Being Barnes: An Engaging Story

Okay folks, its time for an ... MY engagement story! Well, both of us were involved of course, so really its OUR engagement story :) And may I just say, it is such a happy one!

About eight months ago, I started dating my home teacher (that is a funny story, and i'll tell it to you sometime... but for now i'm too excited about focusing more on the present day). Not too far into our dating relationship, Matt and I were sitting in his kitchen doing homework, and he just looked up across the table from me with a smile on his face and asked me to marry him. Being the jokester that he is, I knew it was all just good teasing fun. Nevertheless, my jaw dropped and I scolded him, telling him he wasn't even allowed to jokingly say things like that. I don't think he cared. He kept asking me anyway. On a pretty regular basis over the next weeks and months I heard the words "wanna get married?" spout from his mouth. Every time it happened I just pushed his face away and told him to cut it out. One time he joked that someday we'd tell our kids that he asked me to marry him every day until finally I said yes. Yeah yeah yeah, was all I thought at the time. What I didn't know then was that relatively soon, I really would be answering with a big YES to his repeated question!

A few weeks ago, I had a trip planned to go home to Seattle for a weekend. Matt had school and work, so I would be making the trip home by myself. However, I felt sure that by the time I boarded the plane I would have a ring on my finger to show off to friends and family at home. I couldn't believe it hadn't happened by the time I left. Little did I know that by the time I boarded my return flight to Utah, I would no longer have a naked little ring finger.

Guys, he did so good. SO GOOD!!

My mom and I had been out shopping on Friday afternoon (the day after I arrived) and when we walked in the door at home, my mind immediately registered that Matt's and my song was playing in the living room. Me being my bossy little self demanded for dad to tell me why he was randomly playing "our song."

And then I noticed a big bouquet of beautiful flowers on the table.

And then I saw a video camera in the corner and was confused.

AND THEN MATT'S FACE AND BODY AND CLOTHES AND EVERY SINGLE PART OF HIM THAT I JUST LOVE SO MUCH WALKED AROUND THE CORNER IN MY LIVING ROOM AND KNELT DOWN IN FRONT OF ME.

And then I heard that question that i'd heard so many times before:

"Jannette, will you marry me?"

But this time it was different. It wasn't a joke! It wasn't immediately brushed off. It wasn't causal. AND it wasn't empty handed ;-) The man was on one knee, in my house in Washington, asking me to be his wife forever and ever.

Dude, I SAID YES... after some gasping and kissing and hugging of course.