December 30, 2012

 Following my boyfriend and I's experience getting unstuck and dealing with me having the flu, we were just enjoying getting to spend more than a couple days together during the week between Christmas and New Years.
We had talked quite a bit about where our relationship was going, but neither of us are big rushers in the that particular area. So, while constantly suspicious if "today was the day," I was also well aware that we may not get engaged for a while, and was fine with that too. I'm sure it was both great fun and borderline annoying for him to deal with my reporter style questioning in an attempt to figure out his plans combined with my honest admission that I really did want to be surprised.
But, I found out what his plan was in perfect timing, on December 30. It began as most winter days at his house do - with chores and feeding. After caring for all the pigs and heifer calves, we headed out to feed cows. I almost didn't go along, and also had my "is today the the day?!" thought when he came out of his office, which is where the ring was stored (a little reporter questioning had answered whether he had bought the ring or not). But, seeing as how I had been having those thoughts since we first looked at rings back in November (patience is not a strong virtue of mine) I really didn't dwell on it.

We fed the heifers first, and I had my camera along as always to snap photos of them as they trailed in. We both love cattle, and feeding is a fun opportunity to visit about them and everything else we think of, have planned, want to do, and are just thinking about on a particular day.

 After the heifers we drove to another pasture and fed the cows. This pasture is part of the original homestead his family filed on in the late 1800's. Those trees on the right are near where the original buildings of the place stood.

After feeding the cows, we drove up out of the river bottom where they were located, and out to this bluff, which overlooks the original homestead (the cows are just to the left of the photo maybe an 1/8 of a mile). He said he would like a photo of this view, because it's one of his favorites.
I took it, and when I turned around he was on one knee, and asked me to marry him! I said yes, of course, and we enjoyed the view for a couple minutes before continuing on with our day.
He did a great job planning it all out, picking a perfect ring, and choosing a day and scenario we both love. He also said getting engaged would be a great way to start the new year, which was great thinking on his part. I am very, very blessed to get to marry such a wonderful man!
Many changes will be happening in my life in 2013. In addition to the usual topics and photos, I will keep you up to date from time to time on the wedding planning and moving aspects as we go along. The fun part for this blog is there will be a whole new ranch, bunch of cows, pigs and farming related topics to share with all of you as I learn about ranch life in western South Dakota!