The Engagement-Day 9

So I have to be honest and admit that I am cutting and pasting some of this information from our the wedding website that we created during our engagement. So when you read the story of our engagement, it is from Dan's perspective-not mine. When we put together the website, I told the story of how we met, and he told this part...

So my dear sweet husband- Here is your FIRST blog post-and since I don't think you even read this page very often, it might be a few months before you realize you've been published.

WHEN WE GOT ENGAGEDApril 22, 2005HOW IT HAPPENEDAs most of you know I have been singing all my life and writing songs for the last decade, so I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I wrote a song to help me make the proposal. I had been trying to write the song for about 3 months and was having a lot of trouble. How do you sum up 12 years of memories into a few verses, bridge, and a (non) repeating chorus? When the proposal is the chorus, you hope you don't have to repeat it!

I asked Amy to give me some of her best and worst memories of us over the last twelve years. This just made it more difficult because she has an unbelievable (scary) memory. After reading her notes I thought I would have to write the second version to "American Pie". Once I received the ring I couldn't wait so I sat down and tried to put together all my thoughts and notes and complete the song before I saw Amy that night. The pressure was building and I was getting nowhere and then... unlike most of my songs, I quit thinking and just wrote.

Amy came by and I had candles lit in the living room "because the power had gone out" and had poured a couple glasses of wine. She sat on the couch and I told her I had worked on a few more verses to the song and wanted to play a little for her. She was still clueless at this point. She sat back and I started strumming my guitar............me,me,me,me,me (throat exercises)

Title: Story of Us

I feel like I've known you all my life
Still I want to know you better
I feel I've been waiting all this time
Though for you I'd wait forever
Now I'll follow through
With this song I wrote for you

I've been trying to write our story until now
Our beginnings and our ends; our ups and our downs
As I recall, twelve years of memories
Every moment a note in our own symphony

(Amy's skin starting getting splotchy right about now so I could tell she was figuring out what was going on)

Cause everything has its purpose, place, and time
If I gave up my best friend, I might as well give up my life
Cause you showed me the way to the Lord up above
And he has opened my heart to the purest kind of love
So I'll spend every moment making memories... thus
I'm always writing the story of us


Now I'll follow through
With this one question for you


(At this point I "accidentally" dropped my pick on the ground and had to drop to one knee to pick it up. Somehow I "accidentally" grabbed a box with a ring in it from under the couch instead of my pick)

I asked "Will you marry me"? She said "yes." Still no tears until I actually slipped on the ring. Best hug of my life followed. She then asked if that was the whole song so I finished the rest which seemed a little silly at this point.

Will you marry me Amy?
Will you be my wife?
Will you marry me Amy?
Cause I will love you all my life
Will you marry me?


Now that the song/proposal was over and Amy's skin went back to normal I preceeded to point to the hidden video camera behind some DVD's. I have the whole thing on tape even what she was doing when I walked out of the room for a minute ; )

*Just a quick note for all of the girls regarding the ring. Amy's ring was designed especially for her by me, her Godfather, Steven and the designer at Steven's store. Amy chose the style and setting and we created it based on that. It is a round solitaire with a sapphire underneath.

So there you have it-Our engagement story. After it was "official" we went to dinner and then picked up our friend Traci (My maid of honor) and proceeded to cruise around town, dropping in on lots of friends to announce the news. 
Oh-and for those of you that are still wondering,  I STILL HAVE NEVER WATCHED THE VIDEO!


f you click on the link below, (Where it says THE STORY OF US BY HOLLISTER MUSIC) you can hear my song. I still love it.....and never get tired of hearing the final question at the end. Hollister knows it now too.

Story of Us by Hollister Music

Here was the model of my ring being made. Traci and I found the one I loved and then Dan sent the picture to my godfather Steven, who had his designer make it. (below)

Dan and I celebrating with one of my sweet flower girls. (Clare). 

Next we crashed this poker tournament up at the lake and announced our news. 

Then we moved on to the University area to meet some friends. It was here that I spotted my favorite college basketball player (Mitchell Baldwin) across the room. Dan proceeded to ask him if he would mind taking a picture with his fiance. For some reason, this remains one of the funniest parts of the night. Notice there are no pictures of JUST Dan and I, but there is one of me and a college basketball player on my engagement night. 

And Traci and I call this "OUR" engagement photo. 

My manicure the next day. If you know me well, then you know I'm not really a "girly" type of person, who follows all of the usual traditions, but I HAD to get a manicure. Everyone was looking at my hands and my nails were looking pretty rough. 

Celebrating with our friends Jen and Brian

Wendy was the first person brave enough to ask if she could try on my ring. I thought it was so funny, that I had to take a picture...