One For the Books

After Joel proposed to me three weekends ago, I told myself that it was the perfect opportunity to blog, and tell the world that way, since it had been so long since I've posted anything. Good thing we decided to let the cat out of the bag over other forms of social media because you guys would still have no idea if I would have waited to blog. I'm extremely good at putting things off. Then again, Joel and I thoroughly enjoyed keeping such a fun secret between us the first few nights, aside from telling our families, of course, the ones that needed to know.

We had our trip to Colorado planned for a few months, Joel had two shows scheduled for a Friday and Saturday night, both at the same venue. We'd get in Friday morning and leave Sunday morning. It was going to be a short, sweet visit, and oh, my goodness, it was. It could not have been more perfect. 

A few years ago, Joel coincidentally got to play the lounge area of Comedy Works in Denver, between Kevin Nealon's stand up sets. If you aren't familiar with Kevin Nealon, look him up and listen to some of his stand up. He's hilarious. He played the role of Doug Wilson in the show WEEDS that came out on HBO in 2005. It was so fun for us to meet him and realize that his personality is pretty much the exact same as the character he played on the show. Joel felt amazing as Kevin sat on the patio, ate his dinner, reviewed his note cards for the show and was almost always the first person to clap for Joel as he'd finish a song. The second time Kevin came to Denver, Joel asked to play the lounge area again and was able to. Of course, Joel wasn't going to pass up the third time he came. That was reason in itself for Joel to make the trip to Colorado, to keep that rapport going. I was lucky enough to tag along. 

We got into Denver about 7am on Friday morning, got in our rental car and turned the radio on to an interview of Kevin Nealon, promoting his stand up that night and the following. Immediate smiles on our faces. 

After breakfast and coffee, we headed to the center that I worked at to give a hug to each and every one of my former coworkers, director, and owner, and chat about life. Joel took a nap in the car. Literally four of my coworkers asked when Joel and I were going to get married. "You guys have been together for like six and half years!" I found this to be such a weird coincidence at the end of the day.

After about two hours there, we headed to our best friend's house to see them and their little man and Niece, who are both so freaking cute and are getting way too big. Our time there was too short, but I'm so happy they were apart of the day. They were just another aspect that made it great.

 Joel was adamant on buying me a new outfit or something special, so we headed to my favorite boutique in Loveland, Vintage Willows. This was a clue, but something I paid absolutely no attention to. I left with some new bras, a couple pairs of jeans and we were off to Macy's to get Joel some new attire as well. 

After more shopping, and new shoes for me, after not having spent a penny on myself, we were headed down to Denver to check in to our hotel. I felt like it was my Birthday, you guys. What the heck was the occasion? Nothing registered. 

As I was getting ready, Joel faked a phone call and mentioned that the venue had over booked, so he wouldn't be playing until tomorrow, although we would still be going for dinner tonight. The venue was close to the hotel we were staying at and I was familiar with the venue so when he drove us elsewhere, I felt like something fishy was going on. "There's got to be some sort of event going on, there's people everywhere! I wonder what's going on," I said. Event signs everywhere, parking signs here and here. When Joel pulled into the parking lot that was titled "$20 Parking," I couldn't figure out why Joel insisted on paying $20 to park when we could have just gone and parked at the venue. He assured me that it was super close and that we were just going to walk. People were tailgating, drinking, what the heck was going on? As Joel started laughing at the fact that I was almost mad at him for  paying so much for parking, he pulled out some tickets and told us what we were really doing tonight, going to see Dave Matthews. It was hot but a beautiful night for a concert outside, so I was excited and in complete shock that he was able to hold in such a surprise without ruining it with his natural excitement, as he usually does. 

The concert venue was outside and had thee coolest outdoor art museum next to it. Anyone who knows me, knows I have an obsession with trees, am a big fan of willow trees to be exact, so to walk underneath a dome made out of willow trees, vines and leaves, was like heaven to me. Picture those old, metal, dome jungle gyms that we played on at playgrounds in the 80's. It was like that, made out of trees. Ugh, you guys! The dome was completely filled with people the first time we walked underneath it. Joel knew it wasn't the time. We continued on towards the other sculptures and eventually Joel mentioned going back to the dome to get a picture under it. Here I am, still oblivious. We walked under, as everyone was walking out and it was perfect, just us and a worker for the event, a random couple sitting towards one side. Joel put his phone on video mode and gave it to the event worker to "take a picture." 

 

Every time I have watched this video since, I laugh at how thrown off I am at the fact that I had no idea he had this planned. Planned for the last month and planned right down to the exact spot that we were standing. You can literally see it in me. I had no clue. I enjoy surprises, but I like to have control. It completely took me off guard, I didn't know what to say, my mouth couldn't form words and I swear, I blacked out. So, it's a great thing he got it on video. As you can hear, me yelling, "Noo. Nooo, no you're not," completely over-powers what he's saying, but it went along the lines of, "You smell, you're ugly, I don't want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" We have the most playful, sarcastic, yet loving relationship, that I'm so happy he asked me like that. I tell people that that's what he said and you should see the looks I get. We are both such emotional humans and I know if he would have been serious, we both would have been crying like babies. I know now that our only hope of a wedding ceremony without constant tears, will be a sarcastic one. 

After my nerves calmed a bit, we headed back inside and found a spot to sit on the grass to watch the show that was going to be starting shortly. I felt super awesome and like I wanted to just feel this awesome feeling with just Joel for awhile. We couldn't not tell our parents, so I sent them a text, with a picture, saying that I now had a Fiance'. I love social media, and posting about our lives but I just wanted to enjoy this feeling between the two of us, we wanted to drink it all in on our own. The show was amazing, as usual, such insane levels of talent and so inspiring for Joel to watch. We left shortly before the show ended, avoided the crowd and ridiculous amounts of traffic and went back to our hotel, being newly engaged and literally high on life. I purposely had three beers all night and felt so 'there,' so present and I'm so glad for that. 

Fiance' not Boyfriend

The next morning, we woke up, ate the best complimentary breakfast I've ever had, maybe because we were still high on life and love, but who cares, and headed to Denver Botanic Gardens, a place we never got to visiting while living there. The weekend was about the get even lovelier, if that was possible. The day was way too hot, but so beautiful and I was in my happy place, surrounded by green and too many flowers, fountains and sculptures and at the side of the one that loves me enough to want to do life with me. We noticed a bench, with words written on it, that really stuck out to us. 

"Never above you, never below you, always with you." 

We've always had a very balanced, fair relationship but we understand that sometimes in life, it's easy to slip from this mindset, seeing each other as equals, not one being superior to the other and vice versa. Because we're saps, we decided right here, in front of this bench that we would do our best to always remember this. We're always on the same team, we'll always support each other and constantly remember that even though we sometimes do life differently, we are always rooting for each other. A team! 

After stopping by another friend's and sharing the news with everyone we came in contact with, we were finally headed to the venue that Joel was scheduled to play at. A lovely night on the patio with friends, turned into popping a bottle of celebratory and complimentary champagne from the venue, getting into the comedy show for free, laughing our butts off, chatting with Kevin Nealon a bit afterwards and getting a signed CD and DVD from him.

 

 The weekend was truly ours, you guys.