Most of my friends and family already know this, but.....I'm engaged! The boy popped the big questions just after our 2 year anniversary. I am in the middle of trying to decided all the crazy details of a wedding, but really, I just want to take some time and enjoying being engaged. With that, I thought I would share our story on here and have it written (or typed) out somewhere, so, here it goes.
Chris and I met when we were both in college at the University of Nevada, Reno. We were both in a political club in 2008. Chris had been in the club for a while, but that was the year I was finally able to join since I didn't have a crazy school schedule my final year. We hung out in this club with other people each week and during events (like the picture below, which was from a political rally just before the 2008 elections). Chris said he had a crush on my way back then, but I was so focused on working and trying to graduate college that I didn't really have a lot of extra time and, let's face it, I was a bit clueless. Chris asked me to get a cookie with him one day, but I had to work and he never asked me again, so by the end of that school year, I had graduated and moved (briefly) to Colorado and we fell out of touch.
Then, one day in 2012 (November I think), I commented randomly on a post Chris made on Facebook, and we started talking, which led to a very long conversation on chat which went on for days. At the time, I was finishing my Master's Degree and starting my first year of teaching and I was well, a bit depressed. I had just moved out of my parents house and was living with friends. I had to commute to work everyday and was pretty busy with that so I didn't really have a lot of free time to talk to friends. When Chris and I started talking, it was so nice to have someone to talk to and he was so easy to talk to. I could open up to him so easily and he said the same of me. We finally started hanging out more and going on little adventures around the area, like hiking. We both had many things in common and didn't have many friends, especially ones to go on adventures with.
This would have been the perfect start to a relationship, however, Chris was dating someone at the time. It was a very rough time for me because I had strong feelings for Chris, but I really needed a friend at the time, so I tried to just be friends with him. After about a year and a half of hanging out as just friends, I started to wonder if I could be just friends with him. I was so torn up about it at this time. I was really hurt and I didn't want to put him in any uncomfortable position and make him choose between me and his girlfriend. I started to pull away a little, but he just kept hanging on. Finally, I told him how I felt and he held me as I cried. I knew he has a girlfriend and I told him I was going to be around less. After about a month of not talking to much, he finally asked me to hang out with him. That day, he broke down and told me that he and his girlfriend were done. He said it had been a long time coming and he knew that she wasn't that one in his heart any longer. The next day, he kissed me and asked if I wanted to be his new girlfriend. I was hesitant (but also super excited) for the simple fact that he had just ended a relationship. He told me he hadn't really been in it for a while and he and I could take things slow. So we started dating in 2014, as seen below at a Reno Aces game.
From then on, we were inseparable. It was so nice to be able to give all of myself to someone I shared so much in common with. He told me he loved me September of 2014.
After about a year together, I was being kicked out of the house I was staying at with friends. It was a very quick move out and I didn't have a lot of time to search for a new place, so Chris said I could move into the extra room in his house. So after only a year of dating, I moved in. It worked out well and we even got a little kitten together. Hallow (pictured below)
We met each other's families and spent last Christmas in Portland, OR with my sister. Chris has been so supportive of me and really been a rock for me (and whatever other clique terms you can think of), but really, he makes me better. I am less anxious, worried, and stressed when I get to come home to him and we both challenge each other and get each other to go on adventures and take chances,
Finally, July 3rd, Chris said we should go for an evening walk up by the observatory that overlooks our little town. I said sure and we arrived there just before sunset. We sat on this little bench and looked out over the city. Chris gave me a letter and got down on one knee and proposed. Unfortunately, it was really windy, so he did have to yell a bit, hehe. I said YES, of course, and then we told our families. It has been such a great time to just be engaged and enjoy planning a wedding, which will take place sometimes next fall.
That's our little story, abbreviated of course, but I hope you enjoyed it.
