Engagement: My Version (Erin) (Archive)

I'm excited that we have this website to keep everyone updated as to what is going on with us! And thank you so much to everyone for your congratulations! We are so excited and it means a lot to us that our friends and family are as well.

So here is my version of the proposal:

Let me just preface everything by saying that I wasn't expecting a proposal at all until Spring Break. We had talked about the timing of it a lot, and I was getting very anxious trying to get clues from him all the time. But from what he had said and what his attitude seemed to be, I was completely expecting it to happen in March.

So...

I had been shopping with my mom at Bridgestreet and we were in the dressing rooms when my dad called my mom wondering why Gerrit wanted to go out to lunch. Gerrit had already told me that he wanted to go meet with my dad about a website, and so this didn't really alarm me. But my dad wanted to know if this was "it."

After Gerrit had gone to lunch he came to meet up with me and my mom. We saw our friend Lauren and we were talking to her which brought up the conversation about him getting sized for a suit. He needs to get sized for her wedding and I have been bugging him to get this done for awhile now. So I asked him if he had gone that morning like he said he would, to which he responded that he hadn't and that he wanted me to come with him to go to a store over the mountain. I complained (why wasn't the S&K in Bridgestreet good enough?), but then he begged again in a "please don't ask questions or you will ruin this for yourself" kind of way.

I'm excited that we have this website to keep everyone updated as to what is going on with us! And thank you so much to everyone for your congratulations! We are so excited and it means a lot to us that our friends and family are as well.

So here is my version of the proposal:

Let me just preface everything by saying that I wasn't expecting a proposal at all until Spring Break. We had talked about the timing of it a lot, and I was getting very anxious trying to get clues from him all the time. But from what he had said and what his attitude seemed to be, I was completely expecting it to happen in March.

So...

I had been shopping with my mom at Bridgestreet and we were in the dressing rooms when my dad called my mom wondering why Gerrit wanted to go out to lunch. Gerrit had already told me that he wanted to go meet with my dad about a website, and so this didn't really alarm me. But my dad wanted to know if this was "it."

After Gerrit had gone to lunch he came to meet up with me and my mom. We saw our friend Lauren and we were talking to her which brought up the conversation about him getting sized for a suit. He needs to get sized for her wedding and I have been bugging him to get this done for awhile now. So I asked him if he had gone that morning like he said he would, to which he responded that he hadn't and that he wanted me to come with him to go to a store over the mountain. I complained (why wasn't the S&K in Bridgestreet good enough?), but then he begged again in a "please don't ask questions or you will ruin this for yourself" kind of way.

This was my first hint that something was up. He also didn't have a very good excuse as to why he hadn't had time to run this errand earlier in the morning.

We left Bridgestreet and started driving and I kept asking questions trying to evaluate the situation. What is this place called? Do you know where it is? All of his answers were sketchy, and this made me more suspicious.

Despite what he says about me playing into his plan perfectly, I knew as soon as he turned to go up the mountain that he was up to something. I knew even more that he kept making different detours. But I was just in denial. As much as I had hoped, I just KNEW that he wasn't going to propose this month.

But he did. We found a pretty view, got out of the car, and after he said something mushy (I really don't even remember) he proposed.

And as wonderful as that moment is, and as much as everyone makes a big deal about the proposal, the best part has been everything afterwards.

That night our families got together for dinner. It was so wonderful to see everyone so excited! Telling our friends has also been so much fun! It seems so surreal to us, but with everyone visibly excited around us it helps it to sink in a bit more.

We feel so loved! And we love all of y'all!

Engagement Day! (Gerrit) (Archive)

I know many of you have already seen my post from the morning of the 21st… but I haven’t had the time to sit down, digest, and write about the events of the rest of the day until now.

For some of you this is the first post you’ll read on the blog. For you first timers, I thank you for coming to our blog to keep up to date with our engagement and other plans. We’re very appreciative of all the support and congratulations we’ve received. We’re so happy that you’re excited enough about us and care enough about us to think to pass your notes of congratulations and your excitement along. Your thoughts and prayers are always appreciated.

But here's the meat of the story that you're really caring about: (a longer, more detailed version of the story for those interested can be found here(edit: link actually works now). Be advised, It's long... and detailed.)

(if the image doesn't load, click here to view the album through the flickr website)

Ok, so after arranging for lunch with Mr. Perry, I got ready and nervously wasted a few minutes on the computer trying to make those last few ticks of the clock happen. I drove out to his office and met up with him and we went to a Vietnamese restaurant. We talked a bit about a website that I'm going to be doing for him, but obviously the real reason I wanted to talk to him was something else.

When there was an appropriate break in our conversation, I asked him for his blessing (I had really wanted Erin's mom to be there for this part, but it unfortunately didn't work out with the timing). He assured me that both he and Mrs. Rebecca were thrilled and that they thought highly of me. Our conversation continued for a bit and then we got back down to the business of web site details.

After lunch I met up with Erin and her mom who were out shopping. I almost exploded with excitement when I walked into the store because a good friend of mine who recently got engaged as well was there with her dad and I wanted more than anything to tell her what was going on! I went over and met up with Erin and her mom and followed them around for the remainder of the shopping trip.

My idea was to get Erin up on Monte Sano Mountain, and the easiest way I could think of to do that was to tell her that I needed to go get sized for a suit in the area of town that's on the other side of the mountain because a particular place had been recommended to me (I really did need a suit, and I was supposed to go get sized for one earlier in the day, so Erin was at least tolerant of the idea...)

As we drove up the mountain Erin fell perfectly into my trap by starting to talk about how it'd been forever since she'd been up here and pointed out where she'd taken piano lessons all her life, etc. I suggested that we continue this walk down memory lane by driving to the state park on top of the mountain that we'd both been up many times as kids.

I could tell at this point that erin was getting a little suspicious, so I found a place down by some old cabins that had a pretty view of the city. We got out of the car, looked out over the city, I talked to her for a minute about how much I loved her, and then I dropped onto my knee and asked her to marry me!

On our way back down the mountain we began the marathon of phone calls. Erin called her house and they invited my family over for dinner. It was so exciting to see our new family together so excited about our future!

To summarize: I am engaged and am so happy!

If you're craving more, you can see it at the link above.

If you're craving pictures, here's a slideshow I think you might like...

Ok ok!... so I lied! (Gerrit) (Archive)

I lied. I freely confess it to everyone. I had initially planned to propose over spring break, but I just cannot wait any longer.

Last night Erin came over for dinner and hanging-out-with-my-family-time and I thought the ring was about to just jump out of the box up in my room and come shooting down the stairs to Erin's finger of it's own volition!

Last night I lay awake for a long time thinking about what to do. I finally decided that if I could work it out to talk to Mr. Bruce today, that I would propose today... I called him earlier this morning and asked him if we could go to lunch under the guise of talking about a Web Site that I'm going to do for him. I'm leaving in fifteen minutes to go pick him up... and am going to ask for his "blessing". I know he'll be super excited, but that doesn't keep me from feeling nervous. I hope Erin's not mad that I'm not going to have a chance to talk to her mom first as well...

As for how I'm planning on actually proposing, I plan on convincing Erin that it's such a pretty day that we should go out and enjoy it... and then going from there...

I need to go now so I can get ready for lunch... but i'm sure there will be many a picture to post later... :)

I'm so excited I can't hardly type... :)

Erin's Birthday and the Coming of the Ring (Gerrit) (Archive)

So after fate dangled excitement right in front of my eyes earlier this evening I went down to the FedEx distribution center and picked up the package. I really wanted to get it today because today, ironically, is Erin's Birthday!

I find it interesting that the thing Erin craves most in the world right now arrived in my hands on her birthday. I wish it was a present that I could give her today!

I have been really impressed with Apollo Diamonds so far, and that continued with the contents of the box they sent me. The box included not only the ring in a beautiful polished wooden box, but also a portfolio containing detailed certificates of authenticity, serial numbers for each of the diamonds, and a thank you card from the entire staff "signed" by everyone. I highly recommend them to anyone...

Here are some pictures... which I'm sure you all want to see:


(if the image doesn't load, click here to view the album through the flickr website)

I can't wait to take it home this weekend to show off to my family! I really can't wait to give it to Erin... but still have about a month to wait on that...

Fate is a Cruel Master to Serve (Gerrit) (Archive)

Ok... so the most unlucky thing just happened to me... Fate is so cruel.

I've been worried all day about the ring coming in because I'd have to sign for it. I've been hoping all day that the package would arrive when I got home after 6.

So I'm driving home from a meeting that lasted until 5:45 and as I was pulling in all I could think was "I hope I beat the FedEx truck home". As I was pulling off of the highway and on to my street, I saw the FedEx truck...

My heart rate doubled in less than half a second and I got SUPER EXCITED that God had worked it out perfectly!... that is until I saw the FedEx truck turn back onto the highway and bypass my street. My heart sank...

Now I've just looked up the location of the ring online and that particular office is open till 8pm. So I'm going to pick it up right now because I just can't stand it!!!!!

I'll blog when I get back!

Ring Ring Ring (Gerrit) (Archive)

Chris (the salesman from Apollo Diamonds) called me today to let me know that he was mailing the ring! It's getting Second Day Aired so hopefully it will be here on Wednesday! I'm so excited! I'm sure I'll take it home this weekend to show it to my parents. Erin, When you're reading this in the future... know that it's going to be SO hard for me to hold onto this ring and not give it to you when we see eachother and I have it in my possession!

Speaking of my parents... I talked to my dad today and he and my mom are super excited about it all! I was a little worried about that because originally I had told them a summer proposal, and didn't know what they'd say to a 17.5 month engagement. Mainly this worry came from the fact that 17.5 months is almost three times the amount of time my parents even knew each other before they got married... :)

Anyways... I'm super excited! I can't wait for the ring to come in so that I can see it and be tempted to give it to Erin! My idea is worth it though...

I'll keep you posted... most likely after the ring comes in on Wednesday fingers crossed

Valentines Day Weekend (Gerrit) (Archive)

I went down to auburn to visit Erin for Valentines this weekend. Not wanting to go out when every other couple was going to be hitting the upper-middle-priced restaurants in a college town, Erin and I decided to go out on Friday night instead! Erin decided she wanted steak. I took a second to thank God for such a wonderful woman, and then enthusiastically agreed.

I called ahead to Outback to get our name on the list, and I'm glad we did. When we got there it was packed! It was about an hour wait at that point but we only waited for about 15 minutes. It's amazing how nice a dinner can feel when you treat yourself to an appetizer, and entree, AND dessert! It was all delicious! We had a great time! While we were there I also gave her her present, which most people really just don't understand so you need a little back story...

I'm a web developer, Erin loves books. I love books too. I started working on an online book community and library manager over the summer as a medium to teach myself some new skills. Well school kicked in and it was just too time consuming to work on during school... so I put it on the back burner. I knew that Erin really wanted me to finish it, so I decided the week before Valentines that that would be the perfect present! I spend MANY hours during the weekend and weeknights to get it finished. It's still a work in progress... but it was done enough that she could use it.

I know it sounds weird to say I gave her the website for valentines... but she was absolutely thrilled! I was pleased with it because it's something personal that I invested ALOT of time in... and It pleased her that I'd actually finished it!

In case you're interested... the site is called MyBookStash.com. Feel free to swing by and check it out!

Anyway... Valentines was good... I know that Erin was somewhat secretly hoping that I'd come out of nowhere and propose this weekend. She is DYING to know what I'm scheming...