I guess he really liked it

On Thursday August 25, 2011 I left the house at 8:30am.  I drove to Yosemite, where (after erroneously being pulled over by a childcop who admitted/yelled at me that the reason he wasn't issuing a citation was because he didn't know what kind of citation he could give me) I was to pick Will up as he was finished with the John Muir Trail.

On my way there, Will called to tell me to pick him up at Bridal Veil Fall instead of the Crane Flat gas station as planned, because it was an easier location for his hiking partner's ride to reach. I figured he knew I wouldn't mind driving into the valley, and that I certainly wouldn't mind waiting for him at my favorite waterfall.  As I sat on a rock at the base of the falls, reading The New Yorker and people watching, I was relaxed and unsuspecting, taking pictures of the falls and lounging about.

It was a beautiful day

After about an hour, I started wondering when the heck the boys were going to arrive, so I sent Will a text asking when they'd arrive. When he responded that he was about to walk up the trail, I got a little of that nervous-excited-butterflies-in-the-tummy thing.  I tried to act all cool though, and went back to reading my magazine to avoid anxiously staring down the path (though, duh, I looked up every 5 words or so to see if I could see him coming).

Finally, there he was (awww).  I believe my first word to him was, "Hey." to which he responded "Hi."  I'll say it's because we were so happy to see each other that words escaped us.  Sure.  Anyway, I got up off my rock and walked over to give him a hug, but holycrap suddenly he was down on one knee.  My initial thought was that he was messing with me, but when I saw the ring, and heard him ask me to spend the rest of my life with him...for reals, I was freaking out.  I believe my thoughts went something like "holy shit this is actually happening, oh my god, Will is proposing."

Will's hiking partner James was stealthily crouching on the
path, taking pictures the whole time. 

He proposed with a hand-carved wooden ring: when you decide you want to marry your girlfriend while backpacking in the Sierras, your jewelry options are somewhat limited.  So I got a freaking awesomely cool and totally unique ring, carved just for me with love.  And it totally fit, so awesome points for Will there.  And double awesome points for having a friend there to photograph it, so that we can have pictures like this to remind us of this moment.

I like this picture because
A) it shows off the ring
B) it reminds me of just how utterly
overjoyed I was in that moment.

So yeah. Giddy and excited were we.  Happy happy happy.  I was genuinely surprised...several friends had done the "omg do you think he's going to propose when he gets back!?" thing, and I had actually managed to shut those thoughts out of my mind.  I was just happy that I was going to pick him up and that we were going to go home together.  In hindsight, I probably should have been suspicious, but I had succeeded in convincing myself to just be happy he was home and not to think about a potential proposal.  You know, as to not set myself up for disappointment or something. While I still can't believe I was so surprised, I'm glad I was, because that was sure fun.

fat and happy

The drive home was full of giggles (from my side of the car) and hand holding, feeling like the newly-engaged people we were.  We stopped by our favorite fruit stand and headed home to relax (it had been a long day for both of us).

And then...not even 5 days later, this happened.

HELLOOOOOO DIAMOND!

In the five minutes between changing for Pilates and leaving for Pilates, he asked me to play a game of cards.  Again, totally unsuspecting (maybe I'm just gullible) little ole me said sure.  I mean, he had just taught me a new game the night before, and I had time to squeeze in a round or two.  I did think it was weird that he was making me shuffle the deck (why didn't he just do it?), but when I reached for it there was a shiny black engagement-ring-sized box on the table.  

another angle of le ring. so sparkly.

Now I have a huge freaking rock beautiful sparkly giant truly wonderful engagement ring on my finger, in addition to the beautiful one carved just for me out of wood from the Sierras (not currently wearing it due to some fears of ruining it).  I am planning to coat the wooden one with some sort of protective shellack or something (any product suggestions? let me know!) so I can keep it forever..it looks really good as a necklace, btw.  And the diamond ring? Custom-ordered the day after we returned from Yosemite, it is perfect and unique and I love it so.  The jeweler down the street who made it can even make a wedding band to go with it, and I feel so fancy I could just barf.  Just kidding, no barfing. Just squealing.

I am a very lucky girl, with two engagement rings - both given to me in surprising ways.  Even luckier to be marrying the guy I love, my best friend, the one who makes me laugh daily.  He's a good one, that Will. 

Artsy fartsy shot of the rings, together in awesomeness.

If you don't understand the title, you obviously don't have this stuck in your head. If you do, hopefully it's stuck in your head now. You're welcome!