Our Love Story // Part 5 {Engaged!}

Just 1 year ago today...

💍

It was coming to the close of another one of our visits.  Being long distance, our "dates" were more like full fledged date weekends where we spent most of the waking hours together.  This particular trip was even more special than usual.  I'd made my way down to Georgia so we could celebrate our one year anniversary as boyfriend & girlfriend together {& I even got to spend a little longer than the weekend this time}!

I have to say, Dan did so amazing!!!  He surprised me with a "treasure box" on the 1st day of the visit.  Inside, amid the soft glow of battery-powered twinkle lights 😍, were handmade cards he created out of scrapbook paper {he even drew pictures in them}!  Little by little, throughout the visit, he would let me read yet another card - some with memories of past adventures & some with sweet words of love.

When just 2 days left remained before I had to go home to Tennessee, I took a red rose his parents had plucked me from their garden & pinned it into my hair, & he took me back to the place where he carved our names encompassed in a heart on a tree at Pine Mountain.  He nervously asked me to wait in the car for him for a moment & he would come back for me.  I watched him sprint down the trail until he was out of sight.  In my heart I knew what was coming.

Raindrops had started to intermittently plop against the windshield when he finally returned to take my hand & dash with me down the path, dodging water droplets, as we headed to our tree.  When we got there my heart sorta stopped momentarily at the sight before me.  He had strung up more twinkle lights & lit small white candles around our tree, & there at the base was the "treasure box."  He pulled out another card for me to read, & my eyes danced across his loving words about our journey, as my heart raced & butterflies waltzed in my middle.  "I have another special card for you..." were the last words written on the bottom.  I lifted my eyes & found him down on one knee handing me the final card, asking me to marry him, & pulling out a ring box & slipping the most gorgeous ring on my finger...❤

You had to ask me 3 times before I said "yes" to being your girlfriend - this time you only had to ask once.  I am yours forever, Dan!