Our Fairytale: The Engagment

Clay and I began discussing marriage again in July 2010. The discussions heated up when he brought up the idea of looking at rings so he would clearly understand my taste. While I would have loved whatever he got, I'm so glad he wanted my input. His idea of the perfect ring is slightly different from mine.

I waited 5 excruciating months for the big day to arrive.

In the week leading up to Christmas, Clay prohibited me from getting in his truck. He used the excuse that unwrapped gifts were inside. Little did I know that a much bigger surprise was waiting!

On Christmas Eve, we were preparing to leave for family Christmas festivities. We had the food, gifts and dogs in the car, ready to go. When I got in the car, he told me to stay there. He closed the garage door, leaving me and our dogs in the dark garage. I could hear his truck door close and the front door open; I thought he was moving gifts inside.

He opened the door leading from the house to the garage and motioned for me to get out. When I asked why, he said he wanted to give me a Christmas present early. He handed me a gift bag that contained soft peppermint candy and a note. The note told me to go to his truck for my next clue. Another gift bag sat in the driver side floorboard. Along with coconut bon-bons and his ski mask was another note instructing me to put the mask on as a blindfold and he would lead me to the next clue.

He led me inside and positioned me beside the Christmas tree. He left me for a moment and turned on Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You." When I took off the blindfold, he had turned all the Christmas lights on and told me that my gift was on the tree.

After a few seconds of searching, I noticed two silver ornaments with writing on them. I looked at them thinking he had decorated ornaments for us. I picked one up and read the words he had written in blue craft paint. "Will you marry me?" The other ornament said "All I want for Christmas is you." He got down on one knee and said the most beautiful words he has ever spoken to me. I listened to his words through sniffles, snorts, giggles and the occasional gasp of breath. He began with the explanation that Love was born on Christmas (meaning Jesus Christ) and he thought it was only appropriate that our love take the next step at Christmas. After telling me how much he loved me and the reasons he chose me, he actually asked the big question. He began by saying he knew it was impossible for a human being to love the way Jesus did, but that he wanted to spend his life trying to love me the way Jesus loves His bride, the church. How could any woman refuse that?

Through my [many, many, many] tears, I answered "Of course I will" when he asked me to be his bride.

Note regarding picture above: the paint was still wet when I handed the ornaments back to him so he could put the ring on my finger. The ornament landed on the tree skirt, where Bailey had made a pallet. I think the hair just adds character. :)