V. VI. VII.

Indeed, we have much to catch up on…..

we’re engaged!!!!!!

5PM on June 7th! Well, the story starts way before then.

When Ben and I first met way back when, there was plenty of conversations about what we wanted our life to look like, what we wanted out of a relationship, and just conversations about expectations. I remember telling Ben pretty early on in the relationship (for the sake of communicating) that I wanted to be wooed, courted, loved on, and taken care of.

Now, mind you, I am an independent woman. I can carry all of my groceries in one haul (of course cutting all of my circulation off my arms), build things, drive where I want, and travel on my own. I have been on my own for a long while, but what I quickly realized, and still am grateful for every day, is that there is beauty in having a partner. Just because I can do it all by myself, doesn’t mean I HAVE TO!

My lesson from being with Ben all this time, is that while I can be strong and independent, I can also be soft and gentle, and not have to shoulder everything on my own. The running joke is that I can turn off my brain with him. He takes care of the things I don’t really care to do. There is perfect partnership between us, both of us so similar yet so different. The literal yin to my yang. He takes care of me, I take care of him. It’s everything I wanted and never knew that I needed.

I actually chuckle reading some of my old blog posts, because all I can think is, oh Alexandra, you have no idea what is waiting for you. Probably one of the most romantic things Ben ever said, and he says some pretty romantic things, is that he has been manifesting me his whole life, getting himself ready for me. It brings tears to my eyes because I feel that way about him. Every relationship, every bad first date, every experience, every place I have ever lived, has all in preparation of being with the one I call home. We met at the perfect time, in the perfect way, and how things have fallen into place, just clicked. Like it was meant to be. I really never knew that love could be like this, that THIS IS LOVE!

Ben called me a few weeks ago, while I was being absolutely feral in an 80,000 sq foot antique warehouse with my best gal friend Nora, (We were there for over 7 hours….)

letting me know he figured out what he wanted to do for his birthday, a trip to Key West. Perfect. The beauty of Ben is that this man love to plan things. Also the running joke is that we will use an any excuse to make a trip, it’s Tuesday? Perfect day to leave the country and be somewhere without cell service.

Every single trip we have been on has been strategically planned out and taken care of by him. To say I am spoiled is an understatement. This man likes to take me on adventures and I’m always down. While I planned his birthday last year in Charleston, he was ready to plan another trip, so Key West sounded like a great time, as I had never been there! Without knowing any more information and because I am in la la lovey dovey land with this man, I didn’t think anything of it. He’s perfect.

June 6th: Thursday night we had Ben’s birthday celebration and played a hot sweaty game of kickball with our buddies who are actually pro athletes on the side (good game, guys!) The night was a success and while bedtime was about 3:30AM, we had some time to sleep in the next day. We were going to leave for the Keys on Saturday AM, and Friday night dinner plans. Again, I don’t ask questions, I just show up wherever I am needed. Friday was honestly a great day. I love when Ben is home, and while he was in a meeting most of the afternoon (in his suit, he looked great but I didn’t think anything of), I had fun packing, watching my show, taking time to get ready; just a slow day. Ben had picked out my dress, (again I figured he just wanted us to match as we do, and I knew he liked the dress he picked out.) Birthday boy gets whatever he wants!

5PM, June 7th, 2024: On to our dinner reservation, we decided to stop by our favorite little park in Charleston, as it is right on the water, has a beautiful view of downtown, and is always quiet. I was just chatty chatty chatty, in my own world talking about my hair and whatever was on my mind, and we got out of the truck and started walking around. As we were walking, we came across this gorgeous arch and conch shells….. (again…. no thoughts in my mind. None at all.)

Meanwhile, the whole time we were walking, the photographer that Ben had hired was hiding behind us by the trees taking photos and videos. Ben and I walked towards the arch and we went to go look at the shells (I love conch shells) “I wonder what this is for”, he asked me. Still looking at the shells, I replied, “Oh I bet someone got married here!” Turning me towards him, he asked as he got down on one knee……”Do you want to get married?”

And when I tell you how shocked I was… I think I blacked out. No kidding. I was shocked. He was on his knee for about 2 minutes letting it settle with me, (can we just talk about his impeccable posture???) because I just couldn’t believe it was happening (and you say, ALEXANDRA, YOU SILLY GOOSE, YOU WERE IN A WHITE DRESS!!….. GUYS, WHEN I TELL YOU, I JUST THOUGHT HE WANTED TO MATCH AND LOVED THIS DRESS ON ME!!!)

“Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Right now? Right here? Oh my god, what!!!”

We bawled, we giggled, we cried again, I said ‘Oh my god’ about a million times, and I had to hold onto him to stop myself from shaking. The energy was insane. The best feeling in the world.

Then he pulled the box out. I stopped breathing as he opened the box.

The ring, lord the ring.

“Will you marry me?”

“YES YES YES!!!!”

Then it all hit, tears running down our faces, shaking, holding and kissing each other, so shocked and not believing this was reality.

Our photographer was crying, people around in the park were crying.

It was perfect. I had always wanted a surprise engagement, meaning I didn’t want to have a clue it was going to happen. During his cathartic proclamation, he let everything spill…. he had been planning this for months, Key West wasn’t for his birthday, it was for our mini moon to celebrate our engagement, he hand built the arch at our friend’s house, had worked with someone to get real Bahamian conch shells, he’d been working with a jeweler for a long time, had the ring for a few weeks, and hid it in the house and would take it out to look at it when I wasn’t home (and sometimes when I was home!!!) and most everyone in my life knew what was going to happen. He was so excited to tell me everything and dang, he is good at keeping surprises. I’m blushing and gushing just typing this and it was a 3 months ago. I’ll never stop smiling thinking about that day. We were in a daze. One of the coolest things about Ben is that when he is invested, he will become a professional in that subject. He now knows more about engagement rings than most people. And may I just say…. he did perfect. My ring is so me. It’s almost too distracting to type because I keep catching it in the light right now.

After we took some photos with the photographer (who was so great, so professional, and so kind), but we were riding such a high that when we got our photos back, we literally didn’t remember taking some of them, we were able to sit on the bench alone and just relish our love and this feeling of just utter happiness and spent a lot of time looking at the ring together. For dinner, he had booked us reservations at Halls (IYKYK) and we got spoiled beyond belief, down to our favorite dessert being sent out by our favorite ‘Lil Nora’.

6AM Saturday, we were off to Key West! Ben had booked us a romantic suite in the cutest Bed and Breakfast (I am a sucker for a BnB) (with chocolate truffles and champagne waiting for us on ice from Mary Elizabeth!) and so many great activities. When I tell you Ben makes an itinerary that rivals even the best vacation planner, he could really do this for a living. One of Ben’s many gifts in this life is being the man who always knows the vibes. He knows the music to play, he knows when to say or not say something, and to always enjoy life where he is at. He knows what plans to make and how to make moves. I really want to be more like that. Included in his plans was a sailboat sunset cruise with food and wine tasting (classy), snorkeling, a visit to the Hemingway House (obviously), a comedy show our last night, and then we free-styled with doing karaoke for the first time together and an impromptu tattoo to honor the day we got engaged (so much commitment in one weekend haha)… just to name a few. The food was amazing, the views were stunning, the water was perfect, and we were just so happy to be together.

Every time someone congratulated us, we cried. We cried on the plane, we cried on the boat, we cried at dinner, I’m sure we choked up at karaoke. That’s how happy we are. While I was sad to leave Key West, and we are back to ‘regular life’, life is always a mini moon with him. Life sure is sweet. I’M ENGAGED!!!!

Ben took one for the team with his birthday this year, because he knew that I would have probably questioned certain things at any other time. So, happy birthday, my darling man. You deserve the best year and the best in this world. No one deserves it more than you.

I am so excited and honored to be apart of your life, and to marry you. You are everything I never knew I needed and so much more. The beautiful part of my relationship with Ben is the fact that we get each other. He gets me. He sees me. He challenges me. He knows me. And he loves me all the same. There is no one else I want to grow up with. He is who my heart loves and adores. I never knew love could be this way. I told Ben I loved him in Costa Rica while watching a beautiful sunset and while I did love him, I never knew that love could grow into something like this. I’ve realized that love isn’t conditional. Throughout our relationship, we have been through so many different life events together, from the passing of his father early on in our relationship, to the milestones we have worked so hard to get to! Everyday together is a good day. I’m so happy to be your FIANCÉE and I am so excited to become your WIFE!!!!