Going hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
It's not a miracle we needed
No, I wouldn't let you think so
ASHLEY, COMMANDING OFFICER.
...is chillin' like a villain. However, that's not the point of this post. This is: today is Tomato and I's "proposal-versary."
Here's our engagement story:
After a summer of torture that included 21 hours of summer classes for The University of South Carolina's nursing program and Tomato being away at Officer Candidate School, it was over. Classes were over and OCS was over. I will venture to say that those two things produced one of my worst summers in recent history. When Tomato left, I didn't get so speak to him for 4 weeks. The only correspondence we had was through letters, that didn't come often enough and most certainly didn't answer all my questions or help me with my immediate problems. After 4 weeks of not hearing your boyfriend's voice, you go into kind of a haze. When that first call comes...it's the most wonderful sound you've ever heard in your life. Anyway, after the initial 4 weeks we began being able to talk to each other on weekends...only.
Fast forward to August 9, 2010. Seeing Tomato was one of the best feelings I could have ever asked for. I rode with Timmy's family for nearly 9 hours to Quantico, VA to see him graduate from OCS. After the ceremony, I hugged him like there was no tomorrow. Then we went to the Marine Corps Museum where multiple engagements took place, but I was none the wiser.
We finally settled into our hotel that night. Tomato had a date planned for us, that I knew about...with a friend he had met at OCS. We went to the Cheesecake Factory and then had a night stroll at the National Mall in Washington, DC.
We were walking by the reflecting pool when Tomato started tugging at my hand and trying to pull me backward. I kept saying, "Timmy, we have to keep up! They're going to leave without us!" To which he replied, "I need to talk to you, give me just a minute." I turned around and he got on one knee. All I remember was feeling that tingling feeling in the pit of my stomach that was yelling out, "Oh crap, this is really happening right now." I think he was choked up because he just got straight to the point. He pulled out the tale-tale blue pouch and posed a simple question, "Ashley Marie Bradshaw, will you marry me?" My hands shot to my mouth and all I could do was nod and cry.
Que the "awwws." It was one of the most special moments of my life, as it should be. Everyone's engagement should be special. It's something I'll never forget...not matter where or how old I am.
The night I was made a fiance:
..and the blingage, because that's always interesting.
Sadly, however, today also marks another life altering occasion in my life. Two years ago today, my biological father died in New York. Even though he and I never got along and didn't speak much in the last years of his life...it's still weird that I haven't heard his voice for that long. I hope more than anything that he finally has the peace he needed. I'll forever miss the father I once had in him.
TOMATO, THE HUBS.
I love you so much. Thank you for trusting me with your future.
ZERO, THE DRAGON.
...is as always, none the wiser.
Song of the Day
1901 by Phoenix
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