the proposal

I was waiting for something exciting to happen to write another blog post, and tbh 2020 took it way too far. 

I had a weird gut feeling that Something Was Up. Jordan was acting weird and my best friends were acting weird - but I had also had a lot of Taco Bell for lunch, and it was 90 degrees so really it could have been anything at that point. We were FINALLY en route to the photoshoot at Lone Oak Longhorns that Jordan had gifted me for our anniversary (in MARCH. 4 MONTHS AGO.) and I was VERY excited to see the cows. I had also glued my eyelid open with lash glue. Things happen. 

Confession: I'm not super comfortable having my photo taken by people other than Jordan in a more intimate one-on-one setting. I know it seems odd given my profession, but I get extremely anxious and stiff.  But Heather (the owner of the ranch and keeper of Cows) and Claire (our photographer)  made me super comfortable right away,  despite the fact that I almost immediately sank into the field in my heels. To start, we shot photos of just me with the cows, (in this ASTR the Label dress I'd had custom tailored for this shoot - yes, I am THIS detailed even when I am under the impression that I am participating in a casual activity) trying to dodge the Longhorns because the grass puppies did not seem 100% aware of the fact that their horns...you know...exist.

*THIS IS WHERE THE GOOD PART STARTS*

Part of my gift was that Jordan would be in photos with me - something he has made abundantly clear he does not typically enjoy outside of our annual Christmas photo. After a few test shots to loosen us up, Claire asked me to face the sunset and the cows - "He's going to bear hug you from behind, and just turn and try to kiss him, okay? It'll be candid." I heard her give similar instructions to Jordan, without the mentioning the kiss. 

"Justina, turn around."

Me (without turning around: "No, Jordan, you're supposed to hug me."

Yes, my partner of 4 years was currently knee deep in a field trying to propose to me - and I argued with him, BECAUSE HE WASN'T FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS. #justTypeAgirlythings

After another minute or so of negotiations, I finally turned around.

I honestly don't remember what Jordan said and neither does he. You could maybe ask the one cow who was invested in the activity.

At the end, however, he finally asked me.

 "Will you marry me?" 

"Right now?"

- TIME FOR A SIDEBAR- 

Almost since we started dating, Jordan and I have done this thing where at least once a week one of us will interrupt the other in the midst of a domestic crisis - say, folding laundry, or cleaning the kitchen, or taking out garbage, and ask if they want to get married. The response is always

- "right now?" 

- "Yeah." 

- "Not right now, I'm (fill in chore here), maybe later though?" 

- "okay cool"

OF COURSE, THAT IS NOT WHAT I PLANNED TO RESPOND WHEN HE WAS PROPOSING FOR REAL BUT I DID 

Except, you know, this time I said 

- Yes!

The ring is from Chupi, a jeweler in Ireland whose work I have loved for years. Ireland is the first place Jordan and I ever traveled together, and quite frankly, the place where I knew he was my partner. You really gotta love someone to pack their HEAVILY medicated (I was coming off the flu AND a corneal ulcer) butt up and travel across the planet in January. It's grey diamonds set in solid gold, and it's the only ring I ever told him I wanted. Honestly, it's been out-of-stock on their site for months, and I had slightly lost hope that it would be available ~whenever we got around to a proposal~

Little did I know, he was hiding this exact ring, in its little velvet box, in my closet. For MONTHS. 

(and it fit. perfectly.)

We did a champagne toast after and called all of our family - but apparently, I was the ONLY person in Northern California who didn't know this was happening. Quite frankly, I was almost as surprised by the fact that they all managed to keep the secret as I was by the proposal.

So now we're off - binders, bridesmaids, and more than a few Pinterest boards. No, we don't have a date, no, I haven't finalized a hashtag -

  but yes, I'm sure I got the right one. 

Let's get married boys

x Justina 

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