The Story of Our Engagement

August 2013, the summer was drawing to a close. Simeon and I had been dating for 2 years. We had one more year of school left, and then we knew we wanted to get married soon after graduation. There was only one big step between where we were and where we wanted to be- engagement.

I have always been a hopeless romantic and an extreme planner. I thought that a year-long engagement was the perfect amount of time to plan a wedding, especially since we’d be wrapping up our senior year of college during that time. We had already decided on getting married sometime in July of 2014, I just didn’t have a ring yet. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t put any pressure on Simeon. I was very anxious to move from girlfriend to fiancé. As the summer wound down, I knew it had to be close. Every time we went on a date or happened upon something I deemed romantic, I’d get giddy inside thinking “could this be it?”!

Meanwhile, Simeon had a plan in the works. Simeon’s grandparents own a gorgeous piece of property in Indiana. His grandfather did a ton of work to the land creating lakes and trails. His grandmother had passed away earlier in the year, and an heirloom grandfather clock had made its way to being left to Simeon. This was a clock that he had fond memories of as a child and something he associated with his grandparents. It was precious to him, and he was delighted that it would be his. He just had to go get it. So, he planned a trip for me, him and his parents to venture to get the clock. For weeks, he bragged up this trip as one in which we’d accomplish nothing but fishing and four-wheeling- his dream trip, not necessarily my dream trip though.

We arrived at the property, and it really was as gorgeous as his stories made it out to be. Evening came, and Sim told me to plan to meet him early the next morning to do our devotions together and to get some pictures together around the lake. Now there should have been quite a few red flags going off in my mind clueing me into the fact that this was more than a fishing/clock retrieval trip, but I was completely oblivious. While he and his dad stayed at his grandparents house, his mom and I stayed at another relatives. Roxanne and I stayed up late into the night talking. She knew what was happening the next morning, but she did a masterful job at keeping the secret! I got up that morning, got ready and went to meet my man. I looked nice, but not as nice as I would’ve had I known what was coming. I was curious as to why he wanted to get pictures. Taking pictures is something that Simeon dreads. I guess I just chalked it up to his way of making up to me for making me get fish all over my hands!

He took me to the most gorgeous spot by the lake. There was a weeping willow tree with a rock shaped like a bench underneath. We read our Bibles together, and then Sim told me he had something for me. He pulled out a book and asked me to read it. He had found a company that wrote our love story and how he felt about me with hand-drawn pictures. I got towards the end and realized the scene in the book was the same exact spot we were at! All of the sudden, my stomach filled with a million butterflies. This was it! This was the moment I’d dreamed of all my life! I was so nervous, I couldn’t muster the courage to turn to the next page. I didn’t need to though. I looked up and Simeon had gotten down on one knee. He said, “Brettnay Nicole Varner, will you marry me?” Of course my answer was “YES”!

He slipped the most beautiful ring on my finger, one he actually designed himself! He pulled several different elements from rings I had mentioned liking to make one unique just for me. It was perfect!

We had the best day! His mom soon joined us, and we went around the property taking photos together. Now it all made sense! We enjoyed lunch at a local hibachi restaurant. That afternoon, some extended family members came over and we took turns riding on innertubes pulled by jet skis on the lake. It was such a blast, and we laughed so hard our sides hurt for days. We ended the day sitting together in the field looking at the stars. We actually saw a shooting star! It was the perfect ending to the most perfect day.