Please forgive me for possibly not posting as regularly as usual in these next few weeks. As soon as I get the basics worked out for my wedding, I will definitely be right back on schedule.
In the meantime, since some of you asked, I figured I’d share a bit more about the proposal since it’s easier than cooking dinner, taking photos, editing photos, coming up with something to write, etc :)
Nate and I had planned to take a hike in upstate NY at this park called Poet’s Walk. I can’t remember how we first heard about it, but after seeing the photos, we knew we had to go.
I was really the one who was planning the whole thing. A month or so ago, we were supposed to go but then Hurricane Irene prevented us, so it got postponed.
We decided to push the hike to last Saturday. Then last Friday, Nate IMed me at work and told me that he had to go into work on Saturday for about an hour and we’d have to move the trip to Sunday. I wasn’t too upset since it didn’t really matter which day we were going to go…this park is only about 1 hr 45 min away.
So Nate went into work (or so I thought!) on Saturday and I spent the day doing little things around the apartment. Sunday morning we got up early for brunch with my friends before grabbing my car and heading upstate.
The drive along the way was beautiful and Nate even said he wouldn’t mind living up there, eventually. It’s close enough to the city but still has lots of trees.
We arrived at the park at around 11:30ish I think and Nate and I got out of the car. Within 1 minute, I was already bitten by 2 mosquitoes. You have to know that mosquitoes LOVE me and I’m extremely sensitive to their bites so I try to avoid being outdoors anytime after dusk in the summer. I guess all the rain we’ve been having left a lot of standing water around, so there were tons of bugs.
I was already worried about getting bitten, and then some woman with her dog came running out the entrance and warned us that there were swarms of mosquitoes. At this point I was seriously worried. We drove all the way up there so I didn’t want to just get back in the car and drive home, but I was scared of what could happen if i got a lot of bites (just to give you an idea, last year after sitting outside at dinner and getting about 6 bites on my feet within a few minutes , they swelled and itched so badly I had to go to the E.R. ).
So I told Nate that we would speed through this trail while I furiously swung my arms in the hopes that mosquitoes wouldn’t land on me. Yes, it’s as ridiculous as it sounds.
We got started down the trail and I was several yards ahead of Nate. The trail wove around and into the forest and we passed this beautiful wooden bridge…but I wouldn’t stop to admire it lest I get bit!
I approached a stone bridge a few minutes further and saw Nate trailing behind. As I began to speed over it, I heard Nate call out, “Wait, wait.” So in a huff I replied, “Well if you want to take pics you better hurry up cuz I don’t wanna get bit!” It was at this point that Nate caught up to me while I was standing in the middle of the bridge and he promptly got down on one knee.
I honestly thought Nate was joking. I thought he might propose but I didn’t think it would be for several months, and I definitely didn’t think it would be on this trip since it was rescheduled so many times. I also know that Nate likes to purposefully push my buttons, so I thought he was just stalling so I would be forced to slow down and enjoy the walk rather than rushing through it.
I asked Nate, “Are you serious??”
And then he pulled a box out of his pocket.
I have no idea what went through my head at that moment. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that he was proposing. It was just so unexpected…and I honestly didn’t believe he had planned all this behind my back! I’m a hard one to trick since I ask so many questions:)
But then he opened the box and I saw the most beautiful ring ever, and I knew it was for real. I got teary-eyed (I so didn’t expect that!) and I just kept saying “oh my god, oh my god…” Nate asked me if I would marry him and after finally snapping out of it I said yes.
The ring didn’t exactly fit on my finger so I wore it on my pinky for the rest of the hike. Every 5 feet we walked I kept saying to Nate “I can’t believe we’re engaged!” It was so surreal. Even now it hasn’t really sunk in. But as of Sunday, the ring has been resized and I’m actually wearing it so it’s starting to feel more real.
I just keep looking down at my hand, seeing the ring, and smiling. I can’t believe I’m engaged!!!
I love you, Nate :)
(Unfortunately, we forgot to take a pic of the actual proposal spot! But we’re going to go back when the weather gets cooler and take a pic)
Afterword:
There are a couple of funny parts to this story. First of all, Nate told me later that he didn’t actually have to go into work on Saturday. The ring was supposed to be ready Friday, but they ended up not being able to finish til Saturday, so Nate actually went to pick up the ring!
The other funny thing is that on Saturday night I was reading a New York magazine and came across an ad for Little King jewelers. Because it said they specialized in antique style rings (exactly what I wanted), I said to Nate, “hey Nate, this store here says they specialize in antique style rings…make sure you write that down.” Little did I know that Nate had already picked out a ring from that very place and it was sitting in his desk drawer at that moment! He picked out a gorgeous ring that was more perfect than I could have even picked out for myself :)
