The Proposal

I hope you are sitting down and have a bit of time on your hands because this is going to be a long and descriptive story!!!

So it all started a few days before my handsome man (MHM) would be arriving. 

My sister Megan was convinced that MHM was going to propose while he was visiting this time.

I had told her about his instructing me to pick a nice place to eat with a view of the water and that I had to dress "nice".

Of course she immediately tells me I need a new dress and she was pretty sure he was going to propose there.

I was not so convinced and told her I had way too many clothes as it was and if I bought a new dress for proposal purposes that would mean I was expecting it! 

Well the day came and I had two outfits picked out, I let him choose which one I would wear.

We stopped on the bay and enjoyed the sunset, no proposal.

We went to dinner (delicious), No Proposal.

We decided to take a night walk on the beach and enjoyed watching the waves roll in......NO PROPOSAL!

We went home and all I could think was a very smug(and mature;)) "I told you so Megan."

The next day MHM said he just wanted to relax the whole day and maybe just do dinner closer to home in Dothan that night.

 I had mentioned before he got here that I had recently shot a maternity session in the creek and I would love to take him back there! 

He brought that idea up and we decided that was what we were going to do, ALAS, to my dismay he didn't bring his swim trunks!

I was really looking forward to getting into the water but I wasn't going in without him so he suggested I just bring my Camera and we go for a small hike.

I agreed and we packed the bug spray, my camera, water, and more bug spray! 

And we were off! 

 I had taken MHM to the creek once or twice before but this time I went in from the opposite side.(Important part of the story)
We ran into this guy's web and decided that was as good a place as any to start our walk. 

The creek is one of my favorite places in the world and it's mostly because of how peaceful it is.
The first time MHM and I were able to be alone and hang out for an hour or more was when I took him on a tour of the creek.

And just like that hot day in August of 2011 we ran into spiders EVERYWHERE!

He also kept tripping the same way he did and always does! 

Well while he carried my camera bag and led the way I followed along taking pictures of all of the little pretties and he would pause and wait for me to catch up. 

He would point out different angles for me and kept looking for a place narrow enough to cross the creek.  

He wanted to go back to the enormous cypress stump we had seen on our first visit to see how much it had changed in four years.

But the creek never seemed to be narrow enough to cross and neither one of us wanted to walk in the water with our tennis shoes on!

Did I mention the spiders everywhere?
This wolf spider had a ton of babies on her back!

After finally realizing we weren't going to be able to cross I suggested we head back since a mosquito had bitten me in the middle of my eyebrows and another had bitten him on the cheek.
I'd take spiders over mosquitos any day!

On our way back he decided to chance crossing this fallen dead tree just to get to the other side. 

I basically told him "Good luck with that" After it looked like he was about to be successful the top of the tree broke off leaving him with one soggy tennis shoe and a lost resolve for getting to the other side.

When we get about half way back to our destination I hear MHM trip, I'm used to him tripping and usually just ask if he's okay without looking back, but this time sounded bad!
I turned around and he had a grimace on his face, he said "I think I rolled my ankle."
To top things off we were on a muddy bank and he slipped twice trying to get up the side, I asked if he could walk on it and he said he didn't think so.
He started to take the weight off of it by kneeling, still in obvious pain, in my mind I'm thinking "If he had to take a knee he's either a pansy or it's serious."
He still had my camera bag on his back and I told him to carry the bag and he could get on my back, I knew I was going to have to make several stops but I didn't know what else to do!
I turned around and squatted down so he could get on my back, he said "Piper..." in a tone of voice that said be realistic as he turned me around while still on bended knee he continued where he left off but in a very different tone, maybe even a tiny bit shaky "... Williams, Will you marry me?"
He had a ring in his hand and all I could say was "Are you serious?!"
The ring was not my style at all so honestly I avoided eye contact with it and he gave me a look that said WELL?
I said yes and put my head down saying "are you serious" (I was happy and excited but I was also very much in shock and worried he was teasing me!)
As I bring my head back up the ring he is pulling out of his pocket on a hot pink cord is not the same ring he had proposed with and it was perfect in every way!
So he really was teasing me in a way!
He had planned everything and kept trying to go back to the stump to propose which explained his persistence about crossing the creek and not wanting to go swimming!
I had no makeup on and I was wearing a T-shirt and jogging shorts!
The funny thing and the best part was that days before when Megan was telling me he would propose she asked how I would want to be proposed to and I said I wanted to be hiking just the two of us doing our favorite thing just being together.
The fact that he had been planning all of this for awhile means he really knows me so well! 

MHM said I was acting weird after he proposed and my only reasoning is A. I've never been proposed to before! B. I was still very much in shock and C. I didn't want to show how much more I preferred my real ring over the other one he proposed with. 

(I felt like a jerk!)

At least he knows that I said yes to him and not the ring!!!

I knew that the proposal was more about wanting to spend forever with  the one that brightens your thoughts even when you are not together and drives you crazy mostly in good ways but sometimes in bad ways too! ;)

In all seriousness though, this man of mine is so considerate and loving I could go on but I don't want to make people sick! 

You came to read the proposal not my wedding vows! ^_^

And since I've officially made this the longest post ever I'll quickly tell "the rest of the story."

We headed home and I couldn't get ahold of my mom to tell her the news so I wouldn't let Mike change his Facebook status to engaged!

(That would be the worst way for a mom to find out!!!)

All the while I'm getting ready to go to dinner at my favorite restaurant. 

I finally tell my mom and then call my sister, my dad and my best friends.

Megan who lives on the way to the restaurant said we absolutely had to stop by to show her the ring so we got on the road stopping only to take a few selfies for social media.

We get to Megan's house and of course we start screaming while holding hands. (Major girl moment)

She said she loved the ring and knew that other people were dying to see it too.

My Mom and Dad and most of my extended family come out from my sisters house bombarding me with hugs and kisses and I cried for the second time that day.

My sister knew the entire time when and where he was going to propose, she and my Mom helped him execute his plan for a surprise engagement dinner with most of my loved ones, Korean food, Pictures of Mike and I and pink roses everywhere!

 I was too excited to eat!

(I ate leftovers later!)

The entire time was magical and it was all meticulously planned by My Love.

I know everyone says it but I think I really am the luckiest girl in the world! 

And a fun fact is that the ring he proposed with was my niece's(She's 8) and one of the times I was babysitting her last year she came to me with one of her play rings to try it on my finger and said that she would give it to Mike so he could propose to me! 

AND HE DID!!!

He really did think of everything!

Well that was my long and detailed story and when people ask me to tell the story of how he proposed I'm going to just direct them to this post! :p 

Just kidding... kind of! 

I'll try to keep posting about wedding details and what not as the process starts! 

My Fiancé lovingly said I have to give him at least a month to recharge after planning the surprise of a lifetime! 

So basically August 17th can't get here any sooner! :D  

And if anyone wants to hear the significance of the ring you will just have to ask me in person! ;)

xoxo

Piper Arielle

Photos by: Piper