Anniversary Countdown: 1 day

Our Engagement Story

AJ, along with our entire family, came up to stay at a lakehouse on Lake Keowee and celebrate my graduation from Clemson. We had a house big enough for everyone to have their own "wing" and a lake to keep us occupied. We had a lot of fun.

Of course, I didn't want to miss out on all the fun, but I had to be on campus a lovely 2 hours before graduation started. I procrastinated forever, so I ended up not having any time to talk to AJ and just ran out the door to head to campus.

While I had been off getting ready, AJ found my parents, and showed them the ring and asked them if it would be okay if he gave it to me. He asked my mom more so than my dad, because everyone knows she wears the pants. :-) My mom gave him the go ahead on the one order that he must spoil me (gotta love moms).

My mom kept trying to convince him to propose in the morning, before graduation, so that I could show the ring off to my friends that I wouldn't see for a while, but AJ was nervous and told my mom that he had to figure out what to say, and that I wouldn't be able to wear the ring anyway, because it hadn't been sized. (Boys are so funny, he should've known I'd wear it ANYWAY, size 11 or size 4, I would've found a way!)

He wouldn't do it, though, so they all headed out to the worst graduation ceremony ever. It was a 3.5 hour ceremony. It was hot. My nieces and nephews were 7, 5, 2, and 2 newborn babies. Olivia, my youngest niece, had an explosion diaper in the first 30 minutes, and my brother in law had to take her to the car and sit with her for the next 3 hours. Unfortunately, the lake house was a good 30 minutes away, so taking her home wasn't an option.

I finally received my diploma and we were able to leave, so we all headed back to the house for dinner. I knew something was going on when my dad sat really really close to me on the couch, put his arm around me, and started muttering about how I was his little girl and I was growing up so fast. I thought I saw a tear in his eye, but I figured he had just had one too many glasses of wine.

My mom tried numerous times to get everyone out on the balcony for a toast, but we were all comfy in the kitchen, so no one wanted to move. Finally, we were able to go outside and AJ wanted me to walk down to the boat dock, because, he told me, that's where my present was. I was utterly confused. Why would he get me a present that had to be on the dock? If it was something for the water, we'd never get it home... We started to walk down the stairs and I saw everyone on the dock watching, and I knew.

Of course, the awkward person that I am, I decided I needed to use the restroom, so halfway to the dock, I ran back to the house to go pee (and mildly freak out). I must've stared in the mirror in disbelief for a good 5 minutes. When I came back out, we finished walking to the dock. We got down there and, where people had been fishing earlier, there was a dead bait fish right in the middle of the walkway. After I shrieked (I was being a little dramatic), and AJ kicked it into the water, my mind goes a little blurry. I remember a "You know I love you, right?" and him on one knee, and the next thing I remember I was hugging him and yelling "You guys are sketchy!" at my family, who was spying.

My sister and brother had no idea, although my brother in law and sister in law were clever enough to figure it out. I got lots of hugs and lots of bad pictures were taken. (Please excuse my outfit. It was the only jacket I had, and I know I don't match! If I had known what was going on, I would've changed!)

Now you can see why I'm completely envious of cute engagement pictures!!

I spent the rest of the weekend with my hand balled in a fist, just so my ring wouldn't fall off. I hated taking it off to sleep and go out on the boat, but it was much better than losing it in the bottom of the lake!! 

Tomorrow is our official anniversary and a recap of our wedding and first year of marriage!