The Long-Awaited Engagement Post, Part 2

Now that I am finally done with graduate school permanently (blog post on that later), I can get back to blogging! I've been really excited to post these pictures and tell you all about our engagement. :) So now you know all about how we got my ring, but now I get share the story of Jordan's proposal.

We had decided a week or two after I'd moved to Portland that we wanted to visit the Oregon coast. Jordan visited a lot when he was younger, and I had never been before. We decided to go the weekend before I started grad school since we knew that I'd probably be too busy to go after everything got into full swing. Secretly, Jordan had already Skyped with my parents that last Saturday morning (the day we found my ring and went to the Timbers game) and asked their permission. So he'd been planning to ask me when we went to the coast, but I had no idea. ;)

So we drove the 3-ish hours out to Cannon Beach and parked at a couple's beach house that Jordan's cousin Amanda knew. When we got out of the car, Jordan pulled a full-out picnic and quilt out of the car! He had kind of been acting weird the night before (he told me he wanted to look nice when we went to the beach, in case we went out to dinner or something, haha.), so I just figured that this picnic was what he had been trying to keep from me. We walked down to the beach in front of the house and layed out our picnic.

We had assumed the weather was going to be windy and cold, but it was sunny and absolutely perfect!

(Obviously, Jordan had Kelsey taking pictures in the backyard of that house, but once again, I was oblivious. Haha.)

So we eat our lunch and talk, and then finally Jordan says that he has a present for me (I am, of course, still clueless). So he reaches into the basket and pulls out something wrapped in a towel. When I open it up, there's a beautiful old Bible dictionary that was published in the late 1800s. As you can tell by my apartment tour here, I have a thing for old books.

I was so excited and started flipping through a few of the beginning pages. Then, I flipped over about half of the pages to see a small ring box sitting in the middle. Oh my gosh, you guys! I immediately started tearing up, and Jordan asked me if I could stand up. I couldn't even speak, I was so surprised.

My sweet man got down on one knee and asked if I would spend the rest of my life with him. And of course I said yes! :)

So then I'm freaking out and too excited to notice that Kelsey is basically 10 feet away from us with her camera. Haha. We popped some champagne that Jordan's mom had sent for us, took a few more pictures, then started calling all of our family and friends. I'm so grateful that Jordan planned for Kelsey to take our pictures--they're so wonderful, and I know that I'll always love to look at them. So thanks again, Kelsey!!

Of course, Jordan's not done surprising me. He takes me to a restaurant and tells me we're going to get dessert with Kelsey. We walk in and there are Kelsey's parents; Jordan's cousin (Amanda), and Jordan's mom (Susie)! I got some sweet presents like bridal magazines and a beautiful blue cameo pin from Susie and ate a really delicious cobbler at the restaurant.



Now that it's been so long since the proposal, a lot of the wedding planning is done; I have my dress, the venue, we've taken our engagement pictures, and a lot of other things. June 30th is the day, people! Mark your calendars! :)

-Claire