5-24-08!!!

I'M ENGAGED!!!! It still seems so surreal...

I know I posted a lot on facebook, but I wanted to make a whole blog post about it too. I'm allowed to right ;)


Well, first off... Derik thinks that I just figure everything out all the time and can never be surprised. Which is partly true, BUT, I can't help it. I just do. I don't mean to.

Well Derik wanted it to be a SURPRISE for sure. Which I wanted to too, but he said I was so suspicious with everything. Well I didn't have a clue about this plan...

The Story:

Derik's sister Janeane is going to school for Photography and asked us if we wouldn't mind having a photo shoot with her for her to practice taking "couples" pictures. She's taken many senior portraits, but just wanted to practice posing couples.

We decided we were going to the Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin, TX - which is beautiful by the way - and take pictures. It was HOT, and I mean HOT. We were dripping sweat. Janeane said she wasn't worried about posing us as much as she was anxious about what was coming - haha! But, we did take some nice photos.

We went through the park snapping shots here and there and then came to a barn and snapped some more. Then, Janeane said... "why don't we go up to this gazebo up here." I, sweating a lot, went on ahead so we could finish pictures. Derik fell behind a little and said to Janeane "this is when we're going to do it.... can you give me the ring" - which was in her camera bag. She said "you'll get it..." he was like - "HUH!?" haha!

We get to the gazebo and take a couple of pictures. Janeane says, "Derik, why don't you get down on one knee..." Derik says, "which one, like this one....... or this one....." (switching legs back and forth) - Just so I wouldn't suspect anything - WHICH I DIDN'T. I thought "(in my head) this is a cool idea for her to add to her portfolio for engaged couples." Little did I know it would be an actual ENGAGEMENT photo.

So, even with him down on his knee - I thought of nothing. Then she snaps a few, I STILL don't know. She says, "Derik, wait... (I thought she was gonna fix his shirt or something)... you might need this..." She brings over a box... and I thought "(in my head) oh wow, she went all out, brought props and all" - yea, I know... STILL didn't know! am I crazy or something :)

Then I looked down and saw the name of the jeweler on top that we went and visited and found the ring we both liked... and THEN I knew! I was blown away and so surprised! I loved it!

Derik said "Brittney Dickey, You know how much I love you, will you spend the rest of your life with me..." I said "mmm hmmm" with me half crying, half smiling and just muttered mmmm hmmm and shook my head up and down. I was a mess.

I actually had to ask him after the proposal was over "ok, so what did you actually say to me when you proposed, cause I don't remember" hahaha! We laughed!

I'm so glad Janeane was there... she documented it all.

We're really excited and I could have not loved this weekend more - it was PERFECT!!

Brittney *Melton*

I just had too :)