Some exciting news...

Hi everyone!
So we've returned from Australia and have had a busy few weeks back in the States! We'll be putting up the posts from the rest of our Australia trip soon but we just had to share our exciting news as soon as possible...

We're engaged!!

After I'd said "yes" a few hundred times...

This past Wednesday, Nate wrote himself into my history book as the most romantic and thoughtful man I've ever had the pleasure of knowing and the honour of loving. So I'm sure if you haven't heard the story already, then you're dying wanting to know!

It all started in the morning when Nate suggested we go out for dinner that night; apparently we needed to get out of the house so I went with it and didn't think too much of it. That afternoon we taught classes and Nate headed out for some meetings before picking me up. When he arrived home, he felt like "..dressing up.." for our date, so once again, I went with it and put on my nicest coat (since it was and still is a bit chilly here in Utah.. 39 degrees fahrenheit or 3.8 degrees celsius!) and we headed out!

First stop, The Cheesecake Factory at City Creek! I'd been dying to go since I arrived here in the States and boy, it did NOT disappoint me! This restaurant was in a particularly beautiful building with gorgeous high ceilings and an old time hotel lobby interior feel. The lights were dimmed, the music was perfect, the mood was so romantic and we were eating a delicious dinner... at 10:30pm! (we're night owls..) Now, root beer is one of my favourite American drinks (not really a big thing in Australia) and I had a little craving for it but I did not expect what came next. The server brought us our drinks and my jaw dropped at the size of this root beer! It was as big as my head! Literally.

Proof: Literally as big as my head.

Did you know that you can get free refills? Neither did I. Well, if you live in the States, then of course you did. In Australia, apart from the rare buffet, I don't know of any place where you can get free refills! So needless to say, I was pretty stoked! And I didn't even need to ask! The server would just come and refill my glass all the time! Ok, so enough about root beer (I really like root beer.. and free refills!)

We finished dinner with a decadent piece of triple chocolate cheesecake and went for a walk around Temple square. Even at night, it was such a beautiful sight. The Temple was lit up so beautifully, all the garden beds were full of so many different types of gorgeous tulips (my favourite flowers) and there was not a person in sight except for Nate and I (mind you, this was at 11:30pm..) Nate mentioned how we had Temple square all to ourselves and how we should head to the car via a different route.. My radar started going off a little and I thought to myself "is he going to propose to me??"

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand then he didn't. So we took our leftovers and walked back to the car and headed home. On the way, we were taking in the beautiful sights of the lit up cities around us. One of my favourite things to do as we're driving home is spot the different Temples on the way and this time, Nate asked if I could see any from my side. I thought I could see the Oquirrh Mountain Temple but wasn't sure, so Nate suggested we get a closer look.

We drove in to the car park and parked the car so we had the Temple on one side and the view of the lit up valley on the other; It was such a wonderful experience to be surrounded by so much beauty and to have the love of my life sitting right next to me. Next thing I know, Nate pulled out his GoPro and started filming the view around us (and unbeknownst to me, the rest of the evening!) before setting it down on the dashboard. Then he pulled out his iPad and I became confused. He has this app that lets him record sounds and then play them with his fingers (the same app he used in the airplane drumming video in this post). He started playing around with it a little bit before he reached into the back seat and said "what's this?" as he pulled out his guitar from the backseat with the cheekiest look on his face! So my radar was going off at this point in time but I wasn't going to jump the gun.. you know, just in case it was another false alarm.

Next thing I knew, Nate was playing and singing the most beautiful song I've ever heard..  he'd written it especially for me! (With the help of his iPad, he was even his own back up vocalists and beat machine!)

I was ecstatic and so touched. No one had ever done anything as thoughtful and romantic for me in my life. I felt like the most loved girl in the world! I jumped over to his seat and gave him the biggest hug! He suggested that he come around to my side and give me a proper hug.. So he got out, popped the boot (Australian)/trunk (American) and came around to my side of the car holding a gorgeous bunch of flowers which he arranged himself; a dozen white roses surrounding a bunch of red tulips (my favourite flowers!)

By this time, I knew exactly what was happening and was pretty confident about what he was going to do next. I knew, deep down in my heart that he was going to ask me if I would..... If I would be OK with going home now because it was midnight!! But no, I was wrong. Instead, like the gentleman he is, he bent down on one knee, took out a shiny wooden box, opened it and asked me if I would marry him. Of course I would! I hugged him so tight for what felt like a lifetime until he looked at me and asked "so... is that a yes??"  Apparently, I forgot to say yes! So to make up for it, I said yes about 70 times! And just like in a fairy tale, Nate took the ring out from the box, placed it on my left hand and made me the happiest girl in the entire universe!

We returned to Temple square a few days later to enjoy the tulips; they were even more stunning during the day than they were in the evening.

The weather in Salt Lake City has been so beautiful, we couldn't resist being outside as much as we could!

Hiking the Bonneville Shoreline.. Nate's teaching me how to hike new terrain.
Climbing up such a steep mountainside was a very new experience but the view was totally worth it!

Nate and I are over the moon!! We are so grateful for all of our amazing family and friends and very thankful for the well wishes and congratulations we've received. Thank you!

Fun fact: I realised as I was writing this post that Nate proposed to me on the 8th of April.. 8 is my favourite number! Isn't it amazing how things work out?

And they say nothing good happens after midnight...