Wait... I am engaged?
Greetings to those who read this... if you exist... ;)
This blog, will probably be my longest blog to date for many reasons. The first reason is, I like to blabber on and on when given the opportunity. I think I get that from my mother. God help you if she is telling you a story and you have somewhere to be... it's better to just cancel your plans ;) And, the second reason is that so much has happened in my life in such a short amount of time. I won't get to it all, but I revel in the opportunity to reflect on some of the big moments and try to remember them and the joy that they brought me.
As always, you will only get a snapshot of my life, and even more, you will only get what I choose to give you in the light that I choose to color my experience with. I say this in the hopes that we can try to come to the same understanding that my life is not perfect, nor do I intentionally try to make it seem that way through these blogs. I show the best moments because they bring me joy, and I hope they will bring you joy as well. I do not offer these memories in any superficial, self-righteous, or pious way. So, let's get digging into some thoughts, reflections, beauty, and joy!
Philosophy:
Recently, I have been stuck on a couple of ideas about life. The idea that I want to expand upon in this blog is enhancing the human experience through heightening the senses. Think about this... We, as humans, experience our world primarily through our senses of sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. Within these senses, we can develop sensitivities and awareness that allow us insight and depth into what we are experiencing. For example, if I am an artist, I train my eyes in their sensitivity of color, texture, depth, etc. I, as an artist, am deeply aware of what I see, and I am equipped to appreciate what I am seeing with greater capacity due to my insight and awareness. This greater appreciation, in my hypothesis, leads directly to an elevated experience because I am able to find meaning within what I experience because I have a context that holds this experience with sensitivity. I noticed this in my own life with music.
As a musician, I have trained my ability to hear sounds and make sense and order out of them. When I hear a sound, I can tell you what instrument made that sound, what it is constructed of, what the next sounds might be, what time period that sound came from, and maybe who composed that sound! When I hear music, I hear so much more than what is heard by the normal person (which is sometimes a curse HAHAHAHA) but, it elevates my experience as I am able to create order from what I experience through my auditory sense. And, it doesn't stop there. Not only can I make order from these sounds, but because these experiences have such depth, they connect to other places in my life to create a flexible understanding of what I am experiencing. Instead of hearing that song, I hear endlessly possibilities branching from history, to composition, to theory, to teaching, and so on. The further I expand my knowledge and sensitivity to hear, the more interesting life becomes, and the more present I become in life. When I am out on a walk and I hear birds chirping, I hear the contour of their song and I can sing a harmony with them on their next round! When I am laying in bed and I hear a train horn, I hear the dark inverted minor chord warning people who may want to cross in front! When my roof is being installed and their machine has a long drone note, I can stand there and improvise a song in that key. This sensitivity brings me into awareness... further into life... and deepens my consciousness and understanding that I am alive and experiencing!
So I thought... if I can do this with music and hearing, could I do this with taste? Could I become more sensitive? Could I become more refined? More aware??? Could I understand what I am tasting... what it is comprised of? Where it came from? What cultures value what flavors? And then could I, in return, be more connected to my food and experiences? Would this heighten my everyday experience? So, I got cooking and experimenting with flavors and the theory of foods- but I wanted to stretch even further, which took me to Wine!
I started my wine experience by doing as much research as I could. I learned names/varieties, history, how to store wine, and what makes wine, wine! Something you should know about me... I am not a history person. I am hardly interested in history, but my wine research has helped me become more interested in history! Not only this, but I have now learned how to pair wine with food, so I have been able to bring those two worlds together when I cook and eat!!!
In my adventures so far I have, completed my Level 1 Wine Certification, started a wine collection of over 70 wines, gone on a wine vacation to the Fingerlakes, purchased a tasting notes book and completed tasting notes on some wines, and even co-taught a "Wine and the Bible" class! Our adventures are just starting in this incredible world of wine and culture, and I already feel more aware and connected to what I am drinking.
I have trained for so long to heighten my aural (hearing) skills/knowledge, and now I have been able to start my journey with taste. I have yet to hone my skills of sight, smell, and touch- though wine and food do include a significant amount of smell.
There is so much to experience in this world through our senses. My hope for all of us is that we are thankful for our senses. If you have all of your senses- you are so lucky, as there are so many people out there who live different experiences where they miss out on experiencing certain parts of our existence. So be thankful for what beauty your eyes bring you. Be grateful for the savory smells, and delicious tastes. Consider the ways in which something feels in your hand or against your skin and appreciate its texture. Appreciate the sounds that fill our ears and lift our hearts just a little bit more. What a beautiful big world we live in- let's experience it all.
I realize that this blog is titled "Wait... I am engaged?" but... you're gonna have to wait for the good stuff ;) Just a little while longer, because we have a new member of the family to introduce to you!
OLIVER!
- A.k.a
- Ollie Cat
- Sir Meeps A lot
- Sir Skeets A lot
- Slender Man
- Ollie Pop
- And so on... :)
We adopted him from our Vet. He had a family, but they got rid of him... and no one was interested in him because he was not a kitten. So, we took him in, and even though he can be a pain, we love him dearly <3
And of course... no blog would be valid without the Nard Dog!
August!
- Lauren (hands down)
- Mom
- Dad
- Chase
- Alyssa *contingent upon a back scratch*
- Anyone who gives him treats hahahahahaha!
Engagement:
This next part is really a three-day escapade haha! First of all, I spent all of Thursday lying to Lauren. I told her I was having lunch with a friend in grove city and then going to another friend's house for D and D in the evening. But, I actually went to Slippery Rock to scope out the area of where I was going to propose! The place... the gazebo, outside of the Slippery Rock Brewery, where we sat the first night we ever met, exactly one year ago. (Hey Lifetime, take notes... I have a new movie for you HA)
I’m glad I scoped it out because it was WAY different than it was in previous years. The benches were all moved out and the tables were gone except one. But I found the perfect table AND I found a trash can to hide a secret camera so that I could catch all of the action when it all took place :) I treated myself to my favorite sushi place and just imagined how it would all go down. It was beautiful and nerve wracking, but mostly beautiful.
After I finished lunch, I drove to Ohio to meet our friend Olivia (one of Lauren's best friends), so that we could craft her engagement book! Ever since the first day that Lauren and I met, I have been logging our experiences in my notes. I wanted to use these notes and our pictures to create a book of our memories so that we never forget how we felt, and all the small details that always get lost to time. So, to do this, I asked Olivia to help because I am NOT crafty and she is!
So I met her at Hobby Lobby and we bought $100.00 worth of stickers and went back to her house to start crafting!!! We crafted for 7 hours to make the book come to life. It was beautiful when we finished because we felt so accomplished! Olivia, and her husband Cody, graciously had me over all night and fed me dinner. Let's take this moment to be thankful for friends and memories!
I got home late that night and pretended that I was at D and D with the boys haha!
The plan was coming together...
Step 3: Execute the plan:
The next day, we headed to Applefest together! Applefest, in franklin PA, is one of my favorite events each year. I love people watching and I love the little stores! AND I love the free apple you get, the apple cider, and the overall atmosphere. It's also nice to have an excuse to come back home every year and spend some time with the family. This year was special though, because it was Lauren's first Applefest, and it was a day before I was going to ask her to be my wife.
We got our free apple, we bought fudge, bought art made from dried leaves, and apple cider, and some other things as well!!! We walked around with mom and enjoyed all of the fun and conversations!
We went home, picked up my dad, and went to Hunters Inn for wings with Alyssa and Andy! If you have never been to Hunters (next to Meadville PA) you should definitely go. Their wings are incredible, and get the frozen fries as well! We all got fall drinks and hung out talking and carrying on!!! It was so much fun.
But, the party didn't stop there... When we got to Titusville, we kept the party going and went to Orrs brewery. We got some drinks, talked, laughed, and just hung out. To Lauren, it was a normal night. To all the rest of us, we knew what was coming and we were celebrating!
My mom kept telling me in private to “go with the flow tomorrow” in true mother fashion.
The next morning, I woke up early and couldn't fall back asleep because I was so nervous! I kept going through the entire day in my head before Lauren woke up. We had a quick lunch at Missy's Arcade before we headed down to Cook Forrest to ride horses. *NOTE* It is not CookS*, but rather Cook. I only know this because I lost an argument with Lauren about it hahahahaha!
We got to the horse place and rode through the beautiful trails. Lauren was in front of me and I just kept thinking through the day and how it was all going to go down. Being out in nature definitely calmed me down though. Here is a reminder to get out of the house and take a walk through nature when you're feeling anxious.
We passed a lake and it was gorgeous. And we came to a big opening of a scenic field and it took my breath away.
After our horse ride, we went to Sigil and saw her family real quick while we were in the area.
This was another perfect installment to the day because not only did we get to see more family, we also got to be in nature more. We went into an old abandoned church. When we got inside I played Amazing Grace on their old out of tune piano. It was cold and lonely inside, but it still felt Holy.
Then we went to the cemetery and talked about life and death.. it gives great perspective to life to remember that we will be piles of bones someday and names on a rock that no one knows… but at least we can live in this moment, and be known… and love. And today was all about life, and love- so it was so fitting.
Funny enough, her cousin found a leaf with a heart in it, and she didn't know I was going to propose! Later, she took that leaf and put it in a frame for us <3 How sweet is that?
We got back to the house and we were packing up to head out to dinner. I had convinced Lauren that this dinner was just a fun dinner to celebrate the day that we met one year ago. It was exactly one year ago that we met for the first time at the Slippery Rock Brewery, and that is where we were going back to. Lauren didn't think anything of it because I told her I was waiting until after 2022 to think about proposing hahaha! We changed into the outfits that we met each other in, and then we were off.
We got to SRU and it was game time. We got in line and finally got to our table. I had called a month prior to make sure that we could reserve the same table that we sat at... :)
Lauren was so excited that we were able to sit at that table. We had the same dinners that we had one year ago, AND we got a pumpkin beer with a rim, just like the first night.
My dinner was actually not great hahahaha it was super salty.. I tried to dull the salt content with some lemon, but it didn’t help! But it was okay, because nothing could ruin that night! :)
I was secretly texting our families in a group chat because I had them all positioned outside and ready to surprise Lauren. I created a three page list of instructions with maps and contingency plans HAHAHAHAHA
Each person had a specific job and they had time stamps of where to be, when! I wanted to make sure that everything ran smoothly for this important moment :)
The one thing that Lauren and I did the first night that we met, was take a walk. We walked around campus for 3-4 hours and got to know each other. It was beautiful and exciting, and we wanted to re-create that. So, we made our way around campus and talked about all the memories from the first night and reflected on all the new memories that we had made together.
Once we made it to the final stretch, I texted the group and told them that we were coming! I had Alyssa turn on the secret video camera and make sure that everyone was in place!!!
Then... it was time. We got to the tables under the gazebo where we sat the first night that we met. During that night one year ago, I looked at Lauren and I knew that she was the woman that I wanted to be with the rest of my life. I knew that first night, and I told her a couple days later... which probably scared her! HAHAHA
Anyways, I had her sit down in a very specific spot and then I wanted to read her my notes from last year when I started writing down our memories. I started reading to her my thoughts from that night and I was so nervous... This was my transition into getting down on my knee and asking her to marry me.
She gasped, and started crying, and said yes and then hugged me 💜
That’s when I waved in our parents and she was SO SURPRISED.
I had them each carry in something that I got her so everyone could be a part of the moment.
My dad brought in the chocolates.
Her dad brought in the flowers.
Our moms carried in the memory book
And our sisters were the recorders of the moment!
Lauren was SO shocked, and overwhelmed in the best way possible!!!!
Her mom even asked “do you like your ring?!” And she hadn’t even looked at it because she was so surprised and shocked!
Then mom took out the champagne that I snuck out of the house “Great Western Sparkling Rosé” and we poured cups to do some cheers on!!! We popped the bottle and the cork went flying into the darkness. We hunted for that thing for an hour before Lauren's sister found it hahahahahaha
We took pictures together, we talked, we got excited, we FaceTimed her Nana and Pap and had all the fun :)
We hung out for about 2 hours there and ended up leaving around 10:30. It was an unforgettable night… filled with fun, family, and love.
Pictured below are two families, becoming one. Two new families created through the commitment of Lauren and I. I am very lucky to be a part of this new family, and I know that Lauren feels the same. Here is to a lifetime of memories, growing, overcoming challenges, and most importantly; love.
Graduations!
Teaching!
Speaking of YSU, Lauren and I were both invited back to teach at their Dana Vocal Clinic. She taught morning Yoga, and I taught Eurhythmics! THEN, we co-taught an intro Diction class! It was a lot of fun, AND it was my first time doing yoga... I actually liked it!
Vacations and Trips:
Here is a link... because it can explain it better than I ever could hahaha
Blackwater Falls:
Fingerlakes:
DCI:
Date Nights/Friends:
Food:
Work:
Random:
Engagement Photos:
Wrapping it up:
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