My BABY is ENGAGED!!!!

Once again I say, how do our children grow up so fast!

Week before last I get a phone call from Micthell (Kristyn's boyfriend) and he ask me to lunch when they came home that weekend. I immediately said no (i was kidding of course) because I knew what he wanted. He called Kristyn's dad and asked him to go at the same time.

Saturday, November15, we met at The Olive Garden in North Little Rock for lunch. He was so cute, you could tell he was nervous, stretched a few times, chit chatted about nothing, then he did it. He said, "well you all know why were here, well Ms. Beth you knew when I called you, I would like to ask your permission to marry your daughter?" He and I were making eye contact and he had tears in his eyes. So sweet.

We talked for a while, I had things I wanted him to know that were important to me for him and Kristyn as they became a family. Her dad talked to him as well. Oh, I asked him if he had the ring and he said yeh right here and he showed it to me. The minute I saw that ring, I just started crying and it was so hard to get control again. It just like hit me that this child of mine was going to marry this young man sitting across from me. I had all these things to say to him and I had to try to do it while crying the entire time. Of course by the end I gave him my blessing.

From the time he called to ask me to lunch, I have just cried so much. I'm not upset, just I don't know in shock, like Steve Martin in Father of the Bride. I watched the CMA's and when he sang "Your gonna miss this", I just boo hooed! I've heard that song a million times but that night, whew, it was rough.

Move ahead to yesterday, Friday, November 21st. I knew it was going to be this night and Kristyn was clueless. I woke up at 5:30 yesterday morning and could not go back to sleep. I knew she was going over to his apt. for dinner at around 5:30 p.m. So, I just kept waiting for the call. She finally called, she was real quiet at first, in shock I do believe. I said "well what did you get for your birthday?" and she just made a little laugh.She was coming home this morning for her birthday but Mitchell wasn't coming because he has to work Sunday. Well they both got in the car and headed home last night. Isn't that sweet. He proposed in a sweet romantic way and she said she started crying and couldn't stop.

The ring, its beautiful. Its a solitaire on a small band. I cannot remember right now the cut, its something new. Its kind of a rectangle. It looks perfect on her little hand. As they were driving home, it started sinking in and she started getting really excited and they spent the drive home calling the important people in their lives. Just so sweet!

You know that someday these things will happen but its kind of like watching this happen to someone else. Because the entire time, I'm thinking she is just a baby, how can we be here, at this place, at this time. I've prayed for her husband all her life, just didn't know it would come so fast.

The plan right now is spring of '09. I would love for her to have at least 2 years of school behind her. For those of you that don't know, they have been dating for 3.5 years. Mitchell just completed the Springdale, AR police academy and is now a policeman in Springdale.

The one thing I can say for the boy, he loves my daughter. I can see it in his eyes and the way he treats her and takes care of her and allows her to be herself. For this, I am thankful!

I look forward to all of the excitement and the planning and watching them in their lives together. Honestly though, I cannot imagine the day of seeing her walk down that isle in that wedding dress with all of their loved ones there watching them commit their lives to God and to one another. I know for sure there will be lots of kleenex because his family will cry as much as me! Memories are being made by the moment!

Thank you Lord that you have blessed me with such wonderful children...truly, I am thankful!