a year ago today...

a year ago today started like any other day. 

we were on vacation in black butte ranch with 10 of our favorite friends... 

a tradition that's been going on for years. 

we laid by the pool all day, paddle boarding, playing lawn games, and drinking mexiprize. 

by evening roughly half of our friends had left, and just ben, myself, 

two of my best girlfriends, their husbands and a baby remained. 

when we were wrapping up at the end of our pool day, 

it seemed like everyone wanted to go grab happy hour at aspen lounge. 

so we head back to the house, and i quickly change my clothes (really just to get out of wet bathing suit). then i realize everyone is showering, blow-drying their hair, putting on make-up, etc. 

let's be honest - i'm not really the type to blow-dry my hair on vacation - especially this type of vacation! you'll be lucky to see me in an outfit that isn't workout clothes or a bathing suit cover-up! 

anyway, once i realize i'm the odd man out, i decide to take a shower. LOL! 

then, once again (because i'm lazy), i go downstairs with wet hair, thinking i'm all ready to go. 

it's then that ben tells me that i 'definitely have time to go blow dry my hair' 

(which truly becomes the funniest part of this whole story!) 

he later tells me i would have hated to have pictures taken of us when i looked like a hot mess. HA!

finally, we all get out the door (in 3 separate cars, to drive just 5 minutes across the ranch). 

when we arrive, ben and i somehow have beat everyone by 5 minutes. 

(not saying it was weird then - but obviously looking back, something was up!)

we decided to 'wait for our friends' out on the lawn, 

overlooking one of my all time favorite views. 

ben starts getting a bit mushy (which isn't totally like him), 

and then i'm distracted by a field full of birds 

(yes, i run around chasing them. yes, it's caught on camera below).

we end up walking down to the lake, ben gets down on one knee, and proposes. 

i was beyond excited, and beyond surprised.

video footage (and commentary - LOL) taken by our good friends below:

click here to watch on youtube

it was so fun having our friends their to celebrate with us, and little did i know - we still 

weren't going to happy hour, but instead had a perfect picnic planned around the corner.

sitting here writing this a year later, looking out over that very spot ben proposed, 

my heart overflows with joy and thankfulness. ben, thank you for being my greatest encourager, lover, friend and adventure partner. life with you is better than i even could have imagined!