My Engagement!

So sorry it has taken me so long to post this story. My head has been spinning like a top and my phone has been ringing off the hook this past week! Time to focus again!

I had the most exciting weekend of my life recently. I got engaged to a wonderful, wonderful man. So it's about time to post the story of the engagement, right?!

About a week and a half ago I was heading off to St Simons Island in Georgia to see my boyfriend, Brent. I hadn't seen him for almost a month.

Okay, let me back up for a second.

Brent and I met at a wedding last Summer.

A wedding I was shooting. :)

I remember seeing Brent and thinking he was very attractive. I nudged Manson with my shoulder and whispered to her "Oooh, run me into purple shirt!" I was COMPLETELY joking. That was just my funny way of telling Manson that I thought he was cute. Manson replied with, "Oh, I know him! He was in my class in highschool. He is a really great guy!" I probably responded to her with something like, "Nuh-uh..!" or "Are you serious?!" Then, Manson and I parted ways and finished out the night. I was packing up my equipment and the next thing I know Manson goes over to say hello to her old classmate, purple shirt. I was walking with her and then she continues to chat with purple shirt's friend. So I'm left there to chat with purple shirt.

I remember thinking:

......seriously......was Manson..... just...... my wing man???!!

Purple shirt politely shook my hand and introduced himself as Brent. There was something different about him. Something refreshing. We chatted briefly and when we parted he gently shook my hand again and said, "It was a pleasure meeting you." Hmm...something was just different here. I was so used to guys trying to act macho or cool when I meet them. I have never had a guy be so genuine and polite.

So, then Manson and I left for the evening and we were both pretty quiet and suddenly in the parking lot she said, "So what are you going to do now?"
I replied, "What do you mean what am I going to do now? Nothing!" I have this thing about making sure I am pursued, not doing the pursuing.
Then, Manson said, "Well, are you going to add him on facebook?"
I was surprised she even had that thought and I said, "Manson!!! I can't add a guy from a wedding on FACEBOOK!"

About a week later I was writing something on the Brides wall and recognized Brent from his tiny little profile picture. I don't remember if he had written on her wall or if he was one of the randomly listed friends on her profile, but either way he was there.

I sat to think for a second. Hmmm...

Then, I clicked on his picture. I sat there for a few more moments.

Ahhh, what the heck. (click.) I sent him a friend request.

I figured this way IF he wanted to talk with me he would at least have the opportunity.

It had been maybe a week or so and I got a short message from a Brent DeShaw. I had to think for a second about who this was. I had forgotten that I added him, then it dawned on me. So, I messaged him back. The messages went from a few lines to being so long that you had to scroll down because it couldn't all fit on one page. After about a week and a half of writing back and fourth he suggested we talk on the phone and he gave me his number. I agreed and teasingly suggested he might need a way to get my number. So, he asked for it and I gave it to him. The next evening I got a call from him and I was so nervous I didn't answer and gave myself 10 minutes to collect myself and then I gave him a call back. I'm kind of a dork. :) When I gave him a call back we talked for three hours! He asked if it would be alright to give me a call again sometime and I agreed that it would be a good idea. He called again a couple days later and we talked for three hours again. Holy moly! We continued to chat on the phone. He lived in MN at the time. It didn't matter to me that he was so far away because I was continually impressed by his thoughts, ideas, and his faith. He was easy to talk to and he made me laugh. We were able to commute back and fourth to see each other during the slow season, which was so nice. A few months later he moved back to Iowa (score!). Then while I was on vacation in FL he called me and asked what I thought about him covering for a chiropractor in GA for a bit. I agreed that it was a great opportunity and he should do it.

So, hopefully that clears up how we knew each other and why I was going to Georgia to see him.


Okay, okay...on with the engagement story...

It was kind of an all day deal. Brent came over to the house I was staying at so we could make breakfast together. He brought me a rose and there was a sweet note written on the card that was tied to the rose with a red ribbon. It was a lovely surprise. Brent is always doing sweet things like this. When we hang out he will sneak a note in my pocket or in my bag so I can find it later. It is my favorite.

By the way I think its really cute he wrote these notes in cursive. :)


That morning after breakfast we took a walk around the beach on St Simons:


Throughout the day I got a few more roses at various times with different sweet messages tied to them with a ribbon:




For dinner that night we had a picnic on driftwood beach. I told Brent the only thing I wanted to do while we were on the island was have a picnic on the beach.
a picture of driftwood beach:


Brent gave me another rose before dinner:

And another one before dessert (he made peanut butter pie! my favorite!)


a couple pictures from our picnic:
Brent even brought a picnic basket!

Here's a shot of me that Brent took.


the beach was amazing! after we ate I suggested we take some pictures. The area was absolutely beautiful and I just couldn't leave without taking some of it with me, so here are a couple pictures we took while we were there:
the beach at sunset

this AWESOME tree was there. I remember being like, "Ummm...uhh...can weeee..." as I was glancing back and fouth between Brent and the tree. I knew it was going to sound crazy, and he knew I was stewing an idea. I wanted to climb up there for a photo. When I finally got the sentence out of my mouth Brent's response with no hesitation was, "alright." Then he walked over to the tree and I told him, "ummm...I actually wanted you to climb the tree." Then he kind of chuckled and said, "whatever you want, love." Yessss! He's always up for trying my crazy ideas. I love it. Brent was able to set his point and shoot for 30 second delay and then it would take 10 pictures in a row. Perfect. So I let him climb up there and told him where I wanted him and clicked the button and hurried my little tush up the tree. I figured if it took 10 shots at least one would turn out.
I
love
this
picture.

It will most definitely be large and framed in our future home :)

And here's one we had a passerby snap:


After wandering around for a bit Brent and I watched the sun set. Just a little while later he went and got an orchid, which is my favorite kind of flower. There was a ring tied to it with a red ribbon. He got down on one knee and told me how much he loved me and asked me if I would marry him. I said, "OF COURSE!"

He hugged me tight and spun me around. Then we did a happy dance. :)

We then gathered our things and brought them to the car. I was on cloud nine.

here's a shot of the roses and orchid:


As we were driving back (mind you I had no idea where we were or how to get home, so I didn't even realize we were taking a different path) he pulled up to a pretty building and someone came over to see about parking the car for us. I gave Brent a "what in the world is going on" kind of look and he let me know we were going to stay there tonight.

When we got out there was a woman who introduced herself as our butler.

Whaaaaaaaaat? a BUTLER? haha! It was a very fancy place. I had never seen anything like it in my life. I remember saying to Brent. "Do people seriously live like this?!" after the butler left. It was incredible. When I got in the room there were rose petals on the floor and Brent had a bottle of wine ready for us to celebrate.

The hotel:

flowers were waiting for me







And here are a couple shots of us. Yay! we're gonna get married!!!


Doesn't he have the cutest dimple? :)

It was a beautiful, beautiful day and I really couldn't have asked for anything more. Brent is so great and I appreciate him so much. And I get to marry him! Woot! :) It will be so wonderful.

Oh...and by the way...at that wedding we met at, brent caught the garter. Funny isn't it? Maybe what they say about whoever catches the garter will be the one who gets married next is true! ;)


We haven't set a date yet, but we're going to figure that out by the end of this week. I'm always at weddings, but its so fun to get to look at all of this stuff from the other end. I think it will help me be a better wedding photographer.



Holy long post, batman!



Hope you have a beautiful Tuesday!

-Sarah