say it like you mean it: I'm ENGAGED!!!!

WHAT?!!?!? Yes! So, my master plan of surprising Eli on his birthday was totally flipped on me!

Here's what happened:

I planned a small party for him on his birthday, February 10th. Everyone was going to meet at Becky's house at 8 and we were going to show up not long after. All systems go! Leading up to the party, Eli kept mentioning that he doesn't want a lot of attention put on him and that he hoped I didn't have anything major planned. The day of his birthday he was acting super strange. He was doing things out of the ordinary, but I just attributed it to him knowing that I had planned him something. Well, we were en route to Fonduely Yours when Mt. Pleasant traffic was in full effect. Plan B quickly went into action and we had dinner at Sesame. At dinner, he was acting a weird again, but I didn't think anything of it. We killed some time at Runnaway Bay listening to some reggae music and then made our way to Becky's.

As soon as we pulled up, he saw his present from me..... a shiny new bike with a big red bow! He was freaking out at this point (again, I thought it was because he knew everyone was inside). We went in the house after him fighting it (I need to ask him if that was an act or not) and everyone yelled, "SURPRISE!!!" He walked around and greeted everyone, checked out mom's "Cupcake Wars" cupcake display (close up below) and then quickly went outside with some of the guys to "check out his bike".

At this point, I looked at my sister Rachel and I think she read my mind.... "everyone needs to leave." It was like he couldn't even handle all the people there for him!!! As soon as he came back in the door Rachel told everyone to come sing "Happy Birthday" and blow out the candles.

So we sang. (Cake is to the side of Eli in this picture). Before he blew out the candles, he told everyone that he had something to say. I thought for sure that he was going to tell everyone that he appreciates me planning this party, is glad everyone was all there, doesn't like surprises, etc., etc. But instead, he asks me to come around to his side and proceeds to say......

"Julie, I love you......will you marry me..." I have no idea what he said between "I love you" and "will you marry me"!!!!! But....