NYC & Getting Engaged!

Thanks to Amanda's baby blog I have realized how nice it would be to have things documented and easily shared among family & friends and it has made me want to keep a record of events in my own life as well. I'm not making any promises that this will stay current or that I will always use correct grammar and tense but I'll do my best. So to catch everyone up on the past few weeks, here ya go!


As November rapidly approached and our vacation to New York City got closer, I decided that after we got back from NYC I would stay in Sherman and travel back and forth to Dallas to do some house hunting since our lease in Lubbock ends December 31. Doing that meant that I needed to go ahead and put in my notice at work, so at 5:30 on November 7th, I said my goodbyes. From there I went to get my very first spray tan, which I loved but would soon find out it was not meant to be, then headed on down to Midland to surprise my Dad for his 60th birthday. The surprise was a success and then he soon went to bed - day traders have to wake up WAY too early. After he retired, my Mom & I made a late night trip to Target (which is totally the time to go, I'm pretty sure we were the only customers in the store and it was awesome) to get what we needed to put together a thank you gift basket for Greg & Anita since they were going to be watching the pups while we were in NYC.

The next day (Nov 8 - Friday) my mom & I met my sister and the two younger kiddos at Oscar's (a must!) then hung out and put the gift together before driving downtown to pick up my dad from his office for lunch and drop off birthday cake for his co-workers. As per usual, I couldn't leave Midland at the time I had planned and stuck around to keep visiting, therefore I made it back to Lubbock much later than planned and Tyler and I were rushing around the house to finish packing for NYC and afterwards. Needless to say, I forgot a lot of things and am paying for it now. 

The next day we headed out for New York City!

Tyler had a couple movies on his laptop so between that and our drink coupons the time flew by! Curry met us at our hotel, which was the smallest room I've ever seen, and kept us laughing every time had to walk on the bed to get to the bathroom and back. We spent the next week being thoroughly confused by the subway system and hitting up about 85% of the places you go to NYC to see. Here is our week in pictures:

Statue of Liberty via the Staten Island Ferry

The Survivor Tree at the 9/11 Memorial

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge

Coney Island Boardwalk

 View looking South from Top of the Rock Observation Deck - Rockefeller Bldg

Looking North

My phone was broken and dead for the majority of the trip so most of the pictures were taken on either Tyler or Curry's phone, but long story short we did and saw a LOT and froze our butts off doing it.

Getting back from NYC we had a short rest of the weekend telling stories to Tyler's family and then Tyler had to go back to Lubbock to work for the week. I ventured down to Dallas twice that week, once with Anita and once with both Greg & Anita. I thought we'd found a house that would work if we could get the rent down some but after trying to turn in an application, I'm not sure that it will work out so we are continuing the search.

Tyler found out on Monday (Nov 18) that his new bosses in Dallas wanted him to report to work in Dallas the following Monday Nov 25, which stressed me out like no other on trying to get us into a house. His work agreed to put him up in a hotel for the first week and will do an extended stay hotel after that if we still haven't found a place. Because of the new plan Tyler said he would be driving back to Sherman Saturday morning and he really wanted to go out to the Whitmire's ranch to ride 4-wheelers for a stress reliever. It took some convincing for his folks and I because a cold front came in and it was 30-something degrees. But we went anyways and I had set plans to stay inside the entire time. Once we all got out there he asked me to go on a short ride w/ him so that he could show me the land, he promised it would be short and that he wouldn't go through any mud or water. Greg, Garrett and Jeff were going to go with us but no one could find Jeff so Tyler and I took off.

After a short ride around we come to an old abandoned barn where Tyler kills the 4-wheeler and says there used to be a really cool nest inside that he wants to see if it's still there. Freezing, I'm not thrilled about extending the time I'm outside but follow him into this barn, eyes peeled for gigantic spiders ready to pounce. 

Walking in I see Jeff walking around with a fancy camera and am so puzzled as to why he chose such a random time to come out here and take artsy pictures of this old barn, but maybe he's fascinated by this awesome nest too. Then I get inside enough to see the other wall that is lined with huge cut out letters spelling "WILL YOU MARRY ME?" then look back at Tyler grinning and pulling a box out of his coat pocket and getting down on one knee... and I froze.

Jeff gave up trying to hide since I'd obviously already seen him and just started taking pictures (of me and Tyler, not the nonexistent nest) and Tyler said something about me being his best friend. Neither one of us remember exactly what either of us said but it ended with me saying "Of course" and then both of us shaking from the adrenaline and the cold trying to get my gloves off and the ring on. 

We took the non-scenic route back to the cabin where everyone was and as we pull up Amanda is clicking away on her camera with a huge smile on her face. 

We get inside and start shedding layers, anxious and nervous about spilling the big news. Finally Tyler got everyone's attention and we showed them the ring. Amanda, Garrett and Jeff already knew, since they had helped in pulling everything off, but Greg, Anita and Lee Ann were all just as surprised as I was. 

Tyler actually designed the ring himself and did a fabulous job. His awesome attention to detail really shows and I cannot show my appreciation enough!

Since Amanda knew about it beforehand she had a gift for me that consisted of a wedding magazine, a wedding planning binder that she put together herself, and a bottle of wine. It's overwhelming to look at those things now but I know once we really start planning things I'm going to be very thankful to have them. Amanda had also brought a cake and some champagne that we toasted with ranch-style in red Solo cups.

We all took a ride back out to the barn for everyone to see and take more pictures.

When we got back to the cabin Jeff grilled some delicious burgers and we played Heads Up. When we got back to Greg and Anita's house, Tyler and I called my parents and siblings to tell them the news, then joined Greg and Anita to call their parents and siblings as well. The biggest reaction so far has been from Grandma (Greg's mom) who shrieked, dropped the phone and then didn't come back on for almost 10 seconds. We had no idea what was happening on her end but it was pretty entertaining.

On Sunday (Nov 24) Tyler and I drove down to Dallas where his company had set him up in a hotel near the corporate office for his short week at the new job and my continued week of house hunting. We met Tommy for dinner and told him the news. While at dinner, Tommy mentioned to the restaurant manager that we were celebrating our engagement and they were so nice as to surprise us with free champagne and chocolate covered strawberries.

I found a new list of homes that I want to check out and a realtor to make that possible so Amanda and I are meeting with her tomorrow to do just that. While I'm waiting on that I wanted to record these memorable events and maybe even get a rough start on some wedding ideas!