I'm engaged!!!

Yes, it's true! Here is the story for your enjoyment! :-)

Nathan and I recently hit 10 months of dating (November 8th) and Nathan told me that he had plans for us on Saturday the 12th. He told me we had to be somewhere at a specific time in the morning, so he’d have to pick me up at 7am.

The night before, we were hanging out and cuddling and Nathan decides to take off my rings, saying that he “wanted to wear them”. He’s weird (as am I), so it didn’t phase me too much. He actually did put them both on his pinky for a little while (they only fit about a 3rd of the way down, hahaha!!). But then he put them on his desk and I had a feeling he was up to something. I didn’t think too much of it though, cause for all I knew, he was doing that early as a precautionary measure.

So, the next morning he picks me up at my house and we go to Jack’s Bagels and pick up some lox and bagels to eat for breakfast.

We went up to the Riviera Theater, which is this old theater that plays artsy, foreign, and independent films that come in to town. The building is pretty old and right next to it is a courtyard with a beautiful fountain in the middle. We ate on the steps facing the fountain and just talked for a little bit.

Then, Nathan said we needed to go on to the next thing, so we walked back to the parking lot, but Nathan walked right past our car and I started wondering what was going on.

We walked into the theater (by this time it was 8am and NO theaters in Santa Barbara ever show movies that early – especially on a Saturday morning!). We walked right past the staff and the box office and right into the theater. I asked Nathan “What’s going on?” and he said not to worry.

Nathan got us to our seats and we sat down and the movie started. The moment it started, I recognized by the music that it was “Garden State”, our favorite movie and one that holds a LOT of sentimental value to us. Nathan had arranged for a private showing for us! I DEFINITELY knew something was up at this point, but a part of me was so thrown off, I wasn’t totally sure what was gonna happen next.

We watched the movie and had a blast enjoying a theater to ourselves. We talked as loudly as we wanted, didn’t have to worry about blocking views or bothering anyone. The thought crossed my mind that we could even burp out loud if we wanted to and I said so to Nathan, so he obliged, haha.

When the movie ended, we walked out, but Nathan stopped me right before the doors to the lobby area. He hugged me and gave me a kiss and told me he loved me.

Then, he opened the doors and I saw a pathway of white, pink and lavender rose petals. I exclaimed “oh crap!” as the realization hit me that this was it! An odd thing to say, but oh well!

He led me along the pathway out to the top of the front steps of the theater where there was a bed of white rose petals. He started his speech (none of which I remember) then got down on one knee to continue, including a part of a poem he had memorized. Then he asked me “Would you give me the pleasure of being my wife?” To which I of course replied “Yes!”

We hugged and savored the moment, and then he yelled inside “She said yes!” I thought at first that perhaps he was telling the staff cause he was so excited, but then my family starting coming down the steps in the lobby! They had been the ones to come and lay out the rose petals for us. They congratulated us and took lots of pictures. We were wondering where my dad was, when he pops out of the bushes across the driveway with a video camera in hand! Nathan didn’t even know he was gonna do that!

Then we all went out to brunch at Anderson’s Bakery, downtown to celebrate!

I've got one HECK of a guy!! I love him to death (obviously, hehe)

(and for those of you curious about this, our date is set for August 26th, 2006)

~Marieke