3 years ago today!!

3 years ago today right now, I was getting ready for Brandon to come pick me up to treat me to a day of pampering. He told me to get dressed, we were going to go have fun together to celebrate what a great job I had done in school. I was working so hard - I was a 4.0 student and even during summer I had just been working a lot (and so had he) and so he said I deserved a day.

He pulled in, and I was watching him from the window and realized he was holding a GORGEOUS bouquet of red roses in hand. He took me to get my nails done and a pedicure and sat beside me the whole time just looking at me, asking if there was anything else I needed, etc.

I knew what was going on, well I THOUGHT I knew what was going on, but I didn't want to get my hopes up, so I just enjoyed the day! We then went to a movie, a date that he doesn't particularly love but that I always love to do - and he let me get a huge drink popcorn and candy! How exciting! He never lets me do that haha. We watched the stupidest movie... Anchorman, why we didn't go to a romantic movie, I will NEVER know. I got pretty tired of how stupid the movie was, I almost fell asleep but we made it through holding hands the entire time which he never does!! and then after that he took me downtown and I kept saying where are we going, where are we going - it was a surprise! I kept guessing all these things but finally we pulled into the parking lot for the Henrietta!! He took me on a dinner cruise on the henrietta! The fact that he was able to plan all this out was great. Brandon is not a planner. The fact that he was resourceful enough to find the # for this boat and to get us 2 spots was an incredible notion! haha

We had a great time - the rain stopped and the sun even came out for the gorgeous sunset. The food was good, music was nice, and walking around outside was the most fun. I was exceptionally excited to see a Wyland painting of dolphins! God was sending me so many different beautiful gifts on this day! He knows how much I love dolphins, sunsets (especially sunsets with "angel wings" as I call them, as shown here)

Then afterward Brandon was like, 'well do you want to go down to the beach' and he said it so casually so I really thought it was just a pampering day and the date was over. I said, I don't know I think it looks like it's going to rain again and I'm kind of tired... but we did decide to go to the beach. we got some blankets and candles from the house and then headed over there. we walked to 'our spot'. The same spot we had our previous anniversaries and special dates. the south end - we always liked walking there, with Lennox too.

He was quiet and I could tell he was nervous, his voice was just really gentle and loving. So that made me nervous so we just kinda laid there and chit chatted and enjoyed all the stars - it turned out to be an incredibly beautiful night. Then he guided me to stand up and I said, oh you ready to go. and he said no but I need you to stand up.... and I knew my intuition was right! He was PROPOSING! I was so excited, I didn't even want to hear him out - I almost just shouted YES even before he asked.... but he obviously had something to say. I tried to sit back down to be eye level with him but he insisted I stand up. I tried to kneel with him and he wouldn't let me! I felt weird standing up on the beach with him kneeling and there was people walking by!! but those people vanished once he started talking. He really poured out his heart to me. If there is anything I could have changed about it, I would have wished he could have video taped the whole day because I can't seem to remember all the details of what he said. I remember that I was just blown away with the words he was saying - and also how many words in a row there were! He did understand what he needed to change and how much I had done for him. He understood how much I sacrified and he understood the man that I need him to be. It was a beautiful proposal, I can't even begin to speak all the different things he said and offered. Ohhh I wish I could replay it but a lot of the words are just stored in my heart and I can't bring them to my mind. I was too excited and too emotional, I didn't make sure to remember it all.

After I of course said yes - we laid on the beach and I just remember feeling... love. The only way I can describe is that I just felt like God was wrapped around us as we laid and hugged each other. Looking at the stars I had one of those out of body experiences where I felt I wasn't in physical form anymore but I was in the spiritual realm and I felt God's presence. It was incredible. As we sat up, fireworks started going off on the other side of the waterway!!!! Perfect timing!! He didn't even plan that - but thank you God for that gift - whoever was setting those off!

3 years ago today. Thank God for that day!!!!

No shoes no shirt no service!??

I love how I go from such deep passionate journal entries -- to this one.

All I wanted to write was that yesterday in the grocery store there was a lady shopping without shoes on! I never realized how weird it would be until I saw it. It felt really weird! I wonder if in Leland, you don't have to wear shoes to do business? I know in many places it says, 'no shoes, no shirt, no service' but I guess Leland is a LOT different than other places! She was really barely wearing a shirt too -- she was just some old country girl with really flat long feet haha.



I really do LOVE it here -- no shoes, no shirt, no problem!! :)

Happy Independence Day!!!!

I am SO thankful to have been born in this country! I am SO proud to be an American!

We had a great Independence Day together yesterday! It was one of those days where you feel that even just breathing in the fresh air will physically help you! I don't know if it really does physically help but I know it does mentally and spiritually help! It was low 80's and breezy and just GORGEOUS. The sun felt brighter yesterday, the Carolina blue skies seemed blue-er. It was just gorgeous. I think that is my favorite temperature - 84 degrees with a breeze!!

I couldn't believe how easily we got around town - it seemed like there was even less traffic than on normal weekends! I think because the 4th was in the middle of the week or something. But literally we went down to CB and there was less traffic than last weekend when we went! Then at night, we drove downtown (and ended up turning right around after we got in the parking garage because we forgot Raymond's bottle) and we didn't hit any traffic there either! Maybe it's just because of where we live now? Or maybe with the windows open, we were just too focused on how beautiful it was, we didn't even realize if there were other cars or people around!?

Either way - it was gorgeous! We stayed outside the whole day - walking around the neighborhood with Lennox, driving around, sitting on the porch, sitting at the beach and pool. Then after Raymond went to sleep, Brandon and I watched a movie and when the fireworks started around 9 we took our drinks on the screened porch and sat and had our own private show of downtown fireworks. I still believe that the best fireworks EVER are Jefferson days laying on the hill as they shoot off right over you, but these were good too. The only thing missing was funnel cake or cotton candy! but it was cool to have our own show!

So anyway - how blessed I am. For everything. Thank God for all our soldiers throughout the generations and today, who have protected the freedom we all take for granted. Today I remember PopPop especially who invaded at Normandy and who had the only working radio the week after, that would help change the course of history for thousands in Europe and Billions in the world for generations to come. PopPop went to heaven on the 4th of July 1991. I am so proud to be the granddaughter of a true HERO and I'm so proud to be a Child of the most high God who blessed us with true freedom - the ability to be personally and spiritually FREE!

Thank God for the desire we have to be free. At the core of who we are, He has created us to be creatures who have the desire to have freedom of choice (free will). Thank God He is not a puppet master, but is a God who loves us enough to let us make our own decisions - and then turn those decisions around for good when they were the wrong decision! (Romans 8:28).

I am so blessed and so appreciative for everything I have been given. I pray that what America stands for will not fall and that this country will always be a guiding light to the world of the values that God has put in all of us!!!!