Happy Engagiversary

Nathan & I got engaged exactly 9 years ago today.

We had been dating since December 1999. Well, sort of. I was in denial and told him they weren't dates and that we were just friends. Looking back, they were dates. Fine, Nathan, I admit it. We were dating. :)

After dating, it was clear that God was telling us to get hitched. Here's how it all went down. ..

One night I riding with Nathan in the car and he asked me if I'd like to go out on a date with him a couple weeks later. I found it odd since he no longer asked me out. It was pretty much assumed that we'd spend time together on weekends at that point. I said yes anyway and he told me to get dressed up because we were doing something special.

I got dressed up and he picked me up at my house, which was also unusual since I usually went to his apartment instead since he lived near a lot of restaurants and activities to do. Here we are when he picked me up for that date at my parent's house:
As we waited to leave, the doorbell rang. Much to my surprise, it was a limo driver there to pick us up! The driver's name was Lance, which for some reason I don't think I'll ever forget. We got in and Lance drove us downtown to the Eagle's Nest for dinner. For those of you not from around here, the Eagle's Nest is a restaurant on top of a tall hotel downtown and it revolves 360 degrees while you eat, giving you a rotating view of the city. I sort of wondered if Nathan was going to propose that night. Dinner came and went and no proposal. Hmm. I enjoyed dinner though and it was a great date, so I wasn't too disappointed that I didn't leave with a ring on my finger. I was a little surprised though.

On the way back to the limo to go home, Nathan casually mentioned that we should walk to the little park across the street. As we got closer, he pointed out a bench that I had forgotten about. It was a bench that we sat on during one of our December dates and talked the night away. It was when we first really got to know each other the best. We sat on that special bench and that's when he asked, "Amber, will you marry me?" I said yes and didn't bother looking at the ring he slid onto my finger. It could have been from a Cracker Jack box for all I knew.

We eventually made it back to the limo to share the news with our new BFF, Lance. I remember Nathan finally pointing out the ring and wanting me to take a look at it. It was beautiful and I was quite certain Cracker Jack was not the slightest bit involved. Later, when we went to the jewelry store to buy our wedding bands, the employees there knew Nathan by name because he had spent so many hours there, searching for the perfect diamond for me. He found it. He also sneaked ahead of time to ask my dad's permission to marry me. I think my dad was happy to convert my bedroom into his computer and treadmill room, so he said yes.

We were happily engaged and got married the following March! I should also mention that we went back to that same bench to find out the gender of both of our kids; we had the ultrasound techs write it down for us in a sealed envelope and that's where we went to open them. I wonder what other milestones will happen on our special bench.

So, here are our engagement pictures. Wow, we look young.

Happy Engagiversary, Nathan!