The Engagement

I was scheduled to go home on Tuesday Dec. 11th to be there for the birth of my 4th niece/nephew on Wednesday! Micheal and I had planned to go to Washington DC for quite a while on the Saturday Dec. 8th - to have a fun weekend before I left for home. So on Satruday we got up and headed up to DC - Micheal's first trip, my second! When we got there we parked near the National Mall (which is what the area with the Washington Monument, WWII Memorial, etc is called) and started walking to look for a place to eat.

There was NOTHING in the vicinity except Subway, Micheal kept poo-pooing Subway and said he wanted to go somewhere nicer - well, I was getting hungry and grumpy so he settled and Subway it was!

We then made our way over towards the Washington Monument; here is Micheal with the Washington Monument in the background and a view of the WM from the WWII Memorial.


We then spent some time enjoying the WWII memorial; it's so cool to experience these things with Micheal because he has such a different appreciation for them. He knows all of the quotes on the walls, who said them - it's just really his thing and he really thinks it's cool.


Here is Micheal by the Missouri pillar, one for each state in the order they entered the union and a cool view of one of the entrances.

We then walked along the reflecting pond (think Forrest Gump as Jenny runs towards Forrest after he speaks); the sides were so muddy that we had to walk along the cement edge hoping I didn't fall into the partially frozen water! We made our way up into the Lincoln Memorial and took some pictures with Abe and read the Emancipation Proclimation on the wall.


Then we walked out to the marble steps, and you can either walk down the steps or walk over to the side where there is more of an overlook. We stood there overlooking all of the national mall, it was a really cool view with the reflecting pond, the Washington Monument and the State Capitol.

Micheal looked over and said "Thanks for coming with me today" I replied "Of course, it was a fun little adventure." He then said "Are you ready for a bigger adventure?" At this point in my story everyone who knows the end says "awww......" - but I totally didn't get it! I was tired and cold and thought to myself 'not really' but fortunately I said "Sure, where do you want to go?" He then pulled a little blue box out of his pocket, got down on a knee, opened the box and asked me to marry him. (Getting a little misty telling the story!)

I was SO shocked, I completely had no idea, and I really thought I would when it came time! I responded by saying 'oh my god' (which started about halfway through the kneel) and continuing to say 'oh my god' about 50 times before I realized I needed to reply in an affirmative fashion! So of course I said YES! As we were walking down the steps I really wanted a picture so I asked some couple to take a picture of us, the guy asked me if I wanted it w/the monument or Lincoln in the background and I said "I honestly don't care, he just asked me to marry him so I just want us!" So my face is puffy from crying and lips are blue from the cold but I was happier than I can ever remember being.


Micheal and I were truely meant to be together and I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together.