Ruk-tan-ti-choke....just like it's spelled :)

Hello friends!! Many of you guessed correctly about my weekend surprise, and possibly many of you knew before I did that it was coming! Yes, you guessed it:

Kenny and I are engaged!

I posted Saturday about the spa and going to dinner. Kenny took me to Taste of Texas, an amazing steakhouse here in Houston. I really enjoyed my steak, but Kenny was nervous, so he barely ate anything, and for those who know Kenny, that's unusual! After dinner he told me we were just going back to his house to catch up on the shows we missed during the week, and I was a little disappointed to have been dressed up to cuddle on the couch. When we walked up the stairs, Kenny didn't use his key to open the door, instead he pushed it open and this is what I saw:


I don't even know how many roses and candles he had, it was so gorgeous! Little did I know that just minutes before we walked in, Kenny had recieved a "delay" message from his co-horts Jared, Scott, Stephanie, and Liz because the candles set off the fire alarm.

This was their reaction:

So after Kenny and I got there, the real proposal began. He read me scripture, and a list of 50 things and memories I love about Stephanie, and then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Thinking back, I don't think I actually said yes, I think I just nodded a lot and gave him a big hug and a kiss. :)

Meanwhile back at the ranch:....while the proposal is going on, the fire-alarm crew is headed to the final destination, an engagement party for Kenny and me with the biggest surprise being all of the out-of-towners who came in just for the night! The least of which being my mom :)



Not to mention one of my favorite Homies: Brandon "BG" Gavin. Please note that Ms. Funk, pictured Center below was fully aware of this whole shin-dig when I had dinner with her 3 days before Kenny proposed. Way to be sneaky!

My mom gave a toast using Ecclesiastes and reminded us to keep God as the center strand in our marriage.


I think this is the point where my mom announced that Kenny had driven from Houston to Corpus and back to Houston in one day (a 3.5-4 hour drive each way) just to have lunch with my mom and get her permission. I was stunned!


Stunned or not it was such a happy day, I think all of the pictures I've seen of myself from that night have the expression pictured below:



So to answer your questions:
-When are we getting married? Sometime this fall.
-How do you say his last name? Ruhk-tan-tih-choke.

Many thanks to everyone who made it possible, all those who kept secrets from me **cough Lindsay, Mandy, Brandon, Kathleen, Hayley, Mom, the guys from the small group as well as Liz and Stephanie**. I know I speak for Kenny and myself when I say we are so excited for this new stage in our relationship and I can hardly wait to marry the wonderful man that God created me for!

Here's to new stages in life, well kept secrets, new last names, and new jewelry!

Blessings to you all!