B & L

oh what a whirlwind the past few days of my life have been.  i know many of you have been waiting for this post- the full story, but also the pictures- so here goes:

i had previously planned to take off work on friday and head down to harrisonburg for the weekend for a few reasons 1. to visit my dear old roommate taylor (and her fabulous husband luke), 2. to go to the jmu football season ticket reseating event on behalf of my dad, and 3. to see my newly married gal pal jill on her and her hubby's beautiful staunton farm.

after a late-night thursday arrival,  friday began with picking out my family's season ticket seats in the new jmu stadium.  can i just say that this thing is giant-normous?! 

tay & i walked around town just chatting and enjoying the weather (i love soccer mom walking, its a favorite hobby of mine!), saw a movie, played banana grams (another favorite), packed a picnic and went to fridays on the square (picture this: country band, picnic baskets, wine, card games, & great friends).

i even picked up a salvaged furniture find on the way home- well luke picked it up! we had made plans to go to the farmers market saturday am before i left for staunton and one of tay's friends had 'conveniently' asked her to pick up her paycheck for her on campus.  cue full on engagement story beginning....

as luke, tay & i walked from their house up to the quad i commented how there was literally no one around. we walked up the steps of wilson hall and i remember stating "this is where i first met brandon.  in that room off to the left."  after unsuccessfully trying to get in to wilson hall (decoy), taylor tries to divert my attention to a guy + dog walking up the quad (my response "cool" and i moved on).  2 more attempts and she tells me she thinks i know who that is and that i should go over and say hi. puzzled and completely confused i start walking down the quad (with some pushing from luke).  about half way down the quad i realize that it is brandon and look back and tay/ luke for confirmation but theyre gone (hidden away & already snapping pictures of what is to come).

completely flabbergasted to see brandon in front of me in harrisonburg (because he had been telling me for weeks that he was playing in a charity golf tournament that day in northern va with ryan).  at first i thought he borrowed a dog to come visit.  he tells me to look at the dogs collar.  it had our monograms on it and the date on one side and "will you marry me?" on the other.  at first i didnt see the big question and just thought he got us a puppy (insert total excitement). but then while i was squatting down playing with the littler furball, brandon got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife while holding a beautiful shiny ring (insert overwhelming joy and complete surprise)!

out pops taylor and luke (planners and decoy extraordinaries) after more pictures with jmaddy, phone calls to family and some friends, we had a perfect afternoon of picnicing on the quad as a little family of 3. taylor had prepared appetizers and champagne back at their house to continue the celebration, then it was off to joshua wilton house for dinner while the logans babysat our little furball, who we named tucker.

it was the most beautiful, perfect, and surprising day i could have ever imagined.  we are so excited for everything that is to come as we prepare to get married! thanks for everyone's calls, emails & messages of well wishes. and we can wait for everyone to meet tucker!