engaged and ecstatic!

me and my fiance!

A week ago, when I was publishing the last blog post, I had no idea that I would be engaged just hours later! Sitting on the seventh floor of the library blogging, reading and gazing at the mountains, I had no inkling I would soon feel like I was at the top of one of them!

I scheduled a meeting with a bride last Sunday afternoon for the following day in Jacksonville. With such short notice, Bryan used this as the perfect opportunity to really surprise me.

It was a beautiful evening, so after he got off work, "we" decided to walk to dinner (I now realize this was part of the plan). We walked and talked, and I was just excited to see him. As the story goes, a couple of things aligned so that our path to dinner took us right by the spot where we first kissed five years ago. Here, under the same stars, he asked me to spend the rest of my life with him!

I said, "YES!"

(This is the dress shop under his loft.)

My ring--which he designed--and I love!

A little Q&A based off of inquiries we've already gotten:

Q: When's the big day?
A: We're just spending some time being excited right now:) We chose to spend a short while stress free in order to share the news with family and friends, get used to calling each other fiance and fiancee, and pray about our future together before we get too ahead of ourselves.

Q: Where will you get married?
A: When we know, we'll let you know! (reference above:)

Q: Will we have to call you "Sintos" too?
A: I've been known to look up from behind a store shelf at the sound of someone "cawing" like a crow, so I'm sure I'll answer to this as well:)

Q: Why is your ring so "colorful?"
A: Bryan worked to design a ring he thought best fit me (better pictures soon to come). It's silver with a vintage setting with a ruby in the center (I know this isn't the correct terminology--I've already been learning ring theory:). It's really unique and I simply love it because he created it just for me. (He also told me how members of the royal family always give jewels instead of diamonds as engagement stones:)

Q: Where will you guys live?
A: We ask ourselves this same question! And we won't know the answer until Bryan goes through basic training. He's currently in the process of auditioning for a military band. After basic, as a musician, he'll get to choose what city we'll reside in from a small list of choices. (My fingers are crossed for Germany:)