The Proposal :)

On Saturday, May 23rd Joe asked me to be his wife.  The day started off quite normal.  My friend Amy and I had planned a few months back to meet at Childress for lunch, wine, and to listen to music.  Joe and I normally on Saturday's don't hangout until the evenings because he is normally working and then goes home to tend with the "cats" but they are actually dogs.  Another inside joke of ours :)  I met Amy at Childress and we enjoyed lunch, wine, and music.  I was a bit disappointed that no wine slushies were really available, I had my hopes set on those.  Well, besides the point.  While we were eating, Amy asked if I had any idea of when Joe was proposing and I said I think soon. I told her how happy I was with Joe and that I couldn't wait for him to propose.  On a side note, Joe and I started talking about marriage about 3 months into our relationship, we just knew!  

Friday night Joe and I had talked about him being at my house around 5 pm so we could grab dinner and head to Bowman Gray, which has now turned into a Saturday night tradition.  When I left Childress I decided to give him a call to see if he was still planning to come around 5, well he didn't answer.  I finally got a phone call around 4:30 saying, I'm so sorry, I got tied up helping with some things.  I will say, I wasn't very happy because 1) I hadn't heard from him and 2) We were not going to make dinner before the race or even the race at all.  On the way to my house, Joe called and kept apologizing.  I think he was a bit stressed out, knowing he was going to be proposing a few hours later. He started talking about taking Buddy to the park before the race.  Buddy didn't do well the night before and he wanted him to get some energy out.  Well, I found that a bit weird, and I knew if we went to the park, we were going to miss the race.  Let me just throw this in there, Joe had bought us stadium seats that week, so we could go to the race.  When he got close to my house, he's like you and Buddy come on down.  Well, I just thought we were going to walk around the neighborhood.  Joe had other plans :)  He was like come on, let's go to the park.  I knew something was up because if we went to the park we were for sure going to miss Bowman Gray. 

Joe decided we go to Battleground Park to let Buddy walk around some.  Joe and I always hold hands when we walk and I found it odd that he wouldn't hold my hand.  I had to ask, are you going to hold my hand.  He finally slowly pulled his hand out, I guess not wanting to drop the ring because he was holding on to it.  We started walking and just talking and he's like do you know where any of these side trails take us.  I had never took a side trail before, so I was unsure.  While we were making our way down one trail, he was like I have something to tell you.  I said, "What"?  He said, I made us reservations to Print Works Bistro for brunch.  I was so excited because I had asked him to take me there for my birthday because I love their brunch.  I had no idea what was about to come next.  We decided to cut a corner and a guy was sitting on a bench.  He asked us if we were with a wedding party, and we said no.  A wedding party was doing a scavenger hunt in the park and the guy on the bench was a station.  I think it threw Joe off because he wasn't expecting anyone on the bench.  We decided to cut another corner because I was ready to head back and get ready for Bowman Gray.  As we were getting ready to head back, Joe told Buddy to come here.  Joe was playing with Buddy's collar acting like the ring was on Buddy's collar but really it was in his hands.  Joe got down on one knee and said I have something for you to wear to Print Works Bistro tomorrow, and he said, "Will you marry me"?  I said, "YES!!!!"  I immediatly gave him a hug and then once it hit me, broke out in tears.  I called Mom and Braden first over and over until they answered.  I couldn't wait to share the news with them, even though they knew it was coming soon :)  I couldn't stop shaking.

After I got off the phone with Mom and Braden, and my future in-laws, I started calling friends.  I was so excited.  We ended our evening with no Bowman Gray Race but instead hanging out with friends.

I had been praying for a long time for God to send me a good Godly man in my life.  I dated way too many frogs and I was getting to the age where I was ready to settle down.  In the next month, I'll share with you how Joe and I met.

Until then, thanks for all the congratulations and best wishes!  We are so EXCITED!!  Check out some pictures below.

XOXO
Shea

My best friend Holly and I

Celebrating at Natty Greene's with friends

Downtown Greensboro

The ring...he did GOOD!!!!