Our Engagement Story!

So I know this post might not be for everyone, so I’ll be back tomorrow with my training recap if you want to skip today’s post. We’re about to get all mushy and lovey here people!

Before I dive into it, I want to preface it by saying that I thought for many years that marriage wasn’t for me and I wouldn’t find the guy for me. I finally met Alex and everything just clicked together - I wasn’t looking for anyone at the time, I opened my eyes to other “types” of men out there besides the ones that I seemed to continue to date and there he was! Within our first date, I felt something different than I had with every other guy that I had dated previously out there. I felt like I had found someone more than just a “boyfriend”, a partner for life! We have so many similarities, but also differences as well. I love how supportive of each other we are, how we can almost always find the humor in every crazy situation (most of the time, hey- we’re human!), and we compliment each other well. If you’re still searching for someone or losing hope, know that maybe taking a step back and focusing on other areas of your life will actually open your eyes to other options in the sea! Don’t lose hope- just when I was beginning to see myself as a spinster forever, that’s when Alex showed up : )

SO fast forward almost 4 YEARS of dating (Oct. 16th is our anniversary) and here we are!

I actually knew we were going to get engaged back at the end of May - he told me the NIGHT BEFORE my MS Run The US relay segment was going to start (cue: why I cried hysterically that morning before I started my segment - I literally convinced myself that I was going to get run over by a vehicle and never get to marry this wonderfully sweet man (over dramatic much?)). So we started picking out engagement rings (which is REALLY hard and I do not envy any man out there) - I actually told Alex a few years ago that I wanted to “be in the know” when he was ready to take the next step. I wanted to help pick out the ring and not be taken “completely off guard”.

We had so much trouble finding a ring that was unique and not the “cookie cutter type” and also had a ton of trouble figuring out what size I AM! I definitely thought I was a size 8….yeahhh…I’m actually a size 6. Whooops.

Alex’s aunt works for a jeweler in DC area so she was able to get a really great deal on the ring and custom make it for us (so so so thankful). I sent Alex 3 or 4 of my “top choices” and he sent them off to Susan. So I knew relatively what it would look like, but NOT EXACTLY!

Fast forward a few months of saving, I knew that Alex had ordered the ring and that it would arrive in 3ish weeks, but I knew he was still planning to surprise me so I didn’t know exactly when that would be. Each weekend I kept thinking this would be it, but still nothing. When he said that he wanted to go to Leadville this past weekend to go to Melanzana, I thought hmmm normally we don’t go that far for a day trip. I also definitely knew something was up when he was going to shave before we went there and also said that it was ‘bae day’… he’s sweet and always looks nice, but never puts this much effort into a day trip!

We got to Leadville around noon, grabbed some sandwiches, went to Melanzana to get new High Loft Hoodies, and then drove around 10 minutes to get to Turquoise Lake. We had been to Turquoise Lake the first summer that we started dating (kind of by accident actually!). I was in a boot for getting my PRP injection into my Achilles and the yurt that we planned to stay at ended up having some hiking that needed to be done (which I definitely couldn’t do), so we found a campsite at Turquoise Lake to stay at for the night!

TBT a younger us!

We did a short hike by the lake when we got there on Saturday and found a cute little rock to eat our sandwiches. Once we ate, we decided to go down by the water to let Stella get a drink (it was super windy - 20 something mile per hour winds!). He started asking me what my favorite trip was that we’ve done so far (either Yosemite or our road trip back to Maine) and saying how he couldn’t believe that we’ve been together 4 years and then said that he wanted to share every lifes adventure with me and then I couldn’t.stop.smiling because I knew it was finally time!

He got down on one knee and brought out the ring (it was in his pocket and I didn’t even notice- super sly!) and asked me to marry him. Gosh I’m still all gushy just writing it now! I couldn’t stop smiling (my cheeks hurt by the end of the night) and we took like twenty million photos.

I am still in shock that it finally happened and so unbelievably excited/ happy! We’re booking some engagement photos to be taken next week which is super exciting and just taking it day by day. I really want us to have a Fall 2019 wedding so I know we should start planning soon, but I also really want to hang on to this engagement bliss as long as possible!

Any advice out there for us?!?

If you’re engaged how did it happen- I LOVE to read engagement stories!