The Story of Us - Part 6 - the I love you and the engagement

For us I think it really might have been "love at first sight." I knew that Steve definitely had potential on our first date. After introducing him to my family and seeing how well they all got along and how well he fit in, I really started to wonder if he could be "the one."

We had been dating right around four months when we first said "I love you" to one another. I had actually realized that I had fallen head-over-heels in love with Steven a few weeks before, but I had never said it.

We went to dinner at Bourbon Street Cafe. While waiting for our entrees, Steve asked his all too favorite question, "So what do you think?" (I had already learned that this question meant that he had something very important to tell me. It was always his intro for those heart-to-heart talks.) And, as is common with me, I answered his question with a question. "What do YOU think?" His reply was simply, "I love you." These three words instantly put a smile on my face and made my heart race. I, of course, replied with an "I love you, too" and leaned across the table for a kiss. I was IN LOVE! He was in love! We were in love - and with each other!!! :)

It was either that night or shortly thereafter that we started discussing marriage. (We don't believe in dilly-dallying.) I, being the planner, pulled out a calendar and started looking for dates that would allow us to take a nice honeymoon. Both of us were in school full-time while working full-time, so scheduling such an event required some planning. After careful review, I decided that the weekend before Thanksgiving would be best. And so I told him that if he really was serious about marrying me, he needed to propose soon because it was already the end of May and I needed time to plan our wedding. My darling husband responded with, "Don't you think we need to be engaged at least a year?" My "what for?" response let him know that I didn't think so. And so we set a date.

A few weeks later, Steve called on a Tuesday. (Now mind you, his MO was to call only on Wednesdays to make plans for the following Friday night date. We only saw each other on Fridays. Steve was working four jobs and going to school, so he didn't have a lot of time for dating. So the Tuesday call was out of the ordinary.) He told me that he was coming to pick me up. He took me to a park, and we walked out to a bridge overlooking a pond filled with lillypads. It was there, at sunset, at 8:31 p.m., that Steven got down on one knee and proposed. I don't remember everything he said (because he actually had a lot to say), but I do remember waiting for the question, "Will you marry me?" I responded with, "yes, yes, yes!" It was so perfect and so romantic!

(FUN FACT: All of the clocks in my house that do not work because the batteries in them die too often are set to 8:31.)

The Saturday after the proposal, my parents, my sisters-in-law and I went to Dallas to go dress shopping. (What can I say? I don't waste time!) After a full day of dress hunting, we found the perfect dress.

On Sunday afternoon after the proposal, my parents, Steve and I returned to the park to take engagement pictures.

And so the whirlwind of wedding planning began...

Stay tuned for The Story of Us - Part 7 - the wedding and the beginning of our happily ever after...