Pinch me, this is my life...

So it's been a few months...but I've been busy getting engaged and what not. Yes. I wouldn't believe it either if I didn't actually experience it myself.

But, it's also been the best time of my life. Me and Colby have been together now for almost 7 months! Crazy. I used to make fun of people who got engaged and/or married so quickly, but now I finally understand where they're coming from. And I'm now one of those. But I'm happy to join the club. I'd marry him right now if it didn't take a little more planning...

Here's the story of how it happened and the events leading up to it (it's been almost 2 months...but better late than never) ...

We went to buy the ring at the beginning of November after talking about getting married. We got on that pretty quick because of a rockin' sale going on at the jewelers. That Friday, November 5th, I was at work and Colby kept texting me wondering when I was going to be done. He also said I need to be done NOW. So I left and he came to my apartment and said, "Are you serious about wanting to marry me?"

"Yes..."

"Then get in the car."

We start driving and we're headed for the mall and it all clicked. In my head I was kind of panicking because I didn't think I was ready to choose a ring! It's kind of a big deal. But we got there and started trying them on. When I put on the first few, my hand was shaking pretty bad. It was so weird and I wasn't expecting it at all! I kinda hoped Colby wouldn't notice, but let's get real, how could be not? I tried on a lot of different ones, but I just kept going back to one. When I had it on I just knew that was the one. Then he bought it. And I ended up getting his too. We were in and out in about an hour. Who knew it was that easy? I walked out of the store with his, but mine had to get sized so he didn't actually leave with it.

And that was that. I never thought I'd be able to choose a ring so easily! It was all just surreal, but I've never been more sure about anything. We went back to his house and both just felt drained. It was kind of weird, but it's a big step! I didn't know when he'd propose, but as long as it was before Christmas is was all good.

The next weekend he got to go on a cruise with the company he worked for over the summer, and I honestly don't know how I made it six weeks. Those five days went miserably slow, and I was just reassured that there's no way I could ever live without him. We couldn't talk at all because there was no service in the ocean, so it went even slower. I went to pick him up from the airport the next Thursday night, and that whole day I had to keep finding random things to pass the time because it seemed like it would never be time to leave. When I saw him I ran up and he picked be up and literally carried me to the car with his bag in his other hand. The whole way home I couldn't believe he was actually there. It was the best feeling ever!

The Sunday after Thanksgiving I was at his church walking to relief society when this 50-something year old man stopped me and said congratulations and asked if I would be at the Sanford's after church and if he could come over to visit. I was pretty confused because I had no idea who he was or how he knew we were planning on getting married. But I said he sure could. When we were back at their house I was describing the guy to his parents and they thought it was just their home teacher. But when he knocked at the door his dad said,"Oh hi President!"

Yep, the stake president. He came in and sat down and asked Colby why he was here. 

Colby just sat there for a second and said, "Well, me and Aimee are planning on getting married in May..."

"Why are you waiting so long?"

"Well, she's going to graduate and then we're going somewhere for the summer for her internship."

Then he went on about how we should consider moving the date and some other things. It was actually a really cool experience. We both had been thinking that to ourselves but I don't think we actually would have changed it if it hadn't been for that. He said he saw us in the congregation and just felt like he should come visit us out of the whole ward. Crazy.

So then we talked about it and decided on March. It would be kinda crazy with school, but  we could do it. Then he said he should probably propose pretty soon...

Monday I was over at his house again and his brother Matt came in and said. "So did Colby tell you about the conversation he had with your dad today?"

Colby just stared at him and shook his head. It was pretty funny, because Matt didn't realize you probably don't tell people stuff like that. Then he felt really bad and said that was the biggest mistake of his life and he was going to take us out to dinner or something. But it's not like it was some big surprise he was going to ask. Tuesday I went over again and I didn't know when I should expect it. But it didn't happen then.

Wednesday I was coming out of my dance class, which was the last class of the day and Colby had been texting me asking when I would be done because we were going out to dinner with some friends. He was in the area so he said he might just be at my apartment already when I got home. That wasn't anything out of the ordinary so I didn't think much of it. But when I got home I didn't see his car in the parking lot, so I just went inside to my room. When I opened the door, everything that was on my bed was gone and there was a huge box in the middle of the room...

I opened it and found a smaller box...then a smaller one...then the ring box! But no ring. Just a paper that said "look in the closet". So at first I opened by side of the closet. I had to move the huge box out of the way first, but that makes the most sense, right? Nothing was there. So I open the other side. 

And there he was holding the ring and flowers while wearing a huge bow on his sweatshirt. I knew it was real this time because he was actually holding the ring. (He'd been fake proposing for the two weeks leading up to it. Just in the middle of a conversation he'd get down on his knee and say some stuff and then end it with a joke. That's Colby for ya. I thought it was hilarious though!)

He said he loved me and would forever, then asked me to marry him! At first I didn't know what to do, and almost gave him my right hand to put the ring on.

Buuut I figured it out and got the ring on my left hand! Sometimes I still can't believe how lucky I am, and I want that feeling to last forever. Seriously, how did this happen?

  

Afterwards we went to dinner with some friends (the great photographers of the proposal, Nate and Caitlin) at Wingers. The first time we hung out in DC we ate at Buffalo Wild Wings, so I guess wings are kind of our thing? I'm not complaining. 

I never thought I could be this happy in my life, and it's only the beginning! Colby is the best man I've ever known in my life and he's my best friend in the world. 

And we'll be sealed for time and all eternity on 

March 23, 2012.

That's pretty neat.