How it went down :)

For those of you readers who would like a narrative of how the amazing marriage proposal went down, here it is. Needless to say whatever I write down will be nothing more than a poor description of how amazing the night was. He did it perfectly and surprised the socks (not literally...) off of me. 

So I have been on his case lately that he needs to be more romantic...little did I know he has had this planned for weeks. He was probably doing his best to keep from laughing in my face! How could I know he was that amazing? Oh well, I must be a slight bit on the thick headed side.

Anyways. I was on my way home from a horrible day at work. I wanted to go home at 4, my boss Trincy made me stay until 4:30. Little did I know she was in on it. She called home as soon as I left (she is one of my mom's very good friends, they are prayer partners and our families are pretty close) and told them to be ready because I was on my way. Well the family headed out of the house and went to wait at Caribou Coffee while poor Michael paced circles around the house. I was ranting to a close friend on the way home about some stupid emotional stuff and how horrible work was, and when I pulled into the driveway I said "hmm...I wonder why Michael is here?" She said "I don't know, but anyways..." and back to our conversation without another thought as to why he was there. Actually he saw me pull in from inside and then had to wait in their as nervous as could be while I sat in the driveway and finished talking! Poor guy. 

Finally I was almost done with out conversation and was walking in the door when I saw Michael. I quickly said "I gotta go, bye" and hung up on my friend. "How amazing!" I thought, "he is trying to be more romantic since I have been on his case! It's probably going to be a romantic dinner!" That was all I though. Really, the proposal had not hit me yet. I walked in the door shocked as could be when he took my coat and said "If you would like to go change into something more comfortable (I was wearing scrubs) I will prepare the food". I was like...WOAH! He looked great and he had a little table set up with a nice table cloth, candles (all the other lights were off, just candles) and wine glasses out. In the middle of the table was a wooden jewelry box that I really hadn't paid attention to yet. 

I said "Well it will take me awhile to make myself pretty, but I'll go change into something nicer" He said "You already look beautiful" and obviously took my breath away. How he can do that with words, I don't know, but he does. 

So I walked down the hall to my room amazed at my wonderful man and went to put on some nicer clothes. All the time I wasn't think proposal yet, I was thinking romantic dinner. By the time I finished makeup, a slight hair touch up and some nice pants and shirt I was getting nervous. I remember reaching for my shoes and then freezing as I thought "There was a box in the middle of the table...there was a BOX in the middle of the table!" I slightly freaked out. It was starting to enter my mind what this 'dinner' could really be. But then I sat in my wicker chair and slowed myself down "You know this is going to end up being a really nice dinner and you are going to ruin it by expecting something more. It's not going to happen and you are going to psych yourself up and be let down!" So I calmed down and went out to see Michael.

"You look beautiful!" He said as I walked in. I could see the nervousness in his face and was still hopeful yet reserved. He pulled out my chair for me and I took a seat, watching him closely. "You should probably open your christmas present now" he said in a strained voice. He sounded like he was forcing every word to leave his lips, he must have been so nervous. I reached for the box and it was beautiful! It was made out of wood the was milled at his dad's sawmill. On the top of the box he has engraved a heart with M+M in the middle (Michael and Melody). Inside there were green and white M&M's but I didn't notice how special they were yet. All I saw was a diamond sparkling up at me from the middle of the box. He took the ring and took my hand and went down on one knee. His speech was to precious to me to reveal all of it but I will summarize with a brief excerpt:

"Melody, I love you so much more than I thought I could ever love anyone. You are everything to me and I want to be with you forever! Please, would you marry me?"

Then he started to untie the little bow that was tied around the ring, but it got stuck! He fumbled with it for awhile and I said "There is a scissors over there if you need it" he got up off of one knee and went and cut the ribbon, came back over, went down again, and slid the ring on my finger as he finished his beautiful speech. I didn't cry only because I couldn't do anything but look at him and be happy. I can't explain the feeling that came over me when he put that ring on my finger. How happy I was, how much I loved him, and how sure I was that we were going to be together forever. 

I stood up and threw my arms around his neck and wouldn't let go. I tried to but then I couldn't because he was holding me too. It was the best moment of my life so far! We stood there for a minute in silence while my eyes got misty with tears, quietly holding the man that I love.

"We should go to Caribou!" I said after a minute. "Your not hungry either huh?" he said and took my hand and we got our coats on and left. I was giddy the whole way to Caribou, I bet he doesn't remember any of it! We got there and I saw a girl who I have met a couple of times and showed her my amazing ring and she smiled big and we went up to see my parents and brother. As soon as I saw my mom I grabbed her in a hug and started crying. How could I not? My mommy was there to see me minutes after I found out I was going to marry the most amazing man in the world! 

I should mention in here too that after he put the ring on my finger I noticed the M&M's. He had special ordered them for me! Some said  "I luv you Melody" and others said "Will you marry me?" The reasoning behind the M&M's is this: weeks ago I told him that at our wedding reception we should give out M&M's because of us being Michael and Melody. He just laughed at the time but now I know he was listening. And he remembered. 

Well we went back to the house where everyone was meeting for an engagement party and we had an awesome night. All of my close friends came over and we partied it up, looked at wedding dresses, talked about colors, and talked about general wedding stuff. It was amazing! 

I am excited about the wedding, but I am more excited to spend the rest of my life with Michael. I love him so much! He makes my heart skip a beat. While writing this my stomach had butterflies just remembering his proposal, the look on his face, the tone of his voice, how he hugged me. It was amazing. I love that man.

Soon my dear friends, but not soon enough, I will be Mrs. Melody C. Haege, the wife of Michael :)

So...

I'm engaged :)

Tell me...

So my blogging friends I would like you to tell me what you think is true romance. After reading (yes again I refer to these books...) the circle trilogy and the feelings therein I get a little sad and a little jealous to think of how strongly the main character Thomas feels for Chelise, his love interest. Judah when you see Brandy do you feel of that? Or is that just literary jargon? Beth when you see Kevin does your heart "skip a beat" so to say? I want to know if all the things that I hope for are just nonsense that some author came up with or if they are real. So tell me!

What do you think is true romance?

How to woo a woman...

My mom and I talked tonight about how to woo a woman. And no offense men, but I think you are all clueless. From stories of my dad to how Kevin was with Beth and now my experiences with Michael, all have continuity. I just reread the circle trilogy and it talks so much about wooing and goes into how Thomas is so taken with Rachelle that her every movement takes his breath away. I sighed a lot during this book. It was a whimsical "what if" type of sigh that ended with a "probably not" type of sigh. I guess the romance between Thomas and Rachelle is a little much to ask for. 

But for any guys who read this, of whom I think there is only Judah and possibly Andrew, take note. However since both of you are married don't take to much note but pass on the wisdom to some fool you stumble upon who is losing the game of love. These are my personal opinions mixed with what I have gleaned from other women, and since I am a woman I figure I have good insight into the matter. 

1. Women want to be pursued! We want to know that you want us, not just that we are the first ones to want you. We want to be sought after like the good deal you wanted to get on your car. I think of when Kevin bought his truck recently. He didn't just go buy a truck because he thought it was pretty and he liked the way it felt and drove. Those were contributing factors but he bought it (and anyone who knows Kevin can attest to this: he is meticulous) because he researched it, looked into and studied it until he thought it was worth not only his money but his time. Now that he bought it he doesn't throw it into the corner of the parking lot and forget about it, he still cares for it by putting gas into, washing it when it is dirty, not beating it up etc. He probably cares even more now than he did before he bought it because now it belongs to him. 

I suppose that is a mirror of a woman. We want to be pursued and studied until you are ready to commit. The caring does not stop there however it just begins. Its when you start to treasure us because we are now yours. Not just any man could get what you got and have to treat it that way. 

2. Women want to feel, not just know, that they are protected by you. I always love it when Michael looks strong. I love it when I know he could beat up the other guys in the room, even though I know he wouldn't, I love knowing he can. I love it when he flexes his muscles because I like knowing that I have a strong man. I like knowing that I can feel safe with him. I also would like it if he were more jealous with me. Jealousy is a trait portrayed by God in His love for us and so I think it is a good trait to be portrayed by us in our earthly relationships. When another guy is getting to close or paying to many compliments I want Michael to walk up to me and put his arm around me as if to say "She's mine, back off". He doesn't really pick up on that stuff yet but he will someday. 

3. We want to feel treasured. Sometimes I just want to know that Michael adores me. He doesn't say stuff like that and has a hard time showing it but I want to know. I get these little pieces of doubt in my mind, especially if I haven't seen him in a few days or if I have seen him and he hasn't hugged me or told me I looked pretty or something. I start thinking he doesn't like me anymore. I know its stupid but its true. I want an everyday reassurance that he loves me (which he can't bring himself to say out loud yet though I know its true!). Whether in word or deed I want it! I want to know that besides the Lord his relationship with my is the foremost in his life. That he just wants to be in the same room as me like I do for him. I just want to be near him all of the time. I just want to breathe the same air and look at his face and feel his hands. I always want to wrap my arms around him and just stand there forever but I think he would get tired of that after a day or two. I would like to KNOW that he feels the same about me. 

I was reading the word today and I was flipping to Proverbs (a proverb a day keeps the devil away!) and I noticed in Song of Solomon a bolded title that said "The Beloved to his Beloved" and it was just paragraph upon paragraph of him lavishing compliments upon his beloved. Sure I don't want Michael to say my teeth are like a flock of goats but to know that he feels extravagantly for me would be amazing!

A small note to say "I'm thinking of you" or a phone call to check up on us, a rose every now and then, a random romantic surprise, those are the little things that make a girl feel treasured. 

The things that make a girl feel adored, well for me it would be this:

when your talking and he reaches up his hand to brush the hair out of your face so he can see your eyes. When he walks up and puts his hand on your back just to say "I'm here". When he brings up a cup of coffee when he gets up to get something. When he walks around the car in the cold just to be a gentleman and open your door. When he sees you shivering and puts his arm around you. When he reaches for your hand every time you pray, whether in church or at a restaurant. Those little things would make me feel adored! 

4. We want to love you back, so let us! I always want to do something like cook for Michael. Or make him something, or anything that could show him I love him. Support him in any way possible, do what he wants to do even when I want to do something else. Respect him, let him know I think he strong, that kind of thing. I hope he knows how much I love him! I try to show it, and if you have any helpful hints guys, let me know. 

5. We put a lot of time into making ourselves look pretty for you, why can't you do the same? I don't dress up all the time for everything, just when Michael is going to be around. I want him to see that I want to look beautiful for him. I take not of every style he says he likes and try to wear that. I bought the perfume he said he liked. I remember every hair style he said he liked and now try to do something similar when I see him. I let him see the me that isn't dressed up quite often, but for the most part I try to look pretty. Just like me loving to show the girls that my man is strong and handsome I want him to be able to be proud of how pretty I can look. 

But he hasn't quite got this memo yet...he won't do his hair for me! Its not hard, a simple task that could take an extra five minutes of the day if you count the commute from the basement to the upstairs bathroom with a stop for a snack in the kitchen.  I love the way he looks but he is younger than me and you can tell. When he does his hair not only does he looks very handsome but he looks older! And I like that! So when I see him and his hair isn't done I always want to fix it but I know it will annoy him so I only do it about 1/5 of the time I would like too. Hopefully someday he will see. I have threatened to stop dressing up for him and leaving my hair the way it is when I roll out of bed but to no avail. He says he doesn't care but I know he would if he saw it happen!

6. Be spontaneous. Do something you wouldn't normally do just to show a girl she is special and you will go to extreme measures including out of your comfort zone to show her you care :)

7. Love the Lord with all your heart. I love this about Michael. Probably the thing I love most: he loves the Lord with all of his heart. He shows it all the time. He is tender to the hurting and strong in his faith. He knows the word and he loves to serve. This is why I choose him, and why we will always stay together. We have a good foundation!

It tis late and I need to sleep now. This is a loooong blog and probably not helpful to any but me, it helped me to write it. So I guess that good then huh? 

Shalom my friends.

Hmm.

I want to SCREAM. Ever just want to say and do things that are not socially acceptable in nearly any setting? Such as scream when feeling anger?

Well I do!

AHHHHHH

Righteousness over Revenge.

I was talking to a friend who I look up to as a strong sister in the Lord tonight and she gave me this: righteousness over revenge. She reminded me that sin can come in many forms and for me lately it has been coming as revenge. Not as in killing the guys who took my family's honor but as in the sneaky I want to wave this in your face so you feel my pain revenge. I used to want to storm into the guys who fired my dad and wave my college bill in front of their face and tell them thanks for the fact that my dad could not afford this anymore and then leave them with the guilt. Now I realize its not ever that my dad could or could not afford anything, it was whether the Lord was providing in this area or not. The Lord provided for my dad through the nuclear plant until He saw it fit to move on and stretch our faith. How dare I wave that in the face of an unbeliever to illicit pity? 

Of late my thoughts of revenge have been more personal. Its a not a getting back at people for wrongs done but wanting people to feel sorry for what they have done. Like at work I want this lady to see me with the children and how much they love me and then for her to feel sorry for the way she treated me. Others on a broader scale but mostly like that. 

My friend told me to "rise above". To recognize that my thoughts in that direction are sin and I need to let that go. It so hard but I am trying. The Lord has blessed me with Michael, with an amazing family, and with so much more. How could I not be thankful enough and loved enough to glory in that instead of glorying in the thoughts of revenge?

I'm sorry to my Lord for this sin in my life, and sorry to whomever I have thought or desired ill upon. My only goal is to emulate my Savior and that was a very poor imitation. I will try harder to strive for righteousness over revenge!