend, and I should really get to that mounting pile of laundry, and oh, I need to call the insurance guy, and I need to decide what crock pot to use for the chili I'll be making..."
 
Meanwhile, my un-old brain thinks "I am within 20 minutes of three breweries and that snow looks like more than a lot of fun to play in this weekend."

All I'm saying is, while everyone else is either planning a wedding or buying a lifetime supply of diapers that really only lasts a week, I'll be at the brewery, because it appears beer is safe...because something is definitely in the water.