Our proposal story ain't no fairytale. (Big shocker, I know). Instead, our engagement tale is EPIC - one in which we had to fight to win each other in the end. Like Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in Far & Away, minus the bad Irish accents.It all began over fours years ago...
August 8th, 2005. We had *just* moved the last of the boxes into our new apartment a block from the beach in Long Beach, CA. Even though we were super exhausted from the move, Mike convinced me to take a walk on our new beach. We walked on the sand, hand in hand, taking in the beauty of our new home, thinking, "Dude, this place is amazing. Can you believe we like, live here 'n stuff?" Then all of a sudden Mike slowed his walking pace...he looked out into the ocean and pointed and said, "Hey, is that a shark out there?" I, being tragically gullible, turned my head to look, and when I didn't see a shark I turned to him to say so, but he was already down on one knee, looking up at me with the sweetest smile I've ever seen fall upon his freckled face. He said, "Today we start our new life together. I love you and I don't want to spend another day without you. Will you marry me?"
I was FLOORED. I had absolutely no idea he was going to do this. I think my first words were, "Are you serious?!" Yeah, I know, real smooth, Britt... BUT shortly after my initial shock, I screamed "YES!" We called our parents that night and spread the word. Everyone was so excited for us. It was an amazing day to say the very least. Then LIFE hit. With barely any training, Mike started teaching math at one of the worst inner-city middle schools in California AND was attending grad school simultaneously at night. And I started my super demanding grad program at Chapman University. New city, new people, new home, new environment, new challenges, new career, new, new, NEW. The wedding became the last thing on our minds. So after much thought, we decided to call off the engagement - at least for a while, until we got our heads on straight. We were still the same couple - in love and living together, but we weren't planning a wedding quite yet. And put it off we did...for FOUR YEARS.
I wasn't expecting him to propose to me AGAIN. I mean, it just seemed silly after all we'd been through. But admittedly, the romantic in me did kind of want him to...afterall, it had been FOUR years... We spent Thanksgiving that year together, just he and I, in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We were relaxed and having the best time we've ever had. Something in us had changed. We were adults - not just in age, but in mentality. We were comfortable in our own skin and happy with our professional lives.
And it was about to get even better. While in Puerto Vallarta, on December 1, 2008, (exactly one year ago today!) we took an hour-long boat ride out to a secluded stretch of beach off the coast of Mexico. When we arrived, we were seated at our beach side, torch-lit dinner table that was literally at the edge of the water. After we ate, Mike told me he wanted to check out the rest of the property. He walked me up to a secluded area that had a hammock overlooking the ocean. We sat on the hammock, in each other's arms, never wanting to leave. Then Mike started to stand up and reach into his pocket. And then I realized it. He was going to propose. I immediately started crying. Then he started crying. Then there was nothing left for him to do but pull out the ring, get down on one knee and say, "Marry me." I flung myself into his arms and said, "Of course!" After about a minute of ecstatic joy, we realized that the boat was about to take off without us. We were literally the last ones on the beach and consequently, the idiots who were holding everyone up at the dock. BUT, they soon forgave us upon learning we had just gotten engaged.
And that, my friends, happened exactly one year ago today. Awww :)
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