is this thing on?

ok, i am officially allowed to tell everyone the big news that i promised on Monday.

i’m engaged!

yep, that’s right. i hit a knee and popped the question last night. Callie and i are both really excited and we’re so happy. we’ve already gotten tons of text messages and facebook wall posts and messages congratulating us and whatnot so thank you to everybody! i’ve debated whether to put the story of how i proposed on my blog today or not but i don’t think i can wait until tomorrow to spill it. so here goes…

last night was Blake’s birthday. his wife, Emily, got a bunch of people from Freedom to go out to Shogun. for those of you who are not aware, Shogun is a Japanese steakhouse and where Callie and i had our first date. they also have the white sauce.

Callie thought that i would propose to her last night but not in the way i did. she thought me telling her we were going to Shogun for Blake’s birthday was a cover-up. however, it was NOT a cover-up. we really were going for Blake’s birthday but going to the scene of our first date was just a coincidence.

after Shogun, everybody went to US Play to go bowling – except for us. i had other plans. we drove back to my house and Callie thought that i would propose along the way back to my house because i took a different route home. however, i didn’t do it on the way back home.

we got back to my house and we watched TV for a little bit. my dad was asleep on the couch – very romantic. so i told Callie that he had done some more work on our apartment. now, the apartment i’m referring to is a very small one room and a bathroom space above the garage at my house. we intentionally left the room unfinished when we built the house so my dad and i could have a “project”. originally, it was going to be an apartment for me to live in while i was in college and whatnot but it never came together before that time came. so now, my dad and i are finishing the room so Callie and i can live there once we get married.

we started up the steps and Callie could hear music playing (XM 23 – The Heart) and she said, “I think your dad left the radio on when he finished up here.” to which I said, “yeah, he must have.” she continued up the steps to the darkened room where i had 5 illuminated balloons hanging from the ceiling. on the balloons i had written “Will – You – Marry – Me – ?”. Callie saw the balloons and she turned back around to me and began to say “what is this?” but stopped when she realized that i was on one knee.

i asked her to marry me and she said, “are you serious?” and i told her i was and she said “yes!”. i slipped the ring on her finger and then we slow danced.

it was a great night and will be one that we will remember for the rest of our lives together. special thanks to Zach Brown because he made Callie and i sit together at Five Guys’ the first day we met. and thanks to everyone else who has been a part of our relationship.

wedding date is December 20.