June 5, 2010: Engaged!

Last year around this time Parker and I went to Austin's Park and Pizza for the day and it was a lot of fun so Parker told me he wanted to do something fun again. So while I was on campus on Friday, he called me and said that he had been on a waiting list for this "thing" and they had called him because someone had canceled and a spot had opened up and I needed to call my dad and ask if we could stay the night in temple with them. I called dad and he was like, "oh! I'm so glad he got tickets to that, y'all are going to have a lot of fun!" We left for Austin around 5 am and he wouldn't tell me what we were doing because it was a surprise (but I really didn't think anything of that because he does that all the time with stuff). We get to Austin, and he pulls up to Graham Middle School Parking Lot- Its pitch black still and there is NO ONE there. I was like, "Parker, I think you're confused." But he said he was expecting people so maybe they were on the other side of the school. We went around, but no one was there so we went back to the front. About that time, a big truck with a huge basket thing on the back pulled into the parking lot and when we got closer I saw that it was the basket part of a hot air balloon! 5 minutes later, my dad pulled in on his Harley and had a camera and was going to take some pictures. I went over to him and was saying how much fun this was going to be and he said something like, "you know, he's been planning this for a long time." I thought that was a little weird because Parker said a spot had just opened up. I was a little suspicious so I looked pretty closely at his pockets to see if there was a ring box bulge or anything in them and there was nothing suspicious so I honestly didn't think anything more of it. Besides, he had told me the night before not to get my hopes up about him asking me. He said, "Chelsea, I will ask you one day and I know when I'm going to ask you- I am serious about you,
but tomorrow is a day to have fun. Enjoy it and don't be disappointed that I don't ask you because tomorrow is not the day."

So we take off from the hot air balloon, wave goodbye to my dad and start our ride! About twenty minutes later, Parker asked the pilot to take a picture of us on my cell phone. Parker showed him how it worked, and just when I went to put my arm around him for the photo, he got down on one knee and pulled a ring out of his pocket!! He said, "Chelsea, I have loved you since the day I met you. Will you marry me?" and I said "YES!!!" It was so sweet and I was SO surprised! It turns out, the only person that knew from my family was my dad. My mom didn't even know! (this is probably a good thing because she might have told me something out of excitement! haha)

Parker: Will you marry me?
Chelsea: YES!!!

HUG!!

When we got back to my house (after my mom and I stopped our girly celebratory screaming), Parker got my sister, Samantha, to stand up and he got down on one knee in front of her and pulled out another ring. He said, "Samantha I just want you to know that I will always be your brother and when I marry Chelsea, I marry you and all of your family. I love you." It was really sweet.

So, yesterday was probably the greatest day of my life...but I know there are even better days ahead!