one year ago (yesterday).

one year ago yesterday chad and i were engaged.

i had been planning a surprise birthday party for the boy on february 6th, 2010... little did i know he was going to be the most difficult person ever. after a day full of white lies (on both our parts) i had finally gotten him in the car to go "meet his family for dinner" when he decided to be even more difficult and take a detour to the los rios district in san juan capistrano.

"we're going to be early! let's just go kill time and walk around for a bit." he said.

i was not happy. we were going to be late to his big party.

as we walked up to my favorite yellow house in the district, i realized that the tables had turned, and i was the one that was about to get the surprise.

the (then uninhabited) house was lit up with candles everywhere.

on a table on the porch was a wooden box, filled with pictures and letters from our families.

i read through each sweet and beautiful letter in disbelief, and when i was done chad got down on his knee just as bon iver's skinny love came on the record player. (good timing, eh?)

he said a bunch of wonderful things that neither of us remember (cliche, but true) and apparently at some point i asked "can i say yes already?!"

then our siblings came out of the woodwork and we all celebrated.

it was so surreal.

oh, and that surprise birthday party? all chad's idea. it was a surprise engagement party, and he'd brought in friends from all over the place to come and celebrate with us! clever boy, getting me to plan my own engagement party.

it was the best.

p.s. if you are ever in san juan capistrano go to the los rios district (the oldest neighborhood in california) and go and visit hidden house coffee. our little yellow engagement house has been turned into the most charming cafe.