the first day of the month, g and i woke up in yosemite and spent the next five days taking it all in. hikes, picnics, mineral springs soaks, lounging. it was the breath of fresh air (literally) we needed. getting away from the city, recharging from work, clearing our minds so we can move forward in this life thingy.
and then there was the proposal. although g and i already made our engagement official with a proposal from last september, he decided to throw me for a loop. after having a picnic at the base of el capitan, g got down on a knee, opened a ring box, and asked me to marry him. umm, you better believe i was shocked, confused, excited, shocked, speechless, shocked! crying, i answered "of course!!" and asked what was going on. g said he had always wanted to propose to me at yosemite - the place where we have grown as a couple, where we planted our roots. he put an aqua-marine stone on my finger and said "this is me. i want you to have the ocean." all this time, i had been wearing the ring that was passed down to me - my great-grandmother's engagement ring. and now i had my own - the depths of the ocean signifying our love, the clear blue reflecting our peace.
it was a restorative weekend, to say the least...one to definitely write home about!
one week later, mama and i woke up in carmel for a this-is-not-paris-getaway-but-we'll-take-it-anyways trip. we celebrated mother's day, mama's birthday, and much needed time together. it was also a trip to familiarize mama with the plans/sites for our wedding weekend in october.
we ate and drank well, explored the nooks and crannies of downtown carmel, reminisced at the beach, and exchanged ideas about the ceremony.
the weekend felt surreal. it was a celebration of my mother, her life, and the blessing of sharing time together. not only did we celebrate in a strikingly beautiful, naturally inspiring setting, but we also did it in the place where g and i will be saying our vows, where mama and daddy will be handing me off to the love of my life.
we cried as we sat in the sand, when mama acknowledged that she hadn't been to the beach since before she was first diagnosed with cancer. we cried out of laughter as we sat on a golf course for a picnic so we could have "scenic coastal views." and then we cried when we visited the wedding ceremony site and imitated the exchange of vows. damn, it was all so surreal.
may isn't over and i am already overwhelmed by what it has offered: tranquility, love, inspiration, gratefulness, and above all, invaluable time with the people i hold dearest to me (and daddy!).
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