Engagement Story (From Erin's Perspective)

Monday, July 20 was the day Adam and I celebrated 11 months of dating.

Since we had arrived in Kyle, TX Adam had been scouting out places where he could take some photos. He was on the lookout for rustic buildings. We had a leisurly,vacationy morning at home then Adam asked his dad if he could borrow the car so we could head out to downtown Kyle to take some pics. We'd noticed a few potential spots and Adam wanted to check them out. I was wearing my jean shorts and Love Lets Live T-Shirt, hadn't showered, hadn't combed my hair, didn't have on makeup. Since we were taking pics I told Adam he could just edit my skin (which he is good at doing now). So we got to downtown Kyle and there is a little Thrift Store that we wanted to check out (only OUR engagement story involves a thrift store, I know, and I love it!) We browsed around. Looked at shoes. I found an amazing quilt topper - it was unfinished -as in- not bound. It was super colorful squares of fabric and whenever I find those in the CA thrift stores they are always pricey. Vintage quilts are popular. So I pulled it off the hanger and found the price tag.. $3.00!! 3 dollars! I was like, "Adam. We are getting this. I can definitely fit it in my suitcase. I left room." He lovingly carried it around for me while we continuted to browse.

We circled around the store and stopped at the dresses. There I noticed a dress that was a color that Adam loves. I glanced at it and thought 'Hmmm.. I wonder if Adam will like this?' so I pulled it off the rack and said, "Hey, Adam, what do you think of this?" He said, "It's nice." I thought, 'I need to know if he really likes this or not.' So I said, "I need to know if you love it or if I should hang it back up." He said, "I really like it. I think it's nice." Decision made. We headed to the dressing rooms. I tried the dress on and walked out and Adam loved it. For $8.00 we got a quilt and a dress. I was stoked!

I was able to change into the dress. Adam and I thought that would be cooler to wear so the pics would be a little nicer. We headed across the street to a red caboose. We snapped some photos. Then we wandered across the tracks to a run down, beat up shack. I asked Adam to make sure it was empty inside. So he knocked on the walls and said stuff like, "Hey is anyone in there?" "We're just taking pictures." "I'm black..... and I know martial arts." =)

We took some more photos. Tried some different poses. (Oh the things I do for Adam... poor Erin..) Then Adam said, "Do you want a picture together of us for our 11 month?" I said, "Yes!" I was thinking of the whole mash-your-faces-together-and-take-a-self-portrait-deal, but Adam decided to use an old ice chest to set the camera on to take a timed photograph. He's done that lots of times before so it was nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing to make me suspect anything.

He finally got it just right and stepped around the ice chest to walk toward me. As he did that he said, "Ok. We have 10 seconds." So I started counting down. "10. 9. 8. 7. 6." When I got to 6 Adam knelt down, grabbed my hand, placed a ring inside of it and said, "Will you marry me?" And at the very same time I was saying, "What is this? (Let me clarify that I wasn't saying 'What is this RING?' I was meaning 'What is this proposal - I'm astounded this is happening right now!!!!!!!!') I immediately said, "YES!" Then I cried. And Adam prayed for us. Then I cracked up. Then I cried again.