One Year Ago Today...

...on July 17, 2010...I got engaged!  It was a 90 degree day in NYC and we had planned to spend the day there together.  We got there early and took the Stage Door Tour of Radio City Music Hall.  I was so excited because it meant that we got to meet a Rockette.  A few years ago (when I started the first blog), I got to meet a few Rockettes at a dance program that I took at the music hall.. but I was up to meet more!  When we got to Radio City, we were told that the Rockette we were supposed to meet was sick and that we could get our tickets refunded if we wanted OR... we could keep the tickets for another surprise that was just as good as meeting a Rockette.  Scott and I decided to keep our tickets since I had met Rockette's before.  Well, our surprise was getting to stand ON STAGE!

Me on stage at Radio City

Now, this was heaven for me.  I thought I might pass out, I was THAT excited.  I was jumping up and down and doing dance moves on stage... people looked at me like I was nuts! 

View of the audience from the stage!

Look at that view!! WOW!! I think the Rockette's have a much better view than their viewers.  What an amazing view for dancers.  Love this.

I clearly did not know what I was in for just a few hours later while we walked through Central Park.  We walked by one of my favorite statues in Central Park... Alice in Wonderland.  It means so much to me because of my love for children and my own childhood memories.  To me, the statue stands for youth and that even at old age, we can all be young at heart.  

Alice in Wonderland, dedicated to the children of NYC.

Just a 10 minute walk away, my life was about to change.  Scott and I were trying to cool off and walked through a more woodsy area of Central Park.  We got to a small wooden bridge going over a small stream.  We stopped there to relax and I remember it being so quiet because nobody was around.  I said to him... "This day could not get any better than this... I have literally lived out a huge dream of mine."  And he said something along the lines of... "So you had an amazing day, how about an amazing life?"  Before I knew it, he was down on one knee and I said, "YESS!"

Us right after he proposed.

Fast Forward to about one year later (July 16, 2011)...

Scott and I in NYC walking along the Hudson River.

 Reflecting on the past year, it has not all been a bed of roses.  Engagement is such an amazing and exciting period in a relationship ... but also just as much stressful and difficult!  There was a point where we were both giving up on saving money, budgeting, wedding planning, finding a place to live, etc... ''

School got so tough for me with working at the same time, Scott got laid off from an excellent job, I was away from my family a lot, we lost a good car in a bad car accident, we lost touch with friends and then ultimately... we lost touch with why we loved each other in the first place!!

Now... School is finally coming to an end.  I did the whole cap + gown ceremony early because of the wedding next year.. but I still have a few more classes to take before the wedding.  Scott has a job again, and a good one at that.  Finances are more in order and we both know how to budget correctly.  We are trying to find more time to hang out with friends and make sure that while we are trying to save money and start our lives... that we are also living our lives!  If that makes sense.

It's been tough... but to me, the fact that we made it through a stressful time in our relationship means that we can do it again.  We've both learned a whole lot about life, about each other, and about love.  It's constantly something that we both need to work at.

I think it's such a good thing that through all the stress and chaos, we have stuck together and made our bond stronger.  I'm blessed to be with such an amazing guy.

Me and the Hudson.

The Highline.  Google it!

The Highline is an abandoned highway that goes through NYC (Chelsea Area).  It is now used as a gorgeous walkway.  As you can see, there are gorgeous flowers coming out of the walkway.

More of the Highline.

 It looks like a highway, but as you can see, it isn't.. there are trees growing on it!

Walking on the Highline.

It is very green up on the Highline and there are some really beautiful flowers planted too.  It's just about the only place that there is any green in NYC besides Central Park of course.

The view of NYC from Brooklyn.

 We took the subway across the Manhattan Bridge to Brooklyn where we had parked the car.  We stopped in this park before going back to the car.

Brooklyn Bridge with Empire State Building in background (all the way to the right)

Overall it was a great day.  Scott and I reflected on the past year and how tough it was, but also about how great it was along the way on top of all the chaos.  Not only was July 16 a day before he had proposed last year, but July 16 was also 11 months until our wedding day.. June 16, 2012.  We have a lot to do as far as wedding plans go... and to that I say.... Let the next round of chaos begin!!  We are ready!!

Oh, and... NYC was awesome... as usual.  We had a great time!  =)

Smile!

-Karla  =)