The day of Our Engagement:
We had just spent four or five days in Charlotte, NC before going to Savannah, Georgia to meet Paul's extended family and celebrate their second Christmas, St. Patrick's Day. Paul would be on his way to deployment very soon. We had spoken about marriage several times, Paul asked me if I was sure I didn't want to spend a year in Spain alone before settling down and whenever our weekends together would end he would say, " I wish you would just propose already so we didn't have to go through this anymore." Haha.
I was hoping that this trip we'd planned would be the time where he would propose! Why not? Savannah is beautiful, so much family and I thought if he didn't propose now then he would when he got back! Right?!
We spent our whole week in Savannah. It was beautiful. There were so many opportune times where you could ask someone a very important question. Instead, we enjoyed our time and I told myself to not think about it so I could enjoy myself. I loved Paul and I loved him whether we were engaged or not. Nothing could change that.
At the end of the trip, we drove back to Norfolk after one more stop in Charlotte and March 19th was just like any other day. We got Chick-Fila for breakfast and came home to take a nap before we unloaded the car. Yet, before I went back on my way to Kilmarnock we had a thirty-minute shoot scheduled that evening in Sandbridge Beach, VA. Paul and I only had cell phone photo quality photos together and before he left I wanted something I could look at for the next 8 months....
We were getting ready to leave and Paul took FOREVER to get ready. As we were getting in the car it looked like it was going to storm. I suggested that we reschedule the photos again for later in the week but Paul was determined that it wouldn't rain.. We HAD to get there.
We got there and I had a long green dress that I bought for the photos. I was so excited to get photos in a flowy dress on the beach with the love of my life. It all hardly felt real..
We then went to change into our second outfit. I quickly slipped into another dress while in the car but Paul said he needed to change his pants in the bathroom. I thought if I could change my dress and shoes in the car he surely could too but fine. He said, "Go down to the beach and get some solo shots so that I can have those with me on deployment." I said, "Okay." Just totally unassuming.
In the meantime, Paul had gone to the bathroom to pray before he proposed. Cue tears later when I found this out...
I was down on the beach and the photographer knew what was going to happen because Paul had emailed her of his plans earlier that week. I noticed she just kept looking at me and smiling. I look up at the top of the beach and see Paul with a full smile making his way down to me.
We start taking photos and I feel Paul squeeze my hand to turn me around and then he says, "I love you." I said, "I love you too.."
Paul: "No, I love you so much that I don't want you to be my girlfriend anymore. I want you to be my wife."
Cue my heart completely stopping. I just remember putting my hand over my mouth and seeing him get down on one knee and vaguely hearing snaps from the photographer around us.
Paul: Will you marry me?
Bianca: "Yes!"
All I could muster was to close my mouth that was on the floor and go in to kiss him because anything I could say just wouldn't be enough...
After our kiss, I couldn't stop saying, "We're engaged!!"
I called my mom and she knew and yelled in the background to the family that it had happened!
I called my sister who isn't a public crier to hear her gasp and cry which made me bawl even more.
We called Paul's mom where she greeted us with the most hearty congratulations. I couldn't believe I was growing my family to some of the best people I've ever met. We got ahold of Paul's brothers who knew, as well! We barely were able to stay on the phone with anyone because we couldn't stop kissing! (sorry mom!)
We finally got ahold of Paul's dad where Paul thanked his dad for making him a man and I knew
that this was the best day of my life and I was marrying the best man I have ever known.
We don't exactly remember how we made it home that night but we stopped on the way because Paul wanted to pick up flowers for my mom and beer for my dad.
We got back to my house so late and I couldn't even tell you the rest because I just remember being up all night staring at my ring.
We later found out it was the feast of St. Joseph which makes so much sense because Paul is so giving, kind, and God-fearing like Jesus' father is said to be. He always puts me before him. When someone loves you this way you put them before you and that's what made us work while dating in school and being in the military. The purpose of every day changed when we realized we loved each other. We chose each other.
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