THE NEWS!

ALAN & KATY
ARE
ENGAGED!

Alan popped the question Friday November 23rd (our 17 month Anniversary) at Dawson's Restaurant in the Hyatt!

Here we are before heading out for the evening:

How it Happened:

Alan had hunted around Sacramento a few days prior to find the perfect spot, and he did! It was an incredibly romantic evening. We had ordered our food and were sipping our wine when it came up in conversation that we needed another word for "love". We've used the word "love" to its fullest capacity and we didn't have a word or phrase that described what we shared.
Then Alan gave me a little grin and told me he knew what to say, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
At that moment a million thrilling thoughts went racing through my head.
He reached for his jacket pocket, then to the pocket on the other side.
I couldn't believe it was happening. It felt like eternity for both of us with so many emotions filling up inside, but within seconds he was by my side and down on one knee.

I couldn't take my eyes off of his face as he asked me to marry him. And after saying "YES" I couldn't stop kissing him. A few thousand kisses later he put the ring on my finger!
I couldn't keep the happy tears from pouring down my face.
I was a mix of smiling, crying, jumping, hugging, kissing and melting in Alan's arms!
Our waiter came to our table with Champagne and told the rest of the restaurant our happy news. I remember hearing people clapping and saying something about a ring, but I was back at kissing Alan by that point. It was perfect!
I had almost forgotten we were in a restaurant till our food came. Now a huge Rib Eye was sitting in front of me, but I was so excited inside that I could barely even cut it. After Alan had finished eating and we finished our wine and champagne we bounced out of the restaurant like happy love birds! About an hour later I realized I had left my entire dinner boxed up on the table.
We then headed to the Riverside Clubhouse where Alan an I had shared many bottles of wine over the past 17 months!
His parents joined us for champagne in celebration!
The night was perfect! I don't remember ever having such a huge smile on my face as I did that night! I was on cloud nine!

Saturday morning:

The next morning we picked up some breakfast and headed over to share the news with my parents! This of course led to more jumping, kissing, smiling and hugging!

The Ring:

Katy & Alan's History (in case you don't know):

When we say we go back, we mean really far back to kindergarten. Alan was my first crush in Elementary school (although I don't think I ever admitted that to my friends at the time). Our shining moment together was in Ms. Diepenbrock's 3rd grade class. In the Christmas play Alan was Santa Claus and I was Mrs. Claus! Just wait till you see the pictures or the video!
We went our separate ways in high school and college, but reconnected after our parents ran into each other in the grocery store 2 years ago. I sent him an email and while we we on Christmas break our senior year of college we reconnected. We stayed in touch throughout the rest of senior year and began dating as soon as I returned to Sacramento that summer, and the rest is history!

I have to admit...

I was a little suspicious of the proposal. I found it strange that Alan insisted on taking me out to dinner the day after Thanksgiving (somehow it had slipped my mind that that particular day was our anniversary). And I found it strange that his parents had organized going to brunch on Sunday with his entire family plus my parents. They told me it was because they were all apart on Thanksgiving, which makes sense, but it was still a little fishy. Nevertheless, I believed Alan when he told me that he didn't have the ring yet, and I believed my mom when I asked her if Alan had talked to her about proposing and she told me he hadn't. So despite my suspicions, I believed the two most trustworthy people in my life, and I was completely surprised when the proposal happened!

What happens next?

In case you are wondering, we haven't set a date. It will probably be between a year and two years. Right now he is studying for exams at McGeorge Law School, so I spend my time sitting in his apartment reading bridal magazines as he reads about constitutional law!

And that's the news! Pretty exciting huh?!?!