There's a lot to be said for being stuck in bed. It allows you to wallow in self pity, read a book, stare at the ceiling, sleep for endless hours or daydream of what things could be, would be, or should be...

I chose to grab my laptop and write. Something I used to do on a daily basis. Something I should be doing on a daily basis. Something I would normally do on a daily basis. Something I wished I could do on a daily basis.

Life took a spin in a direction I wasn't prepared for. Like getting married, looking for a new house, and starting a new career. All of the wonderful things I wouldn't trade in my lifetime. Life definitely has a way of getting incredibly busy without any acknowledgement. One day, all of a sudden, the important things that brightened your day get set aside so you can concentrate on getting what needs to be done accomplished before it's time to snuggle into your loved ones arms for the night. And how did that happen? My laptop used to sit on my lap from the time my son went to sleep until I couldn't keep my eyes open.

It's funny how everything changes in just a blink of an eye. I went from cuddling with my laptop to snuggling with my husband in front of the fireplace. Instead of waking up before the birds began to sing, I cuddle deeper into my husband's arms hoping the alarm won't go off for a few more hours. When I do crawl out of bed, I run straight to the computer, not to write, but to make sure I have paid the bills, sent out important emails, checked on work emails and looked at my calendar to see what I have scheduled for the day.

I look at my journal and tell myself that I will get to it. I just need a couple more minutes. Once, I get my new daily routine finished I look at the clock and rush to get ready for work, wake my son, feed the dog, eat breakfast, and then rush out the door without even touching my journal. I missed so many important memories before our wedding because I never found the time to write them down in my journal.

Though I wouldn't change my life, I would love to compromise with myself to make sure I don't forget my love for writing. So how do I get back to my first love? Do I use the phrase, only time will tell? No. I start now, while time is on my side. While I'm stuck in this bed.

With all the excitement of publishing a novel, comes days when I forgot to do what I loved most. Write. And the more I worked on polishing the novel, the less I wrote. As much as I would love to say that everything will go back to normal one hundred percent. I cannot.

However, I am extremely excited to let you know that Gabriela Whitley: the Rise of the Kingdom, will be published in 2013. I will send you updated information as I receive it. And I will also send a sneak peek inside the book in January, 2013!

Keep your eyes open because we are heading down a very adventurous path! 

Another piece of mail came bearing my new last name. Every day for the last two weeks, letters and statements have come in with the name change. I'm sure there's another week before it will be completely changed. Every important change, like driver's license, social security and employment records, had finalized today. Staring at that new name felt strange. A bit of sadness washed over me as I thought of my last name, that I clung on to for more than 30 years, disappearing into the vault. But at the same moment I felt that sadness, a new jubilant feeling crept into my heart. Somebody asked for my hand in marriage and promised to love me for years to come. I, in return, made the same promise that I will keep forever. I became somebody's wife and gained an amazing husband.
I am proud to say that I am married to my lover, my soul mate, my best friend, my husband.

Wedding Day Dreaming

"Every little girl has dreamed of their wedding day," my fiancee explained. "It's your day, don't let anyone take your dream away."

As he says this smiling brightly, I nod smiling a little unsure. I never dreamed of my wedding day. Never had the thought that I would marry. All that I wanted throughout my young life was a business. Planning social gatherings for business meetings or family and friends was something I rather enjoyed. But a wedding? How... Where... What... Oh my. I had no idea how to even get an idea of what I could possibly want. All that mattered to me was becoming his wife. But funny enough, I dreamed of marrying him. But most details never made it into that daydream.

A vision of my cowboy standing at the alter in his tuxedo and boots grinning from ear to ear. Hands folded in front holding his hat as I rode towards him in a soft white flowing dress on horseback with my legs draped over the side and no shoes. My curly hair blows in the light breeze and my smile is just as wide as his. After a quick sweet ceremony, we ride away and watch the sun set while I snuggle back into his loving arms.

That was as far as my vision had taken me over a year ago. No more thought about it until... he proposed. My mind went blank. How do I plan a wedding that I never imagined I would have? Where do I begin to figure out what I need? What was I thinking when I agreed to have a wedding rather than elope? Oh my, what have I gotten myself into.

One thing I knew for certain, my father would walk me down the aisle. Even though he lives over twenty-four driving hours away, he had to be the one to give me away to the man who captured my heart. My father had to meet the cowboy I spoke about all the time. It had been a long time since I had seen my father and I anxiously awaited for his arrival. We had lots of catching up to do. Sadly, time was against us. Though he was here for almost a week I barely had the opportunity to visit. The week before a wedding can keep a person very busy.


Okay... breathe... first thing's first. A dress. Something that truly shows who I am. I found it before I could blink my eyes. It was me, or a part of me. And I said Yes to the first dress I tried on. It was so heavy and I could hardly breathe. But it was so beautiful and made of silk with rhinestones that accented the gown all around the dress. It was breathtaking and truly a diva dress. But of course I had to try a few more just to be sure. Why not? It's only been a few minutes and trying on heavy hot dresses is a lot of fun. Right? After three dresses, I wanted to be done. The wonderful Mya at Dress Gallery insisted I try on a couple more that were no longer going to be available. So another and another and still I was dead set on the first dress. Until... the very last dress. It was light and taking a breath was easy. I walked up to the mirror sure to say no and then I looked. I stood speechless. Tears slid down my cheeks. I giggled. It was the dress. Not flashy, not full, not heavy, not silk, not jeweled out like the first one. This one represented the other side of me. This is the romantic dress I envisioned over a year ago. It was truly my deeper inner self beaming out of me at that moment.

The groom chose a long tail coat with a marine vest along with black wrangler jeans and black boots. He was so handsome, so gorgeous, so ahhh... hee hee. He took my breath away. He looked exactly how I imagined.

Colors and flowers bring out the most in a person. And so choosing flowers and colors was the easiest decision to make. Orange is my favorite color and is so vibrant. It speaks loudly and is so full of energy and life. Like me! Ryan's favorite color is blue so we chose the marine blue. It represents romance and passion. Bring the two together and it's an exciting contrast that compliment each other full of love and happiness along with energy and fiery passion. Like our love for each other.

The flowers were chosen in the same way. Calla Lily is my favorite flower and Ryan always buys me roses. White Calla Lillies and Blue Roses plus the very complimentary Orange Tiger or Star Gazer Lillies were a must for my bouquet.

 For the reception tables a wild flower mix felt perfect with the rustic barn that we chose. Gerber Daisies and Delphinium along with some Anne's Lace.



  The bridesmaids wore a very beautiful shimmery marine blue medieval style dress. They needed orange Gerber daisies to make it POP!

The wedding was as beautiful as I had envisioned it. Our wonderful friends and family filled the yard while I exchanged vows with my soul mate.

Two Hearts are united as One this day, May 19, 2012, to love, honor, and cherish each other from now until the end of time. Thank you Lord for letting us cross paths.

God Bless

Identity Confusion

Recently, my wonderful husband and I exchanged vows. I thought that once the vows were exchanged and the marriage license was in hand, we were complete. Not so. Since the marriage license has been in my hand I have been calling utility places to get my name changed. From the social security office to the bank to the dental office and everywhere in between. Time can be a challenge though. While waiting for my new identity to come back, I ran into a few encounters. For example, I rented a movie at the video store. When I went to the counter to pay, the young blonde girl looked over my account.

"Hi, may I see your ID?" she asked.

"Um, yeah," I said pulling out both the paper copy and old ID. "I recently got married and so I'm not sure which one you'll need." I giggled. The puzzled expression on her face cracked me up.

This is one of the many times that I have had to present both ID's. Even at the social security office. That one wasn't one to laugh about. They are pretty serious.

It's confusing when everything's in limbo. Which name do I say? Which name do I sign? Do they think I'm stealing someone's identity? Do they think I am crazy? or maybe they understand because they remember the route to getting married.

All of these questions rush through my mind the moment they ask me for my identification. Inside I'm laughing, but I don't want to laugh out loud just in case. I do however keep all of the paperwork with me including the marriage license. That way I have proof of who I really am.

The cursor flashes on the blank screen waiting for the first word to be typed. It waits patiently. No response is given. How long will it flash before a key is touched?

Blank.
Empty.
Nothing.

It seems an eternity before the first letter has made an appearance. The first word is finally typed. Then deleted. Then typed. Now a complete sentence. Then deleted.

The cursor flashes patiently. There's no urgency. Just silence.

The Road To Success

The road to success is only successful if you try to succeed. In other words, success isn't going to fall into your lap. You have to throw yourself into the lion's den and find a way to survive. Nothing is free or comes cheap without a significant loss in the end. Hard work is the only way to achieve your goals.

For me, it's publishing my novels. I have spent thirty days drafting, two years in creative writing courses while revising my manuscript, and a year ago researching publishing companies. Now the big finish... this last year, I have one nothing. Nothing. NOTHING!

It's amazing the excuses one can make to avoid rejection. Success doesn't come from sitting around hoping. Success is hard work. There are no excuses for waiting until the right time. It's always the right time. For me the right time began three years ago and is still waiting on me.

So don't be like me and become a couch potato waiting for an opportunity to fall into your lap. Go out and seize your success. My adventure began three years ago. Today it's time to take another positive step towards the dream. And I already have. The query is ready and the research continues. A list of agents already in hand and out in the mail will go the submissions. Now we're heading towards the road to success...

Unnecessary Stuff

Today... it's time to clean the house. Not just a simple every day clean. But time to go through each room and decide if the "stuff" is worth keeping. In two years, the accumulation of "stuff" is quite outrageous. It's time to figure out how to downsize all the unnecessary "stuff" that grew over night.

Starting with the closets was the easiest. Purses, shoes, clothing, belts, blankets, and tons of odds and ends were packed tight into any open space or shelf. That's not even touching the children's closets. Their closets were filled with toys and books that haven't been acknowledged in some time. Layer by layer the closet became empty, or so it seemed. Let's just say after two hours one closet is done. It's nice and tidy and only half of the contents are back in place. If only it could stay that way!

Moving on to the children's rooms took just as long. With all the unnecessary "stuff" packed inside, finding a box for the outgrown clothes and toys wasn't too bad of a chore. But there were many boxes needed. Hopefully they won't notice what is missing before the big sale. And hopefully they won't notice then.

Today's society has too much unnecessary "stuff." It's time to cut out the less desired items and enjoy what is truly worth keeping. It's a time to limit buying what will just sit in the back of the closet for years to come. This is the goal. It will be tough but it's worth a shot!

Deep Connection

Have you ever thought about someone and then they called or text you within the minute?

For the last two years it has been exactly that for my husband and I. It seems as soon as we wonder what the other is doing for lunch or needs something, the phone rings or the text comes. There was a couple of times I wanted to ask a question and he sent a text that answered me before I even asked! And it would be a random question. It's awesome if you ask me.

If you put us together, JINX is the word. and saying JINX is also perfectly timed. Before long we won't even have to speak because we will know what the other is saying. Thank Goodness for the times he cannot read my thoughts. Everyone needs space. Especially inside one's head!

Adjusting to Marriage

It's been two and a half weeks since we said our vows and it still feels unreal. On occasion when speaking of my husband, I pause before I say "husband". A tingling feeling rises in my chest and I cannot help but smile. We've been together almost two years now. Adjusting from boyfriend to fiancee to husband has been interesting. How funny just a change in one's status can feel very different, almost weird.Yet every time someone says to me, "your husband" or he calls me his wife or uses my new name, I giggle. It's amazing how at ease I feel after signing a piece of paper and saying "I do."

As far as being married, it's nice to finally relax and not worry about all the planning for a wedding. Now we can snuggle up in each others arms watching television while enjoying a yummy ice cold treat or bowl of popcorn.

Start of Summer

The day started out humid, yet cool. It wouldn't last though. By eleven a.m. the humidity and heat rose almost twenty degrees. Just walking to the car, sweat beads formed and multiplied on my forehead and then ran down along my cheeks. It's too hot to fish over the dock of the lake. The water is still too cold to swim. So what can we do in this in between stage?

Bowling. There is a site online that allows children to bowl two free games daily all summer long. My son was ecstatic because he just finished a bowling 101 class where he received his very own bowling ball and a bowling shirt. This is a chance for him to practice what he learned and to burn off all that extra energy. Two games is perfect. That is all he will last anyway. And his smile was so wide it reached his ears.

When the weather isn't cooperating, come join us and bowl!

The Morning of the Wedding Day

At first, I thought I heard rain drops against the window pane. My restless eyelids flew open and I looked across the room toward the window. Whew... no rain. Just a beautiful sunrise accompanying the heavy winds raging outside. It was merely a tree branch tapping the glass. Giggling, I stretched my arms out and yawned. In less than twelve hours, I would marry my handsome cowboy. The man who opened my eyes to trust and commitment. Most of all, to love. How surprising that I should be wide eyed and bushy tailed with the restlessness of the night before. Every detail of this day overplayed it's part in my mind. And yet, it didn't feel possible that this day was finally here. My heart raced with excitement. Jubilant yet yearning to be in the arms of my soul mate, I waited patiently for the busy day to begin. At six am, not a soul was around me to help the day progress. I wanted to call the love of my life, but I refrained.He would still be asleep. Or would he be just like me, restless and anxious? I closed my eyes tight and tried to coax myself back to sleep. It was no use. I turned on the television and watched the movie playing. It was a sweet corny romance about true love. Something to keep me entertained until the house awakened.

By the time the movie ended, the house stirred. Little bodies came in to see if I was awake and giggled running away. It's now eight am and there is nine hours left. I turned to another movie and waited for my best friend to come into the living room and join me. I thought of tasks ahead and hoped that my fiancee would remember to pick up the flowers, knowing he wouldn't forget because that's not like him.

My phone rang and it was my mother excitedly talking about the wedding. Telling me that my fairy tale day was finally here. I believe I have been in this fairy tale for the last two years. Today is the end of the fairy tale but the beginning of the happiness forever after.

Reconnecting With Writing

Finally, there is a little time to breathe or more accurately to write. With half of the big challenges out of my way, I can wrap my mind around the love of writing I once new daily. It seems to be quite a task to wake up at 5 am and blog like I once had. Now, there's no excuse. There's no school assignments to do and no overwhelming obligations either. Now it's just me and finding the motivation to get started.

Today, I took the first step. Though it's not 5 am, I am still writing this blog. So to help myself get in habit, I will take you on the journey of my experiences over the last year. This adventure will include the heart filled overjoy moments to the overwhelming desires and stresses that come with starting a new life. Including my adventure into the unknown of book publishing as the time comes near.

This site will also have the occasional break from life for inspirational moments.

Thank you for your patience as I redevelop writing skills and techniques. Also know that lots of deep passion will be present on this site as well as the haunts and mysteries that I tend to create.

Sitting down in front of the computer with so much on my mind, I don't know where to begin. Task after task fills up my notebook and I want to scream. It seems no matter how much I have accomplished, there's never an end to that pile on the desk. One day, a break will come. But what day will that be? Hopefully soon. It's exhausting treading water.

Wedding Planning

Wedding planning can definitely be a nightmare! With all the preparation and decision making, it's a wonder not every Bride to be is a Bridezilla. The fact that every bit of preparation requires a deposit and must be made months in advance to reserve the date only adds to any Bride's stress level. Aiming for a simple small wedding adds up just as easily as a big one if you're not paying attention or asking the right questions. But what are the right questions to ask? Once you ask the first question, it usually starts a trend of spiraling questions from the service host, which can lead you into wondering what was the question to begin with. At the Bridal Expo, I couldn't remember what my name was towards the end of the show! It was definitely information overload. But well worth it. After a good night's rest, questions and planning ideas flooded my brain and now I'm revved and ready to bring each piece into motion.
If you are unsure, call them and ask more questions. I stress this. It's better to make sure everybody is on the same page. And remember, it's supposed to be a spectacular event so make sure that satisfaction has been met. And it's also supposed to be your day to remember and celebrate. So, don't try to bring the whole city into the country. It's more hassle than it's worth and will leave you puzzled and second guessing as well as emptying your pocket book. Sometimes it's better to stand back and get a good look. And listen to other ideas from the people who know you better than you know yourself. And remember to SMILE! It's YOUR day!

The day started off with nothing going right. I couldn't imagine leaving the house at this point. I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. But not today. I can't. I must go forth standing tall and keeping my poker face. Three hours and counting to the worst moment of my life. The time where I must stand and face him. It's time for the truth though unwarranted to come out. It's time to end this horrific tale and find the bitter peace that lies ahead. Colder than the weather outside beats my heart. All I feel is evil, terrifying evil. It's just a moment in time when all this is over. What will happen to me? I don't know. I don't care. Ending this misery is all that matters now.

A sneek peek...

The curtains waved as the winds howled, blowing in the coldest air of the season. I shivered and draped a fleece snowflake blanket over my shoulders and walked up the stairs to make a cup of apple cider. Anything to get this chill out of my veins. I looked out the window and saw the first flurries of the season swirling in the air. Again, I shiver. I am not ready for this sub zero temperature that lay ahead. I prayed it would pass right by. The coffee machine beeped and I rushed over to grab that cup of hot apple cider.
BANG!
I spun around towards the noise. The family picture lay on the floor with shards of glass scattered around it. I looked up at the wall, clueless. How could this have fallen? I slowly walked over and bent down to pick up the frame, careful not to prick my finger.
I cannot help but stare into the photo. Into my late husband's eyes. I sat down on the cold hardwood floor and traced over his profile. "Ouch," I whispered putting my finger in my mouth. Tears stung my cheeks as I looked at the man who captured my heart. The only man I would truly ever love. I missed him. Oh God I missed him. If only I could see him one more time. One more day and my life would be complete.
"Oh Johnny," I sobbed. Just then I felt a light touch on my shoulder. I screamed. It was gone. I looked around me. No one was there. "Johnny?" I trembled. "Johnny, is that you?"
Silence. I waited for over an hour and still silence. Did I imagine it?

Happiness In Love

Another month marked in our book. How do I feel about my Redneck Romeo? So crazy in love as ever. I can't imagine a day without him. He has truly showed me what happiness feels like in a relationship. No worries, my son is always going to be the highlight of happiness in my life. But when you meet that special someone who sweeps you off your feet and then whisks you away to the top of the castle's tower and asks you for your hand in marriage, you feel that forever. Forever. I never imagined that forever could feel so... Amazing!

What keeps that fire burning? I honestly don't know. It's just so... natural. So easy to love him. Maybe this is when you realize that this is your soul mate. The one you're destined to be with. Every time I think about us, I giggle. We are like two kids as giddy as can be in puppy love. But this is deeper than puppy love. This is what love truly feels like.

So what is love? Love is self less, love is humble, love is blind, love is eternal, love is warm, love is natural and easy. Love is when the little things don't even bother you. Love is laid back and relaxing. Love is when you are the most vulnerable. When it comes to love, you want to give all one hundred percent (or more if it were possible) to keep the other person happy. Love is when laughter finds you and you can't stop laughing and smiling, hugging and squeezing. Love is when your heart flutters when you see your soul mate walk in the room smiling.

I would do anything for my Redneck Cowboy. He is my soul mate.

Bridesmaid Selection

The toughest part of planning a wedding, is picking the bridal party. Particularly the bridesmaids. I never realized how tough this would be until I sat down to decide. I have quite a few close friends and then I have friends that have been dear to me for years that I rarely speak with. Not to mention my beautiful sisters.

So how do you choose? For me, I chose who I have been closest to. Who knows me inside and out. But to announce this select group was not easy for some to handle. To make things worse, they may never speak to me again. What does that say about them? Maybe they weren't true friends to begin with. This decision didn't come easy, yet it did. Each of my bridesmaids represent something meaningful and special for more than just me. They represent a group of special friends who mean the world to me.

Let's start with my maid of honor, or matron of honor. My sister whom I spent an entire life with. Through our many fights growing up to the exciting moments of sharing pregnancy together and our strong friendship that has lasted over our lifetime as siblings. She's the one who knows me inside and has always been there for me as I am always there for her. So many times we have fought struggles together and so many more to come. I love my sister and would do anything to keep her laughing. But I will also be that shoulder she needs to cry on, no matter the hour.
She represents my sisters as well as our family.

Then next to her is the truest of friends who has never been judgmental and has always listened to me pour my heart out. She is the shoulder I have cried many times on and the one I have shared my deepest thoughts and dreams with. This is not one-sided by far, she too confides in me. I was a train wreck when we first began our adventure together and it's funny how much I've grown up since the beginning of our friendship. She is the most selfless person I have ever met and I tend to think the easiest person in the world to talk to about anything. That's what we did quite often. Talk and Rock band. We would play dress up and sing the night away almost every Saturday night. There were also long serious talks between us during our playtime together. We dreamed together and she helped me focus on my writing. She helped me set up this very blogsite.
Then, I found myself ready to explore a country world. (Not anywhere near her favorite place to be, though I tried to get her to come out.) I love her and I would do anything for her. Anything and anytime.
She represents my closest of friends I met in a very wonderful moms group. A group of the most caring and fun gals who I miss dearly. I am hoping that one day life will slow down just a tad so we can all get together again.

Next is my country world friend of dancing the night away. She is the one who introduced me to my beau. She is the one who has a very parallel life to mine. All of the stages and similarities in our lives is incredible. How can two people have so much in common? This built and strengthened our friendship into what it is today. She is the one who I had to drag out to dance the night away. We learned how to two-step together and learned to line dance. I even taught her how to eye flirt! Haha! Well, look at her now! She is having the time of her life with the man of her dreams. She claims if it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have met him. What a cliche. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have met the man who swept me off my feet (which works with her man). I am so happy for her new found happiness and she too is one I will be there for all the way until the end of time.
She represents my line dancin', two-steppin' friends and is so important to the bridesmaid package since she introduced me to that urban cowboy I am engaged to.

So who accompanies these gals? Let's see My sister, his brother. My best friend, his best friend. And last but not least, the two who helped us find each other and watched as the stars aligned perfectly. The two who introduced us to our forever journey of never ending happiness.

Thank you gals for being the most wonderful, and heart warming gals a gal could ever ask for. I am honored that you would be a part of the bridal party. I am excited to have you as my bridesmaids and I can't wait until we can go and explore the wedding world together! Watch out world, here we come!

October 29...continued

After dinner I thought we were coming home to change into the perfect haunted house attire. T-shirt or sweat shirt and jeans along with some really good running shoes. The haunted house we planned to attend had four stories of scare-ific terror and adventure. My heart raced just thinking about it.
My boyfriend took a left rather than a right, opposite direction of the house.
"Um, where are we going," I asked.
"I want to show you something before we go to the haunted house."
"Can't I change first?"
"No. You look beautiful."
"I can't go to the haunted house in this dress!" I exclaimed. "It would definitely be one of those nights where the house has an escaped asylum patient and we all get murdered. I'll be the first to go because of my shoes!"
He laughed. I sighed. "Please, I want to change."
"No. Just wait. We can always go back and change in a bit. You look really nice."
"Grrr..."
"It's rare that we get all dressed up. Why rush to change back?"
Comfort, I thought. But I let it alone. I had no idea what he wanted to show me. At the same time, it was thrilling to not know.
He took a turn, one he didn't remember, and said he thought he was lost. I asked if he could give me the address and I would punch it into the navigator system on my phone. Of course he said, not to worry because he could find it. Goodness, it had to be a complete surprise!
The car stopped.
"Do you know where we are?"
I looked up, it resembled a historic church. I shook my head.
"My buddy told me about this place, he said it is quote unquote haunted."
Ooh, my interest peaked. We walked up to the doors and he used a key to enter. He continued to explain that we were able to look around and have a little snack if we wanted to. I shook my head. I wanted to see and hear all the scary stuff. As we walked by, I noticed two other couples in the dining area.
My boyfriend walked down the hallway, "I know it's this way," he said motioning for me to follow him. We walked up the stairs down another hallway and up more stairs. It was unfinished and looked rather creepy. My heart raced as we went up another set of stairs and into a dead end. Or so I thought. He pulled the latch on the door and opened it wide. I looked up to see the sun peeking from behind a cloud. He stepped out and onto the ground of the tower (which I had no clue was a tower) and offered a hand to me. I stepped out and felt a light breeze blow across my face.
"You can see all of the city from here," he said from behind me. I looked down and saw the river and up to see the buildings of downtown. It was breathtaking.
From the corner of my eye, I saw something move quickly. I spun around to see what it was.
My boyfriend was down on one knee.
At first I was dazed. I'm sure the blank look on my face wasn't too comforting. slowly he pulled something out of his pocket and I realized what he was doing and my heart burst. "OH!" I thought.
"Lyana Jo, will you marry me?"

I stood speechless for a moment. I wanted to shout out YES for the world to hear, but I had a plan. You see, in February he had told me that one day this year he would ask me a very important question that will bring an even bigger smile to my face. Here it's the end of October.

"I promise you one day this year, I will answer that very important question," I said and smiled.
"Oh, no, no, no. I need an answer now," he laughed.
I nodded my head. "Yes. Of course, YES," I said, giggling. Tears stung the corners of my eyes as he gathered me in his arms. I couldn't stop giggling and definitely couldn't let go of him either.

I never thought he could pull it off as a complete surprise, but he did.