I'm Engaged!!!!!

I was shocked and overwhelmed with a precious proposal on Sunday from the man who has captured my heart!

Let me tell you the story.

Drew and I worked a wedding at Starlight on Saturday.... pretty much ALL day long! I had to do the photography and ended up playing weddnig coordinator as well after Neeley came down with a bad virus. So needless to say my plans for Sunday were to sleep. I was exhausted and had been fighting with a cold for the better part of 3 days. I made it very clear to Drew that I was sleeping in and did not want to be disturbed Sunday morning. As it turns out my ability to sleep in these days has passed on and I woke up at 8:46 am. Unusually early for me! I walked down the hall to find Neeley, who had spent the past week in bed with bad virus, sitting up in actual pants. She told me she was feeling good enough to go get some coffee at Starbucks with Lane. I let Cooper out of the house and made myself of cup of coffee and sat down on the couch to take in the early morning with some bravo tv. Neeley and Lane left and I decided I wanted some breakfast so I called Drew to bring me some eggs. He showed up 15 minutes later looking very nice in some jeans he never wears, boots, and a navy blue polo.

We started cooking breakfast together in my teeny tiny kitchen. I wanted these cornflake egg muffins Ryan taught me to make when we were in elementary school but Drew wanted real bacon and eggs. I convinced him I could make both easily for each of us. As we were talking about something I reached in the microwave to pull out a bowl of melted butter and burned three fingers on my right hand. I mean burned them bad!!! I ran cold water over them but could already see blisters coming up. I might have pouted just a little. Drew was about to leave to get some burn cream when I found some in a 100 year old first aid kit. I smeared ointment all over my right hand and tried to continue cooking with my left. Drew asked if I wanted to go watch the game at Buffalo Wildwings for lunch and the thought of getting dressed to go for lunch, especially there was not at all appealing. I told him I was completely content to sit home with my head cold, burnt fingers, and sweats. Bless him! That would be the moment his magical proposal plan was shot to the wind!!

I was turned with my head in the fridge when Drew said "maybe this will help your finger."

I dazily turned to find the man I love holding out a BEAUTIFUL diamond ring out towards me. I was shocked, bewildered, shocked!!!! I exlaimed to him " WHAT IS THAT?" "WHAT ARE  YOU DOING?"

He calmly bent down one one knee and told me how much he loved me and how much he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. I couldn't believe what was happening! I was standing in the middle of my tiny kitchen, in my sweatpants and flip flops, burn cream all over  my right hand and my two day old mascara and he was proposing to me! I said YES, OF COURSE through weepy tears of Joy to which he handed me the ring box. I stared at the sparkly diamonds and told him how much I loved this ring he had picked out and handed the box back to him. He thought I was handing it back because I didn't want it to which I reminded him of my creamed up right hand and he placed it on my ring finger.

There are moments in this life you dream of, over analyze, talk about, and think of constantly... this moment had become that for me, I had a feeling that it was coming but this quiet moment between us in the kitchen doing what we love to do together far surpassed my expectations. His raw emotion and nervousness were captivating to me. We both had tears of Joy as we realized we would spend all of our time on earth together!

I immediately called my Mom and Nana, who were at church. Drew had taken Mom out on Friday night after working at Starlight to ask for her permission to marry me. He showed her the ring and made her pinky promise to keep it a secret from everyone until he was able to propose. Lane picked Neeley up Sunday morning for coffee and to tell her that Drew was going to propose that day which explained her hasty exit from the house. After I called my brothers I called Neeley to which she immediately came home and we cried together about it! Everyone I talked to on Sunday morning wasn't sure I was happy about the engagement, between my hoarse voice and sobs of joy, I was hard to understand.

The hardest call I made on Sunday was to Christie, my Dad's widow. Knowing that I had dreamt about this day for so long and did not have the opportunity to call my Dad and hear his excitement was more than I could bear. I clumsily told her of our news to which she told me how proud my Dad would be of my choice. Needless to say it was a short conversation that ended with alot of emotion.

I was instantly taken back to the Thanksgiving, a month after Drew and I began dating. I took him home to meet the family but mostly to meet Grandy. Grandy talked to Drew and asked him questions about his life and who he was but while I was sitting in the quiet with him, just the two of us, he told me how glad he was to get to meet my fiance'.  I feel like he knew long before I did that I was going to marry Drew and that was him giving me his blessing!

I am so overjoyed with the happiness I feel in this relationship and engagement. I am so thankful for the gift of Drew in my life and the rock he is for me and am so grateful he would ask me to spend the rest of his life with him! I am one lucky girl!!

Time to start the planning!!!!!

A wedding shower

Last Saturday was Neeley's wedding shower. It still feels so surreal that after months of planning and preparing we are finally upon her wedding.

It is a very bittersweet moment to be at.  I am so excited for Neeley's new chapter and the life she and Lane will have wrapped up in their unconditional love but then I remember that as she is moving on this means moving out as well. I know we will be redeveloping our relationship as she is moving only blocks away but I cannot imagine not waking up in the morning to her sitting on the couch or telling her goodnight in the next room as we go to bed at night. This is life, you grow up and move on and things change.

That being said Neeley had a great shower on Saturday. She was surrounded by a very stylish group of family members and lots of friends and future family members.

I am so proud of Neeley and the way she is handling all the new situations with such grace. She is not one to have the spotlight put on her so being the center of attention can be a bit nerve racking. I was proud to the one by herside doing my maid of honor duties of writing all her gifts down.

 

Whats a wedding shower without a little homemade gift right?! I made these coasters for Neeley and Lane out of their engagement photos we took at Starlight. I loved the way they turned out.

Here are a few family photos from her shower.

 

The Bride to be with her Amazingly stylish Nana and Amazing Aunt! 

 

 

 Everyone should have a friend like Bailey, We realized later we looked really patriotic!

 The BEAUTIFUL Schmidt women bringing it loud and proud and of course very stylish!

 Rhonda who is always there to support and offer her advice!

The number 1 bridesmaid rocking her ankle wrap after a fall she took, she looked adorable!

Drew's Birthday

This weekend was Drew's Birthday... I had been so excited to celebrate his birthday for over two months, since I purchased his birthday present.

Friday night was the first time in a LONG time that we were able just be. We sat together ate takeout, watched a movie, and kept one hand on each other at all times. It was wonderful.

Saturday after Neeley's wedding shower Drew and I spent his birthday hanging out together. He opened his presents from me... a guitar, cologne, and UT vs. Texas Tech tickets whohoo! He was so excited and I was so excited for him! Then we went out to dinner with our friends. Drew's one wish was to watch the UT game Saturday night and we did just that.

I am so thankful everyday for his presence in my life. He makes me a better person. He pushes me to explore new adventures, not stress about the little things, and embrace life each day.

Happy Birthday to a wonderful man whom I love very much!!

We walked.

This weekend was such a blessing! Saturday morning we Walked for an End to Alzheimer's.

I have been so excited to participate in this event since last year when the local walks fell on days we were either in the middle of moving Mom and Nana up from Abilene or we were attending attorney meetings. I must admit my planning and preparation for this walk fell short of what I had hoped to achieve, however with the help of amazing friends and family we stepped out for a cause I believe so much in.

My goal for the day was to surround my Mom with people fighitng for her cause. I wanted to show her she was not alone in this battle and that there are millions of people fighting beside her. I believe by the smile on her face and her happy demeanor we can call it a success!

Neeley helped me paint these shirts for our team "Miles for Molly." Although our craftmanship was a little sub-par from a distance our shirts looked great!

 

Our team consisted of Kelsey, Aunt Tammy, Neeley, Lane, our friends Colton & Bailey, Mom and Myself! Drew had to work that morning so he missed out on the fun. Our cheering section included Nana and Aunt Charlotte.

 

The Alzheimer's organization had recieved sponsors to donate these memory flowers. There were four different colors representing people with dementia (blue), people caring for someone with dementia (orange), people who have lost someone to dementia (purple), and people who know someone with dementia (orange). We wrote on the petals words of encouragement or memories of the people we were fighting for and once we started to walk all the flowers were "planted" under banners.

The 2 mile walk consisted of walking 6 times around Sam Houston Park, for the benefit of participants an old folk band had been hired to play some tunes. There singing was horrible and their song choices were unbeneficial but the first song they played as we started our walk was "You are my Sunshine." This song makes me cry everytime I hear it as it was the song my Grandy would sing to me whenever I walked through the door. We knew in that moment that he was on the journey with us and he was walking along side us!

I was so blessed and humbled by all the people and stories represented Saturday Morning and even more blessed and honored to be surrounded by friends and family who would spend their Saturday morning walking 2 miles in an effort to raise awareness.

Sunday morning the whole crew attended church services at Central Church of Christ, the church my Nana and Grandy raised their family in and helped pastor for many many years. Mom and Nana had decided to place membership back at Central after moving back and Sunday was their "official" day. The new preacher had warned he wanted to share Mom's story and we all went to hear what he had to say.  He spoke a few words on Mom's diagnosis and the fear she has with it and the long road of uncertainty ahead of all of us. He told of how when he first met Mom he knew the Central family would be able to minister great love and encouragement to Mom on this journey but after speaking with Mom for a few minutes he changed his mind... he realized SHE would be the one ministering the love and encouragement to the Central people! Then he asked that everyone close to Mom and Nana and our family come and surround them, put their hands on them, and we lifted Mom's illness, Nana's strength and our family up in prayer. It was awesome! I have been attending non-denominational churches since I was a Junior in college for the more up beat worship services, but I remembered what I have missed so much about a solid church family on Sunday. Being lifted up in prayer by name in the middle of church service is a big deal and I so appreciated being able to witness that on Sunday and cannot wait to see the blessings for not only My Mom, Nana and Myself but so many others that will come out of their relationship and membership at Central.

Friends

I am so beyond blessed to have friends in my life who have stood beside me through many many ups and downs. Friends who understand my struggles. Understand my fears. Understand my hopes. Friends who embrace my Mom and her challenges after she cared for them for so many years. Friends who although we are now spread out by many miles years of memories will never be forgotten. I have two friends who I know that no matter how much we fail at our communication despite the best efforts will never not be there when I need them.

 

This weekend Mom and I drove to Lubbock to meet up with Laura Beth and then the three of us drove into Abilene to see our long lost friend who had returned from the African Bush.

I cannot believe that it had been almost 2 years since I had seen my Whitney. Saturday was a much needed rejuivanation of a friendship built on rock. Despite changes in our lives I still felt like we were those two nieve girls in highschool who had every class together and had every meal together. The only difference was that now Whitney is about 6 months pregnant and we have added another amazing friend to our group.

 

 Mom, Laura Beth, and I drove straight into Abilene to Whitney's mom's house where we were greeted by Whitney, her Mom, and her Mimi who apparently things because Whitney is pregnant all of her friends are pregnant also. The four of us departed to a local Abilene eatery to catch up on our lives. We did a little retail therapy and grabbed dessert. It was so nice to surround my mom with these two familiar faces and spend the day laughing. We ended our time together eating burgers with Whit's family.

The lord has blessed me with these two amazing girls in my life and I treasure their friendships and their love and understanding!