ENGAGED!

It happened.

Yes, truly, he listened to Beyoncé and put a ring on it.

SO here is the story.

I arrive in Montreal, Sunday August 28th, incredibly groggy after ten weeks of camp [which will be blogged about soon], and a late Saturday night fam jamming it up at my cousins cottage on Georgian Bay.

Sam and I spent a lovely beginning of the week together with each other and I got to stay with some really wonderful friends (Mr. & Mrs. Brad and Emily Morrice and Mr. & Mrs. Dwight and Jess Bernier)
Not only did Mr. Sam plan an engagement for this trip out, he ALSO planned a surprise party! [The very first time I've ever been truly surprised mind you]. I think I'm headed to a nice little dessert place near Brad and Em's house and Sam just needs to stop in to pick up a theology book from Brad [Surprisingly not hard to believe at all] and SURPRISE! I walk into a room to be surrounded and celebrated by my closest friends in Montreal. [Not to mention DELICIOUS treats... especially the mini-cupcakes brought by Guillaume! mmm...]

The next day, Thursday aka my birthday, I spend the day hanging with some really wonderful girlfriends, enjoying McGill's OAP and devouring the left over cake from the night before. Sam had mentioned to me to bring something nice to wear because he was taking me out for a nice birthday dinner... little did I know this would be the night he would drop the knee! We head down to Old Port, Montreal [Old Montreal] and we walk around. It is so beautiful there, so charming with it's little boutique shops, cobblestone roads and horse and buggies trotting around everywhere. He took me to this beautiful French restaurant called Bonaparte where we enjoyed a delicious six course meal and a bottle of red wine.
Lobster bisque enhanced with ginger - Sam
Mixed greens salad with pine nuts and parmesan cheese - Morgan
Warm goat-cheese and grilled almonds in fyllo dough
Mushroom raviolis perfumed with fresh sage
Pear and tarragon sorbet
Beef fillet mignon seasoned with peppercorns and cognac - Sam
 Dover sole fillet with Meunière style fresh herbs and pine nuts - Morgan
Symphonie of desserts - Including Creme Brulée and three assorted cheesecakes
Tea and Coffee

Goodness gracious it was DELISH! We sat in a window seat, away from the main busier dining area and watched as every ten minutes or so a horse and buggy would trot along past us. While we enjoyed our meals we talked and shared about all our first and favourite moments together [first time we noticed each other, first date, first kiss etc], it was so much fun to recollect those old stories and hear them from each other's point of view.
After our meal was finished he suggested we go for a walk around, I obviously thought this was a wonderful idea. We walk down towards the water and admire how pretty the city is. It was surprisingly not busy at all that day and we meandered around the piers holding hands and chatting. We walk towards this beautiful pond where there is a footbridge over the water, beautiful old street lamps surrounding the pond and water fountains... talk about romantic, right?!

We sit down and are admiring how beautiful the city is and how wonderful our night has been. We start talking about my moving to Montreal after we're married and how nice it will be when we no longer have to do long distance and can be together all the time and don't have to say goodbye every night and after every visit. I could tell he was nervous because his heart was racing! When I asked him about it, he responds with "I'm just excited that it's your birthday and you are here!" [hahaha]

He looks out over the water and says "You know, I was thinking, we have our spot at the water in Oakville [we have gone there literally since our first few dates], and I was thinking about how when you move out here we are going to need a spot at the lake in Montreal... I was thinking this could be our spot." I, of course, thought this was a great idea! It is really so beautiful there. He then says "Well, I can think of one way that would make this spot even more special." and I go "What's that?"  He then stands up from the bench and drops to one knee, takes off his necklace which normally has our promise ring to each other on but now has an ENGAGEMENT RING on it and says

"Morgan Jessica MacNeill, I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" 

...I think I smiled bigger in that moment then I ever have before and say "YES!" and he put the ring on my finger and the rest is history! We spent the night excitedly sharing stories of how he got the ring and how he asked my dad and then called our parents and shared the news with them!

I cannot believe that I get to spend my life with my very best friend!
He really is, apart from Jesus, the best gift of love I have ever been given and I am so blessed and so thankful.

June 30th can't come soon enough!
Only nine and a half months left to go!

- Mrs. Morgan Jessica Thrall to be