Here it goes...
Being a minor in journalism I do enjoy writing but I will warn you now...my grammar is horrible and my spelling is the worst. I'm apologizing now for any spelling/grammar mistakes you find! But to my understanding God created writing to express yourself and write down memories so you can remember them for a life time!
I have always wanted to start a blog but was frankly a little scared. Scared that I would write something wrong but I have come to the realization that I don't care. I want to be able to write freely without having a fear that I did something wrong. I am writing for the reason I believe God created it!
Well here it really goes...
I am 22 and am just finishing college. I'm an engaged woman and will be married in 8 month from today! I am so excited to become Mrs. McLane :)
I wanted to write this blog about my wedding experience. My Aunt keeps telling me that I will have many stories along the way and if I don't write them down now I won’t remember them. I figure this blog is a good way for me to write it all down, share with the world and because I am in love with weddings! One thing you may not know about me is I am in love with weddings. I want to be a wedding planner and I love everything about it. So I am here to tell you my story of my experience "FromEngtoMcLane"
First I will start with the man I am marrying. My man is the world’s best. He is strong with his muscles, in his heart and mind. He is beyond smart and is exactly what I prayed God would give me. We are the same on so many levels but his strengths are my weaknesses and his weaknesses are my strength. I believe this is why we work so well together because we have such a balance. I have never known someone that loves me so much. He spoils me like I couldn't imagine and I know that he will give me anything I want. I know that he will succeed to his highest potential and take care of me as we grow old. He is the man of my dreams, the father to my children and my lifelong partner. I am not afraid to say it but I am in love with the man that drives me crazy, balances my life out and most importantly loves me just as much back!
Now that you know my man! Let me tell you how he proposed. He knew I wanted to do a candle pass my last semester in Sigma Kappa and he made it happened. I honestly didn't think it was going to happen which I was fine with. I expressed so many things that I wanted in a proposal. I wanted it videoed, I wanted him down on one knee, I wanted to know why he loved me, I wanted a ring that sparkled like glitter, I wanted my mom and sister present, I wanted a GOOD story, pretty much I wanted it all! He gave me it all...
We had planned a great spring break. We were going to road trip Cali with Napa involved. Well it fell through last minute and we had the crazy idea to go visit my mom and my sister in South Dakota. We bought the tickets about a week before and kept it a surprise for my mom and my sister.
Before I knew it the week had past and we drove down to Vegas. We would fly out the next morning to Rapid City. Little did I know my beautiful ring was tucked away in his bag just ft from me! We arrived in Rapid City and my Aunt Brenda picked us up at the airport. My aunt decided that it would be a good idea to call my mom and see where she was. So we did and she was on speaker phone. As the convo moved on to personal rather than what she was doing my mom said "So John told me about his talk Mitch and him had." My aunt jumped up and darted out of the room. Everyone in the room was quiet and I was confused. Had Mitch talked to my dad? Was it about the car? Was it about the ring? I instantly text my girlfriends and got replies like "hhhmmm I wonder if you will come back engaged?". I honestly didn't think it was going to happen. Well the day went on, we surprised my mom and sister. It was one of the best surprises ever! By then I had forgotten all about it, until I saw my mom and Mitch whispering. I saw the words mouthed " I told Madison if she loves her sister she can't tell ANYONE!" Again I was thinking, man that is weird. About three days had gone by and I had forgotten all about the two different convo's I had heard. Mitch and my mom wanted to go hike Harney Peak (an old fire lookout for the black hills). Hiking is not my thing but I knew my mom and Mitch loved things like that so I was ok with it. I wasn't jumping for joy but it was whatever I guess. So we finally got to Harney Peak and started our way up the peak (6 miles round trip). As we started going I was thinking to myself "What the hell did I get myself into?" I had hiked Harney Peak before but it had been when I was really young. I started complaining like crazy! "I want to go home." “I will sit here and wait for you guys to come back home." "I could have stayed home and cleaned" "Let's only go half way" needless to say I was being the biggest baby about it. But every time my mom and Mitch kept pushing me and telling me to stop it. We finally got to the top after I had complained pretty much the entire way up. It felt so nice to get to the top and be able to sit. It was windy but a beautiful day to look over the Black Hills. The view is breath taking! We ate lunch and hung for a little bit. I noticed Mitch had been gone for a little bit but I didn't think a single thing of it. He returned eating some M&M's... I said to my mom, "This would be a great place for Brad to propose to you." Within seconds Mitch offered me some M&M's and proud them out in my hand. Out fell the colors of the rainbow and a BEAUTIFUL ring! It wasn't really to me, was this really happening. Before I knew it he had taken the ring from me, pulled out his phone and started readying to me why he loved me and how I was his other half. How he wanted to grow old with me and how he would be honored if I married him. At that moment I didn't know what he was exactly saying but I knew whatever it was it was from his heart and great! For a tad second I was distracted by a small piece of green something from our sandwich that had been stuck in his teeth. I quickly focused on what he was saying and screamed YES! I kissed him and jumped into his arms. I was so happy. I had never expected it, on the top of a mountain and in sweats with no makeup on. But even though I didn't expect it, it was 100% perfect! I never thought the day that combined our favorite numbers would be the day I turned the page to the next chapter of my life (My favorite number is 3, Mitch's 22, engaged on 3-22). We took pictures on the top of the mountain and jetted back down the mountain! I was on cloud nine! Wanting to hear about how Mitch had asked my mother and father, every detail about my ring, etc. That s really the best way to hike, with a new diamond on your finger! The hike down didn't seem long at all, not like the hike up had (it was worth a 3 mile hike up :). When we returned to the car Mitch and I waited for cell service. He called his boys to let him know I said yes and I called my dad first then my girls!
I got the two best reactions from my two best friends. First being Amanda, " I seriously want to scream out loud right now but I can't cuz I am at work" and Chelsey just screamed really loud in my ear that I had to pull the phone away. I couldn't wait to share the news but I was so excited that he had asked and that I was completely surprised (a 3 mile hike is a good distraction don't you think!). As our trip went on I wore the ring everywhere! It was perfect, he picked it all out by himself and I couldn't stop looking at it! As the week went on I called my family and they were so pleased! I kept it off facebook and a secret from my sorority sisters. We returned home on Monday. I avoided pretty much everyone that didn't know so my candle pass would be a complete surprise!
That night at our sororities Monday night meeting, I did a candle pass. As I sat through the meeting I was nervous (I have no clue why!). Then the time came and we formed a circle. Everyone was trying to guess who it was and when people would point at me I would say "No not me." I'm pretty sure I had the worst pokerface ever! As the candle went around it passed by me and my nervous built up! When it was time for me to blow it out I let it pass me. I waited till my little sister had it in her hands and then I blew it out. I wanted to fake everyone out for a fast second. Everyone started screaming and crying! There is nothing like telling 100 girls you are engaged, trust me! It was amazing to be able to do a candle pass! Soon after I posted it on facebook and instagram and my poor phone froze cuz it couldn't take all the love we were getting!
Looking back Mitch gave me everything I wanted in a proposal! He thought of every detail, made it so random and out of this world that it was perfect. This is the end of this story but what started the beginning of "FromEngto McLane."
I love you Mitch, thanks for making me the happiest girl ever :)
