The ENGAGEMENT!

Ok... So I know that I am not a Richardson yet and you are probably all rolling your eyes at the title of my new blog but the name was just too cute to pass up so you all are just going to have to deal with it for the next four months till we are married! haha  

So as some of you know, Matthew’s parents are mission presidents in the Quito Ecuador North Mission. This year for Christmas he was in Ecuador with his family and I was in CA with mine. My favorite part of everyday was Face-timing and catching up with him! Matt told me that our jeweler sent him an email about some nice new stones that had just come in, tricking me again that he had not already purchased my ring.  I was convinced that we would go pick a diamond out when we got back to Utah because we had already picked out the ring but not the diamond… or so I thought…   I was sure he wasn’t going to propose in Ecuador, although I was secretly hoping he would. I was just excited to get there and see him!  Ten days feels like foreverrrrr when you are in love (cheesy but so true).

clueless... haha

I flew from LA to Quito on December 30^th!  I was so happy to see Matt and it was so cute to have him literally sprint through the gate to come give me a big hug in front of everyone at the airport. The next day, New Years Eve, we had the best day going to the “Mitad Del Mundo” (the center of the earth or equator) and eating authentic Ecuadorian food.

Kissing in two different hemispheres!

That night his family planned on going to a nice restaurant for dinner, which I thought was the main event of the evening, HA!

Our last dinner as boyfriend/girlfriend!

It was 11:30pm and we were on the balcony overlooking all of Quito.  It was one of the prettiest views I have ever seen! When it came closer to midnight Matt read to me 100 promises he would fulfill to me in marriage. It isn’t out of the ordinary for Matthew to do heart melting, sweet things like that so I still had no clue what was about to happen. The last promise he made was to propose to me in the most epic and cutest way possible.  At the stroke of midnight, Matthew reached into a bush next to me, and before I knew it was on one knee. 

This can't be happening!

The sky lit up behind us with fire works exploding in the Quito night sky.  I was in tears as he told me how much he loves me and how he wants me to be his Queen in the celestial kingdom. I forgot everything else he said because I was so surprised at the surreal setting and the fact that this was one of the moments I had dreamed about my whole life! Through my tears I couldn’t say yes fast enough. He then pulled out the most amazing most sparkly ring I had ever seen and I couldn’t believe that it was mine to wear forever.

Most gorgeous engagement ring I have ever seen!!

All of a sudden, the sliding door swung open to a full on mariachi band flooding the room with Ecuadorian love songs for Matthew and me.  Again my breath was taken away as I was in complete shock at what was happening! I blinked and there was a bouquet of red roses being handed to me by Matt’s Dad, then out of the kitchen walks Matt's cute sister Andrea with another bouquet of white roses. Think it stops there? Nope!  Matthew’s mom then walks out with yet another bouquet of MORE red roses!! Totaling eight dozen roses! Ahhh!! Dyingggggg…. The big banner on the wall of a picture of us that said “Congratulations Brittany & Matthew!” was just the icing on the cake! It was truly a dream, and I’m still not sure if it actually happened. 

Our wonderful Mariachi band, my eight dozen roses, banner in the background, and my amazing fiance!

I can completely relate to the quote, “You don’t want to go to sleep because reality is better than your dreams;” I did not want to go to sleep that night!! Life was/is TOO good!! Matthew puts so much thought into everything he does for me and he’s sooo so sweet to me. I was so glad his family was a part of the proposal because his dad may not be able to come to our wedding in San Diego.  It was one of the happiest days so far!! I couldn’t have imagined a more magical proposal.

Fireworks bursting, Mariachi singing, never been happier