We're Engaged!

I'm beyond excited to share my happy news! Last week while we were in New York, Ben proposed to me in Tompkins Square Park. It was a beautiful day and the perfect spot for the proposal. He got down on one knee and surprised me with a gorgeous, handmade ring with an heirloom stone. Early in our relationship we'd had many long, emotional conversations in that park about how we were going to sustain things long distance. It was fitting to go back to the same place years later and make the promise to be together for the long haul.

Because I'm feeling a little sentimental, I thought I'd gush a bit about how we first got together:

Four and a half years ago I was living in New York City. I decided to fly back to Chicago to surprise my family with a visit. Little did I know the whirlwind I was about to step into. The night I arrived, I went out for karaoke with friends, and my friend Sarah invited Ben. I knew Ben from college (I'd even had a little crush on him back then), but we'd been nothing more than acquaintances. The moment he arrived at Sarah's apartment and we started talking, there was an instant electricity. That was it; it was a done deal.

We spent the afternoon together before my flight back to New York and didn't want it to end. When I got home, I sent him an email saying that I thought there was something crazy and exciting between us and I thought he should come out and visit me. He wrote back right away saying he was thinking the same thing, and bought a ticket to fly out two weeks later. On his first visit he surprised me with a helicopter tour over the city. It was the corniest, most romantic weekend of my life. We spent the next 8 months flying back and forth for visits, trying not to go more than 2 weeks without seeing each other.

Finally we decided that the long distance thing wasn't sustainable and I moved back to Chicago. It was the best decision I've ever made. Not only has our relationship grown, but if I hadn't moved back I wouldn't have started the business that I love. Ben is not only an incredible partner, but he's also my photographer and website designer. We both work from home and spend most of our days sitting about 2 feet from each other working on our computers. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life next to him.