Our Story, Part 7: That's What He Said

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

I realized today that this is the last weekend in February, which is when Ryan and I became officially engaged. So I thought it only fitting that I welcome Ryan as this blog's second-ever guest blogger. (Have you read the first one? You should.)

Before there was a Breanna Olaveson, there was a Breanna Bennett. And when that was my name I had another blog cheekily titled "That's What Bre Said" (I was really into The Office at the time). Ryan wrote this post, sweetly titled "That's What He Said," on that blog a couple weeks after he proposed. I didn't think y'all would mind the repost. (Whoa. I just said y'all. Looks like Texas is rubbing off on me.)

Consider this part six of our story. We're almost finished! 

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Engagement pic by Camille Roskelley

Hey everyone, it's Ryan.

I think it's about time I share the story of how I became the luckiest guy around. Bre doesn't know I'm writing this, by the way. She's in NYC. I miss that girl.

So, the engagement ring came into my possession (from a jeweler in Utah) on Thursday, February 26th. I knew it would burn a hole in my pocket, so I made plans to give it to Bre pronto. I wanted it to be a surprise, so I did all the things that would make our Friday night date seem like just any other Friday night; I bought her flowers, wore the shirt she likes me in best (it's brown), just happen to have made a CD of all our favorite songs and took her to Bajio, her favorite place to eat in Rexburg. No, nothing special. Nothing at all. I think she caught on pretty quick. That, and I'm sure she could tell that I was more nervous than I was on our first date.

For example, enjoy a couple of classic "Ryan Moments": Mishap # 1. I usually go to the ATM before a date, just in case my card doesn't work for some odd reason. I forgotten to go today. But I'll be ok, right? When I tried to pay, I was denied. I later found out that apparently, when you get a new card in the mail you have to call the bank and have them validate it... I'd somehow missed that little tidbit. So, I scraped every penny out of my wallet and still came up a dollar short. I had to ask Bre to ask her friends mom, who just happened at Bajio, if I could borrow a dollar. Mishap # 2. Bajio recently changed from using the tin pie pans to using actual plates. On our way out of the restaurant, that fact somehow slipped my mind and I threw the dishes in the garbage; the fun part was digging through to get them out. I was on a roll.

So, dinner is over. The exciting time has come. I'd hoped to go to for a walk in the hollow (a place where we would walk sometimes and it was just us), but it was covered in snow. So, I decided on a different special spot. We took a drive through the dry farms, like we often do. I had it all planned out. There was a spot up there where Bre and I had gone a couple of times during the summer - a little patch of grass with a swing set, where we could sit and talk and overlook Rexburg. It'd be the perfect place to pop the question. It, too, also buried in snow. So, casually, I flipped a u-turn and headed back into town... Bre was on to me by then.

A few minutes later, we pulled into the Rexburg Temple parking lot. We talked for a minute while looking up at the lights. I asked Bre if we could go for a walk around it. We walked and talked, and when the time felt right, I slipped the box into Bre's hand. Her eyes got big. I dropped to one knee, told her how much I loved her, and asked her to be mine.

The rest is history.

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Since February is over, I'll take a break from our love story. There's really only one part left—our wedding day—which seems like it should be published on our anniversary, right? So I'll be returning to my regularly scheduled programming this month. Hint: I'm hugely inspired by Mindy Kaling's book right now. Are you excited?