A Tree Saw, Taco Bell, and a Diamond Ring...

Therefore a man shall leave his father and
his mother and hold fast to his wife,
and they shall become one flesh.
Genesis 2:24

On Saturday, February 6, 2010, just 8 short months after our second first date, Matt asked me to be his wife. I, obviously, said YES. And this is our story. I sure hope that you laugh more than you "ooo" and "aww" because the story is quite awkwardly funny. But it's our story. And I love it. Hope you enjoy! **Please keep in mind that I knew this day was coming, but for months, all Matt really wanted was for me to be surprised. He went to great lengths to make that happen.**

For more than one reason, Saturdays are "our day" without fail each week. Mainly because, well, we don't see each other any other day of the week because we live in different cities. So, we spend breakfast through dinner together every Saturday, like clockwork. Sometimes, that means just resting with one another, going for walks together, playing a little tennis, or, as was the case this particular week, going to estate sales and cutting a tree down. That leads us to the first part of our story...

Several months ago, the insurance company informed Matt's parents that there were several large branches overhanging their unit at the condo in Auburn and the problem would need to be addressed sooner rather than later to avoid losing coverage. Matt decided that this would be a great day to do that, but he had no idea the extent that we would have to go to remove these branches. At 8 that morning, he picked me up from my apartment (not having taken a shower because I knew we would be cutting down a tree) and we went to breakfast. Following breakfast we ran to borrow a ladder, and randomly went by a friend's estate sale, before returning to the condo to do some work. Well, the ladder turned out to be too small, so we headed to Lowe's to purchase a TREE SAW. After sawing and pulling and clipping large heavy branches for about 4 hours, we were finally done and he took me back home to get a shower and get dressed for dinner and a quick trip to Walmart.

So, all I knew at 4:15ish when he picked me up was dinner and Walmart. We had not eaten since breakfast, so I suggested a nice restaurant, but since I had been on a healthy habit diet for about 2 weeks (and living next door to Taco Bell doesn't aid me in any way), when he suggested we just grab some Taco Bell, I was thrilled. He did mention that he wanted to eat it somewhere other than the restaurant, and suggested we go to the parking deck on campus that overlooks the Hitchcock Field. Folks, I am oblivious, please keep that in mind. My focus at this point was one thing -- TACO BELL! -- for two reasons. First, I was starving. Second, it had been weeks since I had it and I really wanted some. Ha.

So we head towards the parking deck and rather than straight there, he pulled into the parking lot outside Samford Stadium. He made reference to wishing there was a baseball game, then suggested we attempted to get into the stadium. I, annoyed and hungry, suggested that we "don't and say we did" and just get to eatin! But, I thought to just appease him for a few minutes would make the process much quicker, then we could EAT! **I think it is important to mention here that Matt and I met one another for the first time at a baseball game in March 2005 and going to Auburn baseball games together has been "our thing" for as long as we have known one another, whether friends or dating.** So we get out of the car, walk around the ticket booth for a few minutes looking for an open gate, and I, content that no gates are open, suggest we leave and go eat. He, ran to the car and grabbed his winter gloves and then asked me to walk a little further to find an open gate. We walked to some other openings and then walked back to the ticket booth and he offered me his gloves because my hands were FREEZING! Well, it took about 5 seconds after I put the gloves on to realize that there was a stunning, gorgeous DIAMOND RING in the left ring finger of the glove.

My first response, "Shutup!" My second response, tears (of joy no doubt) and falling into his chest. Matthew proceeded to say some sweet things and then finally said to me, "Sarah Ashley, I love you, will you marry me?" With tears and excitement, I obviously said yes and then, to my horror, he informed me that we would NOT be eating the blessed manna from heaven that is Taco Bell sitting in the car. My response, "What? Why not?" His answer, "Because I don't think Nancy and Joe would want Taco Bell for dinner after having driven this far." That's right, my sister and her husband were hiding out and videotaping/photographing the whole thing and it was all a surprise to me!

It was a GREAT day! I am blessed and could not be happier. I remind myself daily that this is not a dream, but that God has ordained this process. We will see this stage of our lives come to fruition on August 21, 2010 at 2 PM in Auburn, AL and we would love nothing more than for each of you, our loved ones, to join us. Also, please stay tuned in the next few days as I will post a link to the video once it has been uploaded to YouTube. Continue to pray for us in the new stage and time of our lives. It will be hectic, but fun, hard but well worth it in the end. God is so good....