I SAID YES!!!

so I have told this story maybe a million times in person. so here comes the blog post for those I haven't told yet...

since bryce has been home.... ahh.... it's been incredible.  

we have been at a better place than ever before and it has continued to grow.  

there hasn't been a day that we haven't seen each other. 

every day I learn something new and I fall deeper in love. 

so... once we realized things were going well (better than we had thought they would that quickly).

we started making plans. dates. rings. housing.

my mom offered us to live in my grandparents house that isn't currently occupied.  I felt weird about it at first but then... I felt honored.  I felt that it would be an amazing experience to share this home with the man I love.  I could show him my memories as we created our own.  So that settled it.  Time to CLEAN. 

me, my mom, and his parents headed up there on labor day to get a start.  us girls hit the kitchen while the boys worked on the backyard.  They trimmed back the trails that led to the grass and uncovered a bench that has been overgrown for years.  

the garbage cans were full so we had to leave the branches on the grass.  the next day when bryce was done with school (at 10pm) he suggested we go put the remaining branches in the garbage can.  

He picked me up and we headed up there.  

I, oblivious, was wearing blue pants, my harry potter shirt, and my purple nike jacket (clearly not prepared).  when we pulled in the driveway-his dads car was there.  Bryce suggested that his dad had also come to move the branches because they had been bothering him all day.  Well, we all know i'm gullible.  we headed to the gate that led to the backyard.  There is a narrow path to go past the motorhome and I followed him through.  He was walking very slow but not very quietly.  I was confused and kept asking him what he was doing... but he wouldn't respond.  Once we came into the opening I saw the faint glimmer of candles leading all the way down the trail and around the bench. Me, being so shocked, first assumed that his dad was doing something for his mom here.  I thought that was weird... and then... IT HIT ME! THIS IS IT! he's going to propose right now.  he has the ring. THIS IS ALL FOR ME.  As he saw the shock on my face he led me next to the bench.  He got down on bended knee and pulled out a box that held the most gorgeous piece of jewelry I had ever seen.  He asked me to marry him. I SAID YES.  I was shaking. I was smiling.  I was so surprised.  all I could do was kiss him.  I didn't know how else to show him how EXCITED I was.  After a few minutes my sisters head popped up from behind a bush and his parents crept up the path to share in our joy.  They left us there.  Floating in the candles.  

As I looked at the bench I was flooded with emotion.  This bench had watched a couple that was in love for 70 years.  They shared memories, moments, laughter, joy.  That house was their home.  That house was where my grandpa would sing "apple blossom time" to my grandma.  He would get up in front of the family and talk about how all of us were here because he was so in love with his bride.  

Now it is our turn.  Our turn to have a love story that moves mountains.  A love story that will be spoken about for generations.  It is our turn to grow deeper in love in that home.  I feel so blessed to be engaged to Bryce Adamson Goodfellow.  He is the best thing that ever happened to me.  When I was 16 years old and I met him, I never would have guessed it would lead to this.  But, I am so happy that it did.  

Bryce, I love you and I can't wait to share forever with you.