Love.

What a week it has been!

Two people I know have gotten engaged, an old friend is getting married this weekend, and two couples are celebrating wedding anniversaries (Happy 1st to Jake and Vanessa, and Happy 33rd to Mom and Dad Brown!). And how could I forget! One very special couple is putting final touches on their wedding planning and will become Mr. and Mrs. on June 13th. Luckily, AJ and I have the honor of walking down the aisle in their wedding and I cannot wait!

All of this because of a simple little thing we call L-O-V-E.

All this love in the air takes me back to the day Adam asked me to be his wife. We went together to pick out my ring about 3 weeks before it happened. You see, Adam knows nothing about jewelry. And since this was going to be a big, important purchase, he wanted to make sure I was satisfied with my ring. We went to the jewelry store and I fell in love with one of the last sets we looked at for the day. He went back a few days later and made a decision and purchased the ring. I knew a proposal was coming, but I didn't know when.

We took a trip to California with Jackie and Brian about 3 weeks later and I just had this gut feeling that he would do it then. I was antsy with anticipation for it the entire trip. The very last day we were there we decided to stop by the Santa Monica Pier for one last walk on the beach and to take some pictures. I insisted on riding the ferris wheel and so we did. We all got into the same little car together, and went around twice when the wheel stopped - dead center of the very TOP! Now let me tell you, this thing is on the very edge of the Pier... all that is below you is the Pacific Ocean! So I was terrified. I soon found out that Adam was too, but for a different reason! He ceased that opportunity to pledge his love to me and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. It was a moment I will never forget. Looking back, I had a suspicion that he was going to do it then (and Jackie will tell you that I didn't seem very surprised!), but it was absolutely perfect.

When people hear my story, they tell me my proposal wasn't exactly a surprise because I knew it was coming. True. But the actual "down-on-one-knee-with-a-ring-box-in-hand" wasn't important to me. The most important part of all of this was that Adam Brown chose me to be his wife. To walk by his side, to laugh with him, to cry with him, and to want to smack him upside the head when necessary. All of this because he loves me. That's all that mattered to me. I was going to spend my life with somebody who loves me for exactly who I am.

Our journey hasn't been an easy one. We've had some trying times in our relationship but they truly have only made us stronger. If given the chance, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Dictionary.com defines love as:
1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
3. sexual passion or desire.


I define love as:
1. Adam Brown
2. Adam Brown, Jr. <-- this definition of love deserves its own post!

Congratulations, and Good Luck to all those experiencing this crazy little thing called love. I wish you all nothing but the best in life. Take time to listen, care, and above all be each other's best friend.

I will end this posting with some words taken from our sermon during our wedding ceremony:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."
-- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

xoxo,
Ang