The End of July

Oh how I love the month of July ... especially the end. It used to always be a great time because of my birthday on July 31st, but since last year it has even more special memories. Last year on July 30th, the day before my birthday, Ben surprised me and proposed while we were in Sedona, AZ with my family. I thought maybe he would propose to me on my actual birthday, but the day before was a big surprise. I also knew the ring wasn't done so I was not quite sure how he would do it. While we were in Sedona on July 30th my family, Ben and I were having a great time swimming and hangin' out. My dad told us that we were going to dinner a bit earlier that night because there was some "special" going on before 5 o'clock. Perfect. It made sense because we do things like that all the time. (nice one dad) But the plot behind that line was so my family (aka Ben and I) could go to dinner before the restaurant opened to the rest of the public.

So we got ready for dinner. My mom said that maybe I should try and look nice since it was a nice restaurant (good thing I didn't go with the wet hair/scrubby look). So we headed to the restaurant with my mom, dad, Steven, Ben, and me. As we're pulling into the restaurant/resort, my dad "pretends" to get a text from my brother Michael saying that he is almost to where we're staying in Sedona (he was working that day and drove up later.... only to find out he wasn't coming 'til much later that night). My dad said he was going to quickly pick him up from our place, my mom and Steven said they would go play croquet, and Ben and I could go check in for us in the restaurant. (good one guys... totally fooled me). So Ben and I walk into the restaurant and we checked in with the hostess and she started to walk us in... with a smile. We walked right past a piano and Ben said.. "Oh look, a piano.. could I maybe play that?" I was thinking, what is he doing?? I was getting a bit embarrassed when he sat down at the piano and started playing a song and singing... It didn't finally click until I recognized the song and words. ****Ben and I went to New York City and saw The Little Mermaid. After the musical we started coming up with new words to the song "Part of Your World." These lyrics included something about Ithaca and being part of his world there****. ..... The song he was playing on the piano was this song, and he finished changing the lyrics to it. I was embarrassed/excited/surprised all at once.

We then sat at our table and I wondered when my parents/family were coming. I clearly wasn't getting it that it was just us and that it was a special occasion. Ben handed me a present... it was a calendar. Not only was it just any calendar, it was one with pictures of us on each month... and handwritten notes on specific days we did somethings together (such as first date... kiss, etc) I got to the month of July and saw that "Trip to Sedona"... then on July 30th it said "Ben proposes to Paige... Paige says ________" At that point Ben had got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I said yes. It was a very exciting evening as we talked about our future together.

We finished dinner and walked outside to find my family smiling and waiting to see what I had said. It was a great trip to Sedona and a fabulous birthday with my fiance and family. Oh how i LOVE the end of July !