TBT: 5 Years Ago (Tomorrow)

I'm going to skip ahead for a minute in our little love story because tomorrow is the anniversary of a momentous occasion.

It was August 15, 2009.  That morning I woke up and got ready as always.  Blake had gotten home from his summer working in Arizona the day before, and I was eager to see him.  Although we weren't actually engaged yet, I had already put money down on our reception location a month or so earlier.  We were serious about this thing.  Blake had bought a ring for me in Arizona and was having his aunt and uncle who are jewelers put a diamond on it since the ring was an anniversary band.  Blake told me that morning that the ring was ready and so we should go pick it up from them in Ogden.  I thought it was weird that he wanted to bring me along to pick it up, but he does strange things sometimes so I went along with it.  The funny thing is that we had our engagements scheduled later that day, so I knew he was going to propose before that evening.   

Blake arrived at my parent's house and we left together for Ogden.  He asked me if we could make a quick stop on the way there, and I said that was okay.  He pulled into the parking lot at Union Station, the place where most of our dates happened. 

"How about we take a walk around," he said.  We walked past the train tracks and all around the outside of the building.  Finally, he led us toward the trains and then right by the blue 2002 Olympics train car.

"Remember this spot?" he asked me.

"It's where we had our first kiss."

"Maybe we should try that again." 

When I opened my eyes afterwards, he knelt down and held out my ring, diamond and all

"Amanda, I love you.  Will you marry me?"

"Yes!"  And then the hugging and kissing and being super happy commenced, and the "officially engaged" period began.

Re-enactment later that day

5 years later and I'm still in love with this ring.  And my husband too.

TBT: Our First Date

If you haven't read the post on how we met yet, go do that now.  I'll wait.

After Blake asking me to go swing dancing two or three times and me not being able to go, I finally found the opportunity one week in March.  I still didn't know if this was a date or not, but when he came to my house to pick me up and no one else was in the car I was hopeful.  The Ogden Wednesday night swing dancing was usually at Union Station, but this time it was held at Weber State.  We walked into the ballroom, and I was met with a big crowd of people and one of those bull riding machines, which seemed so random.  Neither of us participated in the bull riding that night.  So we mingled about the room and found our own little spot on the dance floor.  I remember thoughts racing through my head, one after another.

Oh my gosh, I'm taller than him.  Don't stand up too tall, you'll exaggerate it. 

He is a pretty good dancer.

I am a pretty BAD dancer.  He is probably so embarassed for me.

I probably look so stupid right now, trying to dance.

Why did I agree to go to swing dancing?  I am like the most awkward person ever.

Think short. Think short.

We spent time walking through the halls and talking when we needed a break from dancing.  Somehow, I made it through the night without seeming to make a total fool of myself, and even having a bit of fun.  Then he dropped me off at home and we said goodnight.

I was smitten.  Every time I thought of him I couldn't help but smile.  When I told my friends about the date they could tell by my face how much I liked him.  Luckily for me, he wasn't disappointed in my height or dancing skills.  Sure, it wasn't love at first sight, but it might have been love at first date. 

TBT: The First Time Blake and I Met, or, How Chris Ripplinger Changed Our Destiny

It was almost dark outside when I finally left work to head to my night class at Weber State's Davis Campus, which was only about a mile away.  Due to the February snow it took me much longer than it should have to get to there.  I walked in and looked around to find the perfect seat where I wouldn't have to sit too close to anyone.  I liked to have space for my computer and notebook.  A few minutes after I selected my seat, I saw a familiar face.  It was a guy from my single's ward named Chris, who I knew from the ward choir where he sang and I played the piano.  I'd seen him a few times in this class and said hi, but this time he asked me to come and sit with him and his friend. 

I had spent the better part of a year healing my heart from a past relationship and breakup, and while I felt hopeful, I was not expecting anything in my life to change at that time.  I wish I could say that the first time I saw Blake it was love at first sight and I knew we would be together forever, but I didn't.  He was just an attractive guy that happened to know this other guy that I knew.  So I sat by Blake, and talked a little bit.  When class started I did my best to pay attention, but my professor's almost imperceptible African accent always sent my mind adrift.  I laugh to recall how long it took me to realize that 'mah-kett' meant market.  I decided to look at pictures of my pets, because that always made me smile. 

"Hey, you like fish?  That's pretty cool.  I used to have a fish tank," Blake said.  I told him that I did, and probably rambled off the names that I had carefully picked out for my fish.  Emerson, Pistachio, Winter, Volta (and more, at this time I think I had about 8 fish tanks.  Crazy Cat Fish Lady anyone?)  Strangely, my somewhat odd choice of obsession didn't scare him off.  In fact, he later told me that he thought I was out of his league, which I find to be ridiculous.  After class, Blake asked me if I'd like to go swing dancing with him and his friends in two days on that Wednesday, which I wasn't sure if that meant a date or just going as a group.  I already had plans so I had to decline. 

He would ask me to go a few more times.  Stay tuned for my next Throwback Thursday post to see if I ever said yes.  *wink*

Thank you

I just wanted to give a huge thank you to everyone who came to our wedding and/or reception!  I was so happy to see my friends and family there.  It was a beautiful day and full of wonderfulness.  :)  Hopefully I'll get my pictures back from the photographer soon!

Tomorrow's the big day!

Yep, we're getting married tomorrow!  It seems like we've been waiting for this day to come for so long, but then all of a sudden it's here so fast!  Our Hawaiian honeymoon plans fell through, so that was very upsetting, but we're setting aside the money and going later, and going with our Honeymoon Plan B instead, which is Blake's family's cabin in Colorado.  He says it's really beautiful up there.  And then we can plan the Hawaiian trip when we aren't so stressed out with all the other wedding stuff.  :)  Anyways, I have so much to do and only one day to get it done!  See you all tomorrow!

One week!

Woohoo!  One week left!  I want it to go faster :)  It's really weird to think that by this time next week I'll be married......
I can't wait to see all my friends and family (and lots of people I've never met) at the reception! 
Love you all :)

2 weeks

Yep, we're down to 2 weeks until the big day!  Time is going by fast and slow at the same time... I'm ready to get married to the sweetest, most amazing guy I've ever known.  :)  The shower with my family and friends last week was so much fun.  A big thank you to all of you who came.  This week I have a shower with Blake's family, and then next week one with a few people from my home ward.  I love showers, they're so fun.  You get to see all your loved ones and have a party with them.  It's down to the wire now. 

It's October today!!!

Bridals!

I got my bridals taken yesterday! I wanted to bring Blake along too though, because I want pictures of him too! And it's extra insurance if it rains on the wedding day or something....
I learned that my veil will not stay in my hair, so that's a problem I'll have to work out before the wedding. The shoot was very fun, although I was EXHAUSTED afterwards. My back wasn't meant to bend in those ways! I am so very excited to see how they turned out. Crystal said she'd get them to us in a week, so I'm hoping it doesn't take any longer than that. Ooooh I am so excited.

While you're at it, check out her blog: http://envisionimage.blogspot.com/ Hopefully my pictures will be up in her blog soon!

One month!

Today is September 15th, so that means there is exactly one month left until the wedding. Needless to say, we are both ecstatic. But oh my goodness, planning a wedding is lots of work. It's really fun, but also really stressful. There's so much to do! But it's all definitely worth it. And besides, the most important part was easy to plan... I'll be kneeling across the altar from my sweetheart in the most beautiful building in the valley. :)
ONE MONTH!!! Aaahhhh!

Sneak peek of the engagement pictures...

The Ring

Okay, here's the pics of the ring and the story. I was looking around to see what kind of ring I liked. I fell in love with this one http://www.jared.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product1%7C10451%7C10001%7C-1%7C530586407%7C19061%7C19061.20805.20837 but Blake thought it didn't look like an engagement/wedding ring. So, I looked around some more, and found another one that I liked. Which was this one:


And so for a while I thought I'd get that one. But then I looked at the original one again and thought of how much I liked it. So, I actually went into the store and looked at the ring. I put it on my finger and was immediately in love. We talked to the guy there, who said that they could actually take out the itsy diamond in the middle and replace it with a bigger one. Then and there I decided that that's what I wanted. So Blake bought the ring (he was in Arizona at the time) and when he got home he took it to his aunt and uncle who own a jewelry business. They got a diamond for us that is incredible. It's F color, which means it's pretty darn near colorless, and has no visible flaws, and it is just stunning. I am so happy with this diamond. Then they set the diamond in the ring. But of course I didn't get to see it yet. And the rest you all know from the engagement post...
Here's the pics:

Engagement!

Today the love of my life proposed to me. :) Blake just got home from Arizona two days ago (where he'd been since April). Here's what some people didn't know though: we have been planning our wedding since he came to visit for a week in June. I got to pick out the ring and everything. I knew he'd be proposing today, since it was the only day left because we are getting engagement pictures taken today. So, this morning he tells me that we need to go pick up the ring (his aunt and uncle customized it for us, they own a jewelry business). He had left the empty box for it in the car, and so he grabbed it and put it in his pocket. On the way there, he says we should take a little detour. We drive down the road that we went down almost every week before he left for the summer, which was in Ogden. And the cross-streets are named after letters, so we saw C Street, and that stood for Campbell, then B Street for Blake, and A Street for Amanda. :) Then we stopped at the Union Station. We had been on the majority of our dates there, and lots of sweet memories. We go swing dancing there every Wednesday night. We walk around outside for a while by all the trains, hugging and holding hands as usual. Then we start walking like we're going to leave. I thought we were going to go pick up the ring. But then he takes me over to the spot on a sidewalk between some trains where we had our first kiss. Then he kissed me again and we hugged just like we did the first time he kissed me, and then he said 'I have a surprise for you' and he reached in his pocket and got down on his knee. He opened the box, and somehow the ring had magically appeared in it! I was so surprised! Then he asked me if I would marry him. I said yes!!! And then there was some cute lovey dovey talk about love and stuff, I won't bore you with that. And of course more kisses and hugs. That was really tricky of him. He knew he'd have to surprise me somehow since I already knew he'd be proposing today. And I think he did a great job! And the ring is gorgeous! And I LOVE THIS BOY!!!!