engaged – Anna Down South

Photography by: Sarah Warden Photography

( Sweater: Gentle Fawn // Jeans: Banana Republic Outlet // Boots: Dan Post )

We all create timelines for ourselves even though most the time things don’t happen like we planned or when we planned them. God doesn’t take orders from us, and while He cares about our plans sometimes He has more important things for us.

My own timeline has been destroyed so many times I don’t know why are bother rebuilding it. I just like having a plan of when things will happen. Having the goal of it happening just doesn’t seem to be enough. I want to outline my life, no matter if it ends up being followed or not.

I make them just to have God throw them away, so I found myself laughing when I realized that one of my timeline items had ended up working out.

In college I had sworn that I wanted to get married by 25, but after graduating and getting deathly ill I had decided that that was just another item to cross out. After all, how would it be possible to make that happen? I stopped thinking about it then, but low and behold, I’m going to end up getting married exactly three months after I turn 25.

Turns out I had finally managed to be on the same page with God about something, not that I’m going to get used to it.

Yesterday the love of my life asked me to be his wife. I’ve been in a daze all day, and I mean that in the best way. I’m so overjoyed that my body is having problems processing it. I’ve wanted this since I was little, and Chris, somehow managed to be everything I didn’t know I needed. He’s my match, he’s so good to me, and I’ve never felt more at home with a person. To say I said yes would be a giant understatement, though I’m pretty sure that was the only word out of my mouth. I was caught off guard. It wasn’t how I saw my Thursday night going. I actually didn’t cry till later that night because it hadn’t fully hit me. It’s still hitting me in phases if I being honest. I’m just now wrapping my head around the fact that we have to plan a wedding now. I’m going to be Mrs. Smith!! I’m so beyond excited.

I’ll let you know how it happened:

Chris proposed right after my horseback lesson, which was perfect because the farm has always been one of my favorite places on earth. I saw my parents and I was confused then it hit me and I went “is what I think is happening happening?” I stumbled off the horse, my foot getting stuck in the stirrup. He asked me I said yes, we hug, everyone cheers. It was magical in more ways than one, and I’ve been watching the video all day smiling.

The ring was custom made with my moms help. It is from the same jeweler that my dad bought my mom’s ring from. It’s absolutely perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. It’s stunning. Chris was planning to propose this weekend, but once he got the ring in his hand yesterday he decided that he couldn’t wait. I’m glad he didn’t, I wouldn’t change a thing, though some natural light would have made for better pictures.

I’m so overjoyed, I’m so beside myself. Congratulations keep pouring in and I keep pinching myself to prove that this is all real and happening.

The date is to come, but let me tell you, it can’t come soon enough.