the proposal.

Okay, so I just wrote a blog post, but really I've been meaning to write another one for quite some time now. This one is a lot happier, I promise! haha


So, on October 7, 2011, Joshua Dutchover tricked me. 


My boyfriend of 3 years, Josh, called me on that Friday, and asked me to go to lunch with him to cheer me up (I had slept through a class... again). Of course, I wasn't about to turn down a free meal before work! So, I agreed and started getting ready! For some reason that day, I took some extra time to get ready: I straightened my hair, I put on my make-up really well, I put on my favorite comfy button down denim shirt that makes me look cute, and I looked GOOD. Even stranger on this day, was that I got ready BEFORE the agreed time that he would come pick me up. I decided to kill some time by taking a picture of my hot self and then I went up to the FIDE office at school. When I walked in the conversation kind of died a little until Marvin said something and we got a conversation kind of going again. They asked me what I was up to, I told them all about lunch and then Fr. Nick asked me to ask Josh about some paperwork he needed. Then I got a text from Josh asking me to help him get some stuff from the Knights of Columbus Hall in the Abbey Church. I told everyone that I had to leave and why and headed off to the chapel. 
So, one important thing to note here is that I am CONSTANTLY thinking about proposals. I always start imagining the scenario, what its going to be like, all that jazz. and most of the time I am wrong. dead wrong. and then I'm half angry for like a week. Alright, back to all of the unnecessary details (this is how I tell stories, people!!)
So, here I am headed to my favorite place, and I'm thinking, "Maybe he'll propose? Nahhh, Karen, he's not going to propose. What is your problem? He just needs help. If you think he is going to propose and he really needs help carrying stuff to his car, you're just going to be disappointed. Oh, hey look, there's Steve the maintenance guy. He's so nice. I wonder if he knows that when I come back this way, I'll be engaged. KAREN, SHUT UP!!!" So, while my brain was arguing with itself, I just stopped listening to it. I walked into the chapel thinking, "I hope he's going to meet me here, because I don't know how to get to the Knight's Hall." So, I kept walking, and I saw that the Marian chapel was lit. "It's for the monks." I keep walking, and I see kneelers. "The monks are going to be praying in there." I keep walking and see rose petals on the kneelers. "Ummm, They like roses?" I see Jonathan (Josh's brother) peek his out from the the choir stalls and I know what's happening. I see my favorite person in the world, the person I love, standing there with a guitar in front of my favorite side chapel with the most beautiful mosaic of Our Blessed Mother on the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, and I say:


"Uh, Hi!"


And then I start balling uncontrollably.


He sang me a song he wrote for me. I still can't even describe to you how this song makes me feel every time I hear it (the closest thing, I think is "warm fuzzies"). That song is beautiful. And it's also long. Really long. And I stood there, crying and distracting the man of my dreams from remembering the loving words he wrote for me, and I didn't even run at him and jump on him and hug the life out of him. And they say I don't have self-control. 
Anyway, after he was done, he dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him.
This man, laid out everything he had and asked me to love him for the rest of my life, just as he would do for me. 
Talk about amazing.
Anyway, I said yes. 
and then I cried and let out embarrassing sobs and hugged my fiance until he was wet with my tears. 
When I turned around I saw not only Jonathan, but my good friends Abby and Kelly, and our friend Vinny! After the hugs and pictures and tears, the friends left and Joshua and I were left alone to pray the Rosary and ask for Our Mama Mary's intercession for a fruitful and happy engagement and marriage.
needless to say, I've never been more distracted during prayer. 


I am so excited to be able to finally say that I am engaged to Joshua Reynaldo Dutchover, and I will soon be able to call him my husband! Please pray for us!