The Final Surprise!

As the excitement of my Aunt and family started wearing off, I started to panic because I needed to get ready for people coming over for pizza and cocktails. Mike, as I was starting to clean, told me that Hillary had called (my BFF) and said she would have people over at her house instead. I was RELIEVED! Thank goodness I thought. I was "poofed" as Mike and I say. So, I started asking if we needed to pick up pizza and call everyone and Mike said that he thought Hillary had it covered...hmm...now I was getting suspicious, but didn't care, I was ready to go party anywhere!

Well, yet another surprise it was. Hillary was in on an engagement party from the beginning with all of our friends and family. It was absolutely perfect! She did such a great job and even incorporated my favorite color- Purple... I wonder what our wedding color will be...

It was such a great evening getting to share in the excitement of the day with those the closest to us. It truly was the most special day and I have everyone to thank in making it so, especially keeping it a secret for this whole time. I'm truly honored to have the family and friends that I do and I know that the wedding planning will be even more fun and meaningful.

Mike, you are a wonderful man, and I cannot wait to marry you. You really made this day one of the best days of my life, and I cannot wait to spend the rest of mine with you! I love you so much!

Hillary, thank you so much for hosting such an amazing party. You have been a fundamental part of my life as well, and I am so blessed to have you and all my friends a part of my life. Thank you thank you thank you!!
MMUUAH!

More Surprises

The first person I had to call right after I got engaged, that I thought may not know, was my Aunt E. My Aunt E has always been so supportive and encouraging to me, and has always been more like an older sister or best friend than my Aunt. She is also an inspiration and she means the world to me. So, I felt that it was important that she get the first call (also, she wasn't at the actual event, so I thought she would be surprised too).

Well she was so surprised and excited, and we both teared up and then she expressed how disappointed that she didn't know ahead of time, or she would have definitely been there. Well, then that made me kind of upset because I just couldn't believe no one told her. So, I went along the rest of the day making some calls, finishing up the tour and then we finally made it back to the house.

My parents had mentioned that they were going to come over a little bit before I was going to have people over for pizza and beer-oh, did I mention that the whole time at TDC I invited everyone over to the house for an after party-even before I got engaged!

Anyways, they came over, and I was actually asking my mom why she didn't tell Aunt E when all of a sudden, I look up and THERE THEY ARE!! I couldn't believe it- I'm tearing up again as I right this. It was such a meaningful, amazing surprise, it meant so much to me that they would come all that way to give me hugs and kisses. My Aunt, her husband Dave, and my Godson Joseph all in tow. What a great day!

The BIG Surprise

Mike and I were the chairs of the American Diabetes Tour de Cure festival held on October 3, 2009. I have since found out that Mike was planning our engagement from this moment when we agreed to chair...

The week before TDC Mike and I had to go out of town for work. He went to Kansas City, and I went to New York and Connecticut. On my way back, it was the most hectic day ever which started with Andrea, Shannon and I missing our 7 am flight because we got lost- that is a story all in itself...

Needless to say, the rest of the day we were paranoid about how we were getting home- especially me since I had TDC. Well, I had no idea that both Shannon and Andrea were REALLY flipping out because they knew what my day was going to entail!

But, we all finally made it out of the Chicago airport (we did get to Chicago, but they kept cancelling all of the NWA flights) and I made it safely back home- exhausted, but home.

Mike's parents had also made it in the previous day, so it was really nice to catch up with them as well.

So, the next morning we all woke up at 4:30 and headed to TDC. Overall, the day was going as expected. I was really out of it, but having a great time. The weather was perfect and all my family and friends were there- which I thought were there to support the event- little did I know...

Even my friend Angelica surprised me from Kansas City and I STILL didn't figure it out. Did I mention I was really out of it?

Anyways, so before the fashion show, the director of ADA said she needed to see me and that she had a special thank you presentation for Mike and I. So, I waited with her until they had everything set up. So this really threw me off if anything.

We go back towards the stage and I see a crowd of people, and I'm still thinking, "what else is going on- this can't be for Mike and I"... Then she walks me toward the stage and I see Mike on one knee and a sign that says, "will you marry me" with both of our parents holding the ends of the sign. I say, "shut up, are you kidding me," and go up to him and give him a big kiss. He gets back down on one knee and says, "before our family and friends I want to tell you that you mean the world to me, I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you, will you marry me." and I answered, "of course." Then he put the ring on my finger and everyone came up to us and gave us hugs, and kisses and it was the most wonderful moment of my life.

Pre-engagement at Marcy Hill's Photobooth

Then the fun started

Let's just say it has already been such a busy year! This isn't even half the photos I have at all of the events and fun times! Where ever we are, Mike and I always have the best time and our favorite thing to do together is be together with the ones we love. We love socializing, fundraising, throwing parties, organizing events- you name it, we both love it! I'm so glad I found my perfect match that compliments me in every way!

Sept: Kansas City to visit Angelica and Anthony

Adam and Diana's Reception

Caleb's Birthday

Paige's Wedding

July: Allisha's Birthday Party

June: Getting ready for Tour de Cure at A Loft

Memphis visiting Maggi and Brian

May: Grayson's 2nd Birthday Party

Tampa!

April: Emily and Jonah's Wedding Shower- Mike meets my "other families"

March: Easter with the Smith Family- haha- Mike fits right in!


February: Met Mike's Parents for the first time at Kiss a Pig

In the beginning...

So one day I was asked if I would be interested in being featured in a Citiscape article, "Single in the City." I said, "sure, why not? At the same time, Mike Duley was asked, and low and behold we met at the photoshoot! Not many people they can say they have a photo of when they first met!

My first impressions of Mike when I met him was that he was cute, nice and FUNNY! He was supposed to be in the other group for the photo shoot and he got moved into my group. He kept kidding around that they wanted us to get closer and closer together. Every shot that we did, the photographer moved him closer to me. He thought this was quite the joke, and continued to make me laugh.

After a couple of weeks, I kept running into him because he was campaigning for Kiss a Pig, so he held many fundraisers for the event. One of the times, I was even on a blind date, and he still pursued me! Talk about persistance :-) After the magazine came out the first of February, he talked to my friend Emily Anderson who gave him my phone number. He text messaged me about two good looking people on the cover of Citiscapes and asked if I wanted to go to dinner that night. I was supposed to go to Kansas City for Angelica's birthday, but my friend Jennifer got sick, so we decided not to go. Molten Lava (Boom Kinetic) was playing at George's- which is my friend Kara and I's favorite band, so we made plans before I could get a hold of Mike to go see them play. When Mike finally got back to me, I told him that he should meet us that night.

He asked me what my favorite colors were and I said Pink and Purple- he wore a pink and purple shirt out that night, which I thought was so cute! We met up and had some fun dancing and drinking- but we ended up not getting to spend too much time together, and I felt really bad about it.

The next morning I decided to call him- which, if you know me, I would never even care about calling a guy, but for some reason, I really felt bad about not hanging out with him much, so I called. He didn't call me back until later that day, and the whole day I was bummed because I realized I kinda liked him, and thought I had ruined it.

He called and asked me to go to a fashion show fundraiser that night, so I went with him and his cousin- had the best time, and the rest is history :-)