Valentine's is TODAY!

3 years ago today I said, "Yes.. Of course!" to the most wonderful, amazing guy ever! 

I flew from Boise to Phoenix to see this hot guy I'd been dating for about 4 months, but had known for 10 months [& we had previously dated during that time up at school]. We had only seen each other one other time since we'd officially started dating [again] over the phone & through email in November '06.
I was so anxious to see him as I stepped off that plane & found my luggage on the carrousel.
I walked outside, searching for him. He calls to tell me he had passed the door # I was waiting at & was on his way back around again. Told me to me watching for a red F-150 & when it pulled up in front of me, those butterflies were swirling around SO hard inside of me!
He walks around the back & sweeps me up into a hug that twirls me around & off my feet :)
Loads my stuff up & we set off to his place where he has a surprise waiting for me.
I get there & we lug my gynormous suitcase up the long flight of stairs to his door, where he goes inside, takes me stuff & tells me, "Wait out here just a minute."
So I'm standing & waiting in this warm February breeze, thinking I was really glad I wore flip flops & that I could! Plus, what was taking him so long??
FINALLY the door opens & he has soft music playing.. there are rose petals strewn from the door along a path to the dinner table where he has it set up with a beautiful bouquet of flowers in the middle & tells me to head to his room and change into something a little more dressy for dinner [don't worry he had told me to be prepared to change beforehand, didn't just tell me I looked underdressed :)]
When I came out, he was finishing up some dinner preparations & I sit to wait for a delicious meal he has prepared. It smelled so good & when I asked what he was making he replied with a casual smile, "chicken fettuccini alfredo." MY FAVORITE!! He was good.
We ate, it was delicious & I did NOT get sick afterwards.. ;o)
He then took me by the hand and we went out on the balcony where he had 2 tiki torches lit. We looked out at the beautiful setting sun and the palms trees who's branches swayed softly in the breeze. He takes me into his arms & starts dancing slowly. Twirls me around & does all these fancy moves.
If anyone knows me, I'm a terrible dancer. Can't follow and I don't remember steps very well. Watch out for your toes!
Holds me close to him & I breathe in his cologne mixed with dinner & all that's good about him.
He then leads dances me slowly back in to the living room & says, "I was having a tough time thinking of what to get you for Valentine's Day, but I think I found the perfect gift."
He then stopped dancing, told me to close my eyes & I feel him slowly get down in front of me.. to his knees!
Here I am thinking this guy is amazing! Doing all of these great things, what a perfect Valentine's Day!
This is, by the way, the 17th of February, 2007, a Friday, because we weren't able to be together on actual Valentine's Day. So this is when we celebrate it now :)
At first I was so confused because we had talked about getting engaged in May sometime & getting married in August/September.
 So when he told said, "you can open your eyes" & I see this tiny maroon box in his palm, opened with a diamond ring inside!!! My mind goes totally blank.
He then asks, "Amber Dawn Pannell, will you marry me?"
I put my hands over my mouth in astonishment and am silent for about 5 seconds it feels like, but he then says, "say something.." and I knew it had to be a tad longer.
To which I burst out, "YES! Of course!" with a huge smile and he stands and takes me into a gygantic hug & kisses me & then puts the ring on my finger, it's too big but that's ok :)


I felt such relief at that moment, knowing: this is who I'm meant to be with, this is who I've been preparing to meet & make my SELF ready for, this is the man I'm going to marry, this is my eternal partner, and I can't believe he chose ME!

I love you SO much Jordan Daniel Gallup!