"Love is in the air"

Life is so funny sometimes, I have been saying that for years now. I am also a true believer that everything does happen for a reason, despite not knowing the reasons at those moments or even ever. I have found my reason. She is my reason. She is the reason I kept living, hoping, and looking, without looking, for love, for someone to share my interests, dreams, hopes and life. 

I knew it the moment I hugged her on October 13, 2013 when we "met" for the first time after ten plus years or so ago being and living on the same college campus in Farmington Maine. She thought I was attractive then, and just not into girls...so as much surprise to her finding me on match.com and looking for love with girls, she was beside herself. To make a long story short, we've been talking ever since that Saturday night in October, through face book, texts and soon to be the phone, all day everyday. 

Love is surely in the air! Everything was moving so fast, yet so comfortably "fast." We were honestly taking things day to day, and one thing after another. I asked her to be my girlfriend, she moved from Maine to be with me a few weeks later, received her new Massachusetts state license in the mail, we talked about children and marriage, we went ring shopping, ER visits (she bought the ring the next day and much to her excitement, was frazzled and fell over a store sign...), asked my dad for his permission, kept it from my mom for three very, very long weeks, booked a wedding venue, now just the wait for her to ask me. Well....December12, 2013, Love was certainly in the air. 

Missy is very much a romantic, she is a lot like me in that way, even surprising me more and more each day with how she is, it's just who she is, and I am more than ok with that! Waking up to cards and laundry folded and whatnot is not unusual living with her, but little did I know that Thursday morning, December 12th, I was in for a surprise of a lifetime, despite the fact I knew we had a ring and a date and a wedding venue. I left for work at my usual time, where I found card #1 in my car waiting for me. So sweet. At the elementary school where I work, I had something in the office waiting for me. AAAHHHH I hate surprises, but secretly like them. Five beautiful pink roses waiting for me with card #2, talking about children and our future and how beautiful I am, that she hopes our children look just like me one day. Card #3 was waiting for me in my car as well after I decided to change up her plans a little bit and make her nervous because I hadn't gone to my mom's house before the gym like I had every other thursday! Card #3 with 3 white frames of our pictures and the box of matches I had gotten her on our first date. Later to find out, Missy thought card #3 was going to give it away that today was the day, but not the case. I made her more nervous by driving to the gym and talking to her on the phone about not even wanting to go to the gym, and people driving like crazies so I quickly rushed off the phone with her and went to the gym. Card #4 was in my car waiting for me after the gym, I saw it sitting there on the seat around 6:06 when I left the gym, and I was looking around the parking lot in amazement as if she was going to pop out of a tree or something. No worries, that didn't happen. Card #4 had me in tears, and when I opened up the last trifold it stated something like this, "now open the trunk there is a bag of clothes and everything in there, go back into the gym, take a shower and get ready, kind of hurry though because we have dinner plans at 7, and call me after you are ready to go and I will tell you where to meet me, I love you Lianne, and sorry I couldn't be there to blindfold you." AHHHHHHHH, I ran into the gym, shower, so frazzled and shaking, holding back the tears and excitement as best I could so people didn't think I was some crazy person smiling and crying to myself. hahaha. I was out of there by 6:30, in the car and on my way to the Boynton Restaurant. 

I called Erika and Michelle on the way there because after card #4, I knew this was it, this was really going to happen, and neither of them answered their phones!!!! Sarah answered hers, and I screamed a few times, and then had to get off the phone so I could semi-concentrate on getting to the restaurant in one piece! 

I parked my car in the lot, saw her waiting for me in the lobby, her elbows resting on her knees as she was leaning over in her seat, I looked up at her, locked eyes and had the biggest smile on my face. We greeted each other in the lobby, grabbed her hand and she led me to our table upstairs, as I thought um, ok why are we passing the hostess...but kept my hand in hers as she led the way. I walked up the stairs and in the corner table, there were five people holding up menus covering their faces, they took them down as we approached closer!! AAAHHHHHHH as I yelled out loud in the restaurant, good thing the restaurant was loud anyways! It was Missy's best friend Carmen, my friend Courtney and Erika, and my best friend Michelle and her fiance, Kyle. AAAAHHHH, As I pointed to them around the table, in the order listed above, you live in maine, you have work late, you are supposed to be on your way to boston, and you live in maine, what the heck are you guys doing here!!!! I WAS BEYOND EXCITED!!!! They even had the captain waiting for me with coke and a lime!! It was perfect, I could not stop smiling. Does it say stupid on my forehead, because Missy was still trying to act as if nothing was going to happen tonight, but rather tomorrow on the 13th. They were all here just for a pre-celebratory dinner. hahaha ya, ok! After dinner, plates were cleared, conversation continued and Missy headed to the bathroom...came back a long time after, it seemed like forever anyways, asked me to stand up with her, I kept saying stop it, stop it, and couldn't even look at her. Is this real life? Is this really happening? My friends had their phones out and Carmen was videotaping. And as far as I was concerned it was just Missy and I in the whole entire restaurant. She kneeled down on one knee, pulled the ring out of her pocket and asked me to marry her, in front my friends and strangers. I said yes and the cheers and applauses began!!!!! I was in my glory! She is my reason, my everything, my prize for surviving my past, the hardships, the losses of friends and loved ones, my questioning life and why it has to be so unfair, and the little hope I had left of finding someone I was suppose to spend my life with, share my happiness and sadness, my hopes and dreams. SHE IS MY REASON. 

The chocolate cake came out with "yes" written in pink icing, pictures were taken, congratulations were given, and it was the most perfect evening. One of many nights/days we will never forget as we have started our journey together in this crazy world we live in.