We're Engaged!!!!!

That's right y'all, he asked me to marry him!!!!!!!! It's been just over a week and I'm still grinnin' like a fool...! :o) Since most everyone keeps asking the same questions I'll try and capture some of the essentials here so you can get the whole scoop :o)

WHO: Austin Scott Thorp & Rachel Elizabeth van Rossum
We've been dating for nearly 4 years, I met Austin at a family church camp and we hit it off right away... we hung out a lot and started dating a few months later and we've been pretty inseparable ever since... Austin is a musician who not only won my heart but won me over to country music... a genre I had no tolerance for before I met him... but I love his sound and it's been a real adventure learning to be a part of the music industry!

WHEN & WHERE: Friday 17 April 2009, evening- the Berkley Front (Berkley, MI)

HOW: here's the story kids!
Austin was a part of this great gig that his mandolin player Ben had coordinated. There were several artists performing and this girl was on stage before Austin went on. He and I were just hanging out in the back of the room dancing and sitting at the bar chatting. He was really impressed with the girl on stage and said "She should play at our wedding!" Well, he and I say things like that all the time and it means nothing... so I was like "yeah ok great... just as long as you ask me before you ask her!" Later we were sitting at the bar and he said the same thing, so I responded in the same way. He turned around, looked me right in the eye and said "will you marry me?" ... to which I responded "are you kidding me??" (yes I actually said that!) he said "no, I'm serious" and I said "don't mess with me... you do NOT joke about this...!" ... and so we went back and forth a few times, me being convinced he was not actually proposing to me... it wasn't until he said "well, I don't have a ring..." that I went "Oh my god you're serious!!!! Of course!!! Yes!!!!"

It was amazing... I kept asking him all night "really?? we're engaged??" even the next morning! :o)

We decided to keep it quiet until we could tell our parents at the same time (they love each other and all get along really well) so I manipulated everyone into getting together for dinner. The soonest we could get everyone together was Tuesday night so I was basically flipping out for 4 days waiting to tell my folks... it's amazing I didn't make myself sick! We got everyone to meet in Ferndale at a place called Maria's Front Room (or something like that). It was this amazing little Italian place that couldn't have been more perfect for our announcement. We managed to control ourselves and let our folks catch up a bit before I made Austin spill the beans... I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to eat if we hadn't told them yet, as it turned out I barely ate even afterward! :o) So we're sitting there and Austin says "well there's a reason we wanted everyone to be here together tonight... I asked Rachel to marry me and bought her a ring..." Donna (Austin's mom) started crying and jumped out of her chair to run over and hug him, my mum said "are you kidding?!" and grabbed my hand... and our dads both started grinning. It was awesome. hugs and congratulations and smiles all around and then came the questions and the suggestions and the random giggles and smiles... it was fantastic!

The Ring: Austin and I had gone out ring shopping Monday night and actually ended up walking out of the store with a ring. I had expected it to be a longer process, checking many stores, price shopping a ton, and making sure we had really found the perfect ring... turns out we found it in 40 minutes :o) We bought it at Rogers & Hollands and just had a phenomenal experience. We even had the perfect soundtrack! Every song that came on over the speakers while we were discussing the ring and making our decision was one we both loved... very cool... it was as if the stars had alligned. He bought me an incredibly beautiful ring, and we got it for 60% off so that made it even more amazing!! :o)

The Plans: Since both Austin and I still live at home we've decided to first take a look at our finances and our housing situation before we set a date for the wedding. In all reality I think we'll probably be setting a date within the next couple of months as we start a serious house hunt. Our goal is to make our wedding as stress free as possible... as I like to say: easy breezy beautiful! (I should copyright that, no? lol) We intend to make it as simple and comfortable as we can and just enjoy the whole process. The only 2 things we have absolutely settled on are: 1- we're getting married (I still am not used to hearing that!!!) and 2- my uncle Steve from TN is going to perform the ceremony. Whenever we go down to Nashville we stay with Steve & Cherry and Austin has stayed with them the times I haven't been able to go along. They've known me my whole life, so it was an easy decision for us because he knows both of us very well and has been a pivotal person in our relationship with each other.

New Blog Feature: So from now on, in addition to the Photo of the Day feature on this blog and the occasional non-photo related entry, there will now also be periodic wedding updates :o) That way friends and family can follow along with what's going on. :o)

In Conclusion: OMG I'M GETTING MARRIED!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! :oD YAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!