Being engaged is fun.

      

I have come to a conclusion about the last couple of days, and that is that being engaged is FUN. It has been so great to break the news to loved ones and hear their kind words of encouragement and congratulations. It has been so fun to get all the sweet comments on facebook. I feel overwhelmed with love and support. 

The last few days have been super fun. I am still getting used to seeing the ring on my finger... It just makes my hand look so grown up! David has been a little sick the past few days, so it has been fun trying to take care of him. He was pretty bothered when I took those pictures... Good thing he was too weak to stop me. 

On Sunday there was a SOLAR ECLIPSE. We went to David's friend Sean's house for a small dinner party. Sean is David's friend from Japan, so there was a lot of Japanese being spoken and delicious Japanese curry being served. We also drank a strange barley tea that is popular in Japan. David serenaded us on his guitar while we waited for the moon to pass over the sun. I think my eyes are still recovering.. I didn't have any special glasses to view the eclipse so I had to sacrifice my vision to see it. Needless to say, it was worth it. 

Tonight David and I made pizza and watched the latest episode of Game of Thrones before he had to go to the library to study. We have been loving potatoes on pizza lately. 

The Story of David and Celine

        So a lot of people have been asking for the story of our engagement, and I thought it would be easiest to just make a post about it on here! David and I are both students at BYU. I am studying French Education and he is studying Neuroscience with plans to go to medical school. David and I have been dating over a year now and most of you are familiar with how we know each other. However, I thought I might as well go ahead and include that story as well. If you already know this, feel free to skip to the engagement story at the bottom.

OUR STORY 

       David and I first met in August of 2009. We were in the same Family Home Evening group at BYU (for those of you who don't know, it's kind of an organized way to get to know people while at college). I remember he was wearing his overalls and we were going around in a circle introducing ourselves. When it came to him, I remember thinking he seemed cute and funny... Even in those horrible overalls! If you know David, you know the ones I am talking about haha. Anyway, that fall semester we hung out a few times and then I asked him to go on a group date with my roommates and I. My roommates had planned this "girl-ask-guy" date so one of them would have a reason to ask a boy they had liked (classic). On the day of the date, David called me and told me he was sick... I thought he just wasn't interested in going on a date. But later he took me out on another date. We discovered that we both love to draw, and soon we started going to BYU's animation club meetings where we would draw the models in weird poses together. We became good friends but nothing more. 

         David then got his mission call to Tokyo, Japan. He went home to California for a few months before he would leave. While he was home we talked on the phone a few times, and I remember I promised him I would write him the whole time. We decided we would draw pictures for each other while he was gone.
         Now, just to make sure it's clear, I was totally in love with David during this time. I thought he was the sweetest, cutest, nicest boy I had ever met. I prematurely thought of our children, how he would make a great husband, and about our wedding. I always felt absolutely ridiculous every time I caught my imagination going too far, but it couldn't be helped! haha. I remember talking to my sister, Rebekah, about it. Thankfully, she humored my fantasies but she would always gently try to bring me back to reality.
          While David was in the MTC (Missionary Training Center) and Japan, I wrote him back as soon as I would get a letter from him. In between letters, I would stress about drawing the perfect thing to send to him. It was great fun and his letters were always the most exciting part of my week. I remember while I was working in Jacob Lake, Arizona the summer he was gone, I got a letter from David and one of my bunk mates and best friends was asking me about it. I told her that I thought I loved him. She said there was no way I could know this because I didn't even know him very well. She was totally right. David and I had been casual friends, the only thing that was different in our friendship is that I was mildly obsessed with him haha. When she reminded me of normalcy by saying that, I tried to force myself to not love him so much, but I never could. There was just something about him that made him so appealing and lovable to me.
         When he came back to America unexpectedly, I was scared to talk to him. I was worried things wouldn't be as good as I had imagined they would be. But the first time he called me we talked for about hours and nothing was awkward. It was just wonderful. We then started a correspondance via telephone for the next few months- he was at home in California and I was still at school in Provo, UT. One night he told me he liked me. I was thrilled! After that, our conversations became more romantic and we talked more openly about the feelings we had previously developed for each other through those many letters. We booked a flight for me to visit California, and I spent four days with him there. It was wonderful. To this day, it is probably the best trip I have ever been on in my life. It was scary, but as soon as I got there everything was perfect. We were instantly comfortable together and I loved his family. They were so welcoming and kind!
         We have been dating ever since. We have had our rough patches, but there has never been a day pass that I don't love him with all my heart. He is my best friend in the whole world. I feel like the luckiest girl because I am loved by such an incredible person. I never thought there would really be a chance that my longtime crush would ever love me back. But he did! Also, I never thought it would be possible that we would get along even better than we did in my imagination and that he could possibly be any cooler than he was in my fantasies. He proved me wrong on both accounts! And now we are getting married! Who could have guessed. It feels surreal.

OUR ENGAGEMENT STORY

       On May 19, 2012, David proposed.
       We had been together the majority of that day, but we had been doing really regular things- we read some blogs, went to the movies, and went grocery shopping. The day had started off great, but it had taken a turn for a worse because I had gotten upset at David for something silly. The rest of the day I was in a bad mood. When David dropped me off, we made up and talked it out until we both felt better. Then he said that he had some homework he really had to do and that he would come over in a few hours so we could hang out. He was so casual about it. I thought he was just sick of being with me because I had been so unpleasant. I was a little put out, but I went home and decided to watch some Mad Men while I waited for him.
        A few hours later, I got a knock on my window. I pulled up my blinds to find a note saying "GO TO THE BACK DOOR". I ran out the back door to find David in a suit with a big bushel of roses. He got down on one knee and pulled out the ring. He asked, "Celine, will you marry me?" and I, of course, said "YES!" We kissed and embraced after he put the ring on my finger. He had been playing our favorite love song, "Romeo and Juliet" by the Dire Straits on his car speakers. We danced to that for a little while and then went inside to tell my roommates and began calling our family members and friends. It was wonderful.
         I never thought I would be the type of girl who would be lucky enough to be romanced by someone like David. I am so thankful for him in my life and I still have trouble believing I get to have him forever. I look forward to our many good times together. Life doesn't seem as scary or hard knowing I will have him next to me throughout. I love him more than anything.

MOM

I think I have the best mom in the world. I know everyone says this, but really. She is kind, forgiving, patient, satisfied with life, and talented. I want to be just like her. 

Saturday hike

David and I hiked Y-Mountain on Saturday. I have been training for a half marathon, so I thought I would have an easier time on this hike (which I tried a few weeks ago with my dad and brother). I WAS WRONG!! It was so hard. And I think I broke my foot, to boot! I'm hoping my foot is okay because I reallllly want to keep training for the half marathon. I have enjoyed it and I find great satisfaction and pride from running further than I ever have in my life each new training day. 

David and I have been doing so well! I love him so much! He actually bought me an engagement ring this last weekend, but he has yet to propose... He says he wants to plan something. While this is cute and all, I just really want to start wearing that ring and let the whole WORLD know we love each other and plan on getting married. 

Choosing the ring was somewhat surreal. I can't believe this is all really happening. David and I have been dating for over a year now and we have known each other for over three years!! This has to be some kind of Provo/BYU record! For a while everyone was asking us when/if we are going to get married... But eventually the questions stopped and I assume everyone just was so baffled by our nonconformity that they stopped asking. Anyway, we HAVE taken our time, but everyone's needs are different. And we are very happy with the timing in our relationship. 

I won't post any pictures of the ring until after we are engaged.. I don't want to spoil it! Just know this- It's FANTASTIC. 

Valentine's Day （ ´∀｀）

I really love Valentine's Day. If you read my blog post from last year, you will remember how this is really one of my favorite holidays. Here are some pictures form from this years festivities. I am just so happy I have someone to celebrate on this day- David!

Here's a poem to get you in the loving mood:

Whenever Beauty looks,

Love is also there;

Whenever beauty shows a rosy cheek

Love lights Her fire from that flame.

When beauty dwells in the dark folds of night

Love comes and finds a heart

entangled in tresses.

Beauty and Love are as body and soul.

Beauty is the mine, Love is the diamond.

They have together

since the beginning of time-

Side by side, step by step.

-Rumi