"I miss you so much."
When Matt and I began our relationship, we found ourselves saying those two phrases so often that we shortened it to just "so much." Seeing "so much" come across on my phone in a text from Matt would put the biggest smile on my face. And now, it's our own, personal catch-phrase of sorts.
We even got it hand-painted on a sign:
I knew Matt was going to propose to me at some point. I just didn't know how or when. When ended up being Christmas Day. And the how ended up melting my heart completely.
You may remember me mentioning the story behind the sand and shells in this picture in a previous post:
(If not, click here to read why it has so much meaning to us)
As I wrote before, Matt carried the sand and shells with him everywhere after I gave them to him. And he decided he was going to use them as part of his proposal to me. He worked for months and months on his secret and finally, on the night of December 25, he took me to "our rooftop" near his work in DC. This is the rooftop:
That video was shot in 2009 while Matt was doing a 40-day fast for Lent. We were just friends at that time and I greatly admired not only his faith but his dedication, commitment and strength in doing something so amazing in order to be closer to God.
When we began our relationship in 2010, I looked back on that video and I told Matt that I would love to see the rooftop in person since it's where he goes to think and get away. We had a few romantic dates there so it soon became "our rooftop." :)
Here we are on one of those dates:
So it was not only the perfect day for him to propose, but it was the perfect place too. But what he was about to hand to me was even more perfect.
As we stood there under the stars in the cold air, the city lights shining all around us, Matt pulled out the special surprise he had been working on for so many months:
It was a handmade box, carved by hand from a block of wood, into the shape of a heart. He had covered the box in shells, painted it with sand paint, placed hinges on the back and carved our phrase, "So Much" on the top.
This is what was inside:
My engagement ring...nestled inside of the sand and shells that I had given to him.
I. Died. But not before saying, "YES!" lol
When you find a love like I have, gifts don't really matter much, because the best gift is having such an amazing, loving, gorgeous, kind and perfect man to share my life with. One who makes me feel so loved, whole and complete every single day.
But wow, did he blow me away with this! The box sits in a prominent place in our family room now and still holds the sand and shells. It will also hold our rings at the altar on the beach on our wedding day.
And it will hold a special place in my heart forever.
