november 21, 2008: going to the chapel!!!

when i first met travis, he sent me a bouquet of flowers with a card that said "heard any good fairy tales lately?" and it was signed on with his phone number. on friday i received a beautiful bouquet of flowers with a note that read, "are you ready for your next fairy tale?" david and karen thought we needed to look through the flowers for an engagement ring. karen was ready to destroy the bouquet! i insisted that we weren't getting engaged and that travis is just a hopeful romantic. kristy kept saying, "you're getting engaged. have a good weekend engaged girl. call me when you get engaged." i kept insisting that it wasn't about an engagement; travis was just being sweet. i spent the last few hours of the day admiring my beautiful bouquet; five o'clock finally came, and i loaded the flowers in the car, carefully securing them in the seat with the seatbelt. i called my mom on my way home to brag about my flowers. i told her that several people thought i was getting engaged, but i just felt lucky to have a great guy like travis who could send a bouquet like that for no reason at all. when i got to the apartment there was a note on the door that said, "please finish your phone call outside." i figured travis was on a phone call or watching a movie. i got the door unlocked, walked in the living room and sat down the flowers. i didn't see travis, but before i had a chance to say anything the beginning of the movie "sweet home alabama" begin playing. "sweet home alabama" was one of the first movies that travis and i ever watched together, and we used to watch it over and over again. we often quote it being silly. the movie was cued to play right at the moment when dakota fanning asks the little boy, "what do you want to be married to me for anyhow?" his response, "so i can kiss you anytime i want." at that moment, travis walked around the corner and said, "are you ready for your next fairy tale -- he then got down on one knee with the ring in hand -- as my wife?" i couldn't believe it! it didn't seem real. i quickly walked across the room, and said, "yes! of course!" we were both a little choked up. travis put the ring on my hand and i couldn't believe how beautiful it was (is).

we didn't have a lot of time at that moment to call everyone to announce it because we had to be in muskogee by 7:00 so that i could shoot a commercial for my parents' pool hall. i jumped in the shower, quickly got ready, put my jumper on, and away we went. my phone has never been busier. we didn't call our families because we wanted to surprise them when we showed up.

i was able to reach jen, shannon, mandi, and claudine. i could not reach amelia (for two days!!) and andy and kasi didn't answer immediately, but they both called me back and screamed when i told them the news. my friends were so excited for me, and they could never know how much that means to me.

when we got to the pool hall, the camera man was already set up and waiting for me. i kept trying to get my mom and dad to notice, but we were there for almost an hour before my mom said anything. she was actually at the far end of the counter when she suddenly slammed her hand down on the counter, exclaimed, "oh my gosh!" and came quickly to my end of the counter. she had a huge smile on her face as she grabbed my hand. she said she didn't realize what it was earlier, that she had seen it, but just thought i was wearing jewelry for the commercial. my dad saw her face and came over to see what the excitement was about. he never says much, and in keeping with character, he just smiled. i was glad that he smiled though, and seemed to be okay with the engagement.

justin and lindsay arrived while i was on the phone with kasi. i put travis on the line with her, and we thought justin realized what was going on. it actually took them a few more minutes to catch on. after we told them, we headed to the house so that i could show sierra. justin and i were the only two who went in the house. i kept petting the ivory and asking sierra what was on the dog's stomach trying to get her to notice my hand. when she did finally see it, i thought she was going to pass out! she shouted when she saw and grabbed my hand for a closer look. she gave me a huge hug and told me she was so happy for us. i gave her the story and then we had to head out to dinner with lindsay and justin.

the waitress noticed my ring, and travis told her that we weren't the only newly engaged. he told her that justin and lindsay had just gotten engaged a couple of weeks ago. the waitress was excited for all of us and congratulated everyone.

we weren't able to do much else after dinner because justin had to work the next morning. i didn't mind, though. i was basking in the glow of being engaged! :)

we stayed the night at my parents and headed to travis's parents the next morning. we were there for a while before anyone noticed. as i've mentioned before, steve asks us every visit, numerous times, when we are to get married. of course the day we have news, he neglects to bring it up. he was out in the garage rebuilding the engine to dee's truck, so he was a little preoccupied. when he came in travis told him that i had received flowers at work friday from a strange guy. steve's response, "that's a good way to keep that finger naked for a long time." i was then able to tell him that i had, in fact, gotten clothes for my finger just the day before. i held out the ring and he said, "i see that. it looks a little overdressed to me." sheesh ... there is no pleasing that man. =) dee frowned at him when he said that, and then told me that it was very pretty. we had to leave for a bit, but when we came back, dee came over, kissed my forehead and told me congratulations. she said she wasn't expecting it right at the moment that we told them and she felt she was too distracted by the upcoming family reunion and thanksgiving to respond the way she would have liked. she told me that she was proud of us and happy for us. we told amanda while she was at work, and we thought she was going to pass out. she panicked at first, but later told us that she was happy for us (and that she loved me).

it was fun sharing my news with everyone at work. kate screamed when i told her, and she wanted to hear all about it. the guys keep saying i need a crane to carry my hand around. i'm having so much fun!

travis and i would like to get married in the spring, but we're thinking it will probably be october 2009. we haven't set an official date, but of course, you will be some of the first to know when we do.

thank you for all of your well-wishes and loving words of kindness!

love, travis and rhiannon