Sparkling with Love

My kids go to Minnesota a handful of times throughout the year, and though I always love the break, the weeks are long without them. Over the past year, Ryan and I have done our best to plan trips or time together, when the kids are gone, so as to distract me, and make the weeks go more quickly! This year, summer break started with the kids headed to MN, and Ryan and I agreeing to a staycation!

We decided on a few days off at the end of last week, and packed up for some much-needed time on the water! The weather was great, the company even better! Friday morning we decided on a boat ride. It was something we have grown to love! So, we headed out!

Remember the story I wrote about last year, detailing our first boat ride together in Monticello? The one where he thought he’d be romantic and shut off the boat so we could just float in the middle of the lake, chatting, listening to music together? Only to get ready to leave and find that the boat wouldn’t start….leaving us stranded for at least four hours until his dear Uncle Mike could rescue us. Yeah, that story! Well, guess where Ryan directed us Friday morning? To that exact little spot, with the perfectly sparkling water! It was so fantastic!!!

But then.

He shut off the boat. WAS HE NUTS?! Didn’t he remember what happened last year?! I just kind of chuckled, thinking this man had lost his dang mind!

I turned around in my seat to take a picture of the water- so calm, like glass. I looked out- there was no one around. It was just me and the man of my dreams, floating in the middle of this perfect setting.

I turned back to him and noticed him sitting awkwardly in his seat, not realizing at the time it was because he was down on one knee!! He started talking…most of which is a blur to me now. I just kept thinking “Good grief, being on the water really brings the mush out of my boyfriend.” Then I heard the words– he asked if I would marry him!!! I looked at him, looked down at his hand with the blue ring box in it…and literally lost all chill I had up to this point! “WAIT! You’re like ASKING ME, right now, to marry you?!” (Smooth Gretch, super smooth!) Of course I said YES!

We’re now a few days removed from the proposal, and ya’ll I am still so excited and surprised! I cannot believe I get to marry the man of my actual dreams!! To say that my life is better with him in it, would be the biggest understatement ever! I’m so thankful that I get to do the rest of my life with him.

Ryan,

You are my everything. You’re my absolute best friend. I am beyond thankful for all you do for me and the kids. I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with you! I promise to always be faithful, honest, and supportive of you. You will never fully know the extent of my love for you! You have been the blessing I never knew I was missing. I cannot wait to see what is in store for the four of us over the next few months, and beyond! Thank you for knowing this proposal would be the memory we’d always look back on and love. Thank you for introducing me to the beauty of sparkles on the water. Thank you for being so intentional with our story, and with our future. I love you so much, and cannot wait to marry you!