Catchin' Up with the Cashes: Trust in the Lord's Timing: Getting engaged to the love of my life.

So if you know anything about me, it means you know a little something about Tannin. I've been told you can hardly mention one name without thinking about the other one of us, so that tells you that there is some mad history behind our relationship.

Ciara and Tannin. You either love us or you hate us. What do they say about the celebrity couples? You either "ship" us or you totally want the ship to go down like the Titanic.

But whatever you choose, we totally don't care because we're living in bliss.

Like I said, if you know anything about Ciara and Tannin, you know that our relationship is not and never has been perfect. You know that we were each other's childhood crushes which meant that we used to pull chairs out from one another in Primary and break into each other's lockers to hang up embarrassing things in there in front of the whole school. You know that we were one of those annoying off-and-on couples in high school always hurting one another. You know that despite all of our efforts to stay as far away from one another as possible in college, we made a long distance relationship work out because we fell head-over-heels. You also know I waited for him for two years when he went on his mission and after the long wait, he came home and it didn't work out.

But if you know anything about Ciara and Tannin, it's that we're best friends. That we'll do anything for one another, even if it means let go and give the other one space to figure out life. You know that no matter what, like magnets, we're gonna end up back together because we love each other. (We just had to learn some life lessons in between). And I'm grateful, because if you don't experience sorrow, you won't know joy. (2 Nephi 2:12-13)

So... now let's fast forward to 2014 and I'm engaged to marry him in March next year! (You can shout for joy for those of you who "ship")

I got home from my mission and I had no idea that he was in town. None. Zip. I wasn't supposed to be here at this time according to logic (I was supposed to still be in the Philippines) and neither was he; he just randomly decided to defer school for one semester to be here and work. Neither of us saw this coming.

He had his experiences leading him to me right before I got home, but I won't speak for him. As for me, I just wanted to be in the Philippines, but I knew with all of my heart that the Lord was in complete control of my life.

Long story short and much to my surprise, I found out he was here. Us two in the same zip code only ever leads to one thing. That being said, when I found out, I started praying HARD about a lot of my feelings and thoughts. I told the Lord that I needed very specific and certain things and signs that it was meant to be if it was, but that if it wasn't meant to be to help us both be okay with that forever.

I had no clue what Tannin was going through or feeling at the time of this prayer, but I went forward with life. A week later, and the first time we talked, he talked to me and every concern I prayed about was dissolved without me saying anything and he asked me to marry him. I took some time to pray about it and then received my answer. YES.

He officially proposed on October 30, 2014. Though he had already asked and I knew he was buying a ring, I somehow didn't see the proposal coming up until the very second he dropped to his knee.

All you girls reading want to know the proposal story...I'm getting to it:

His family owns a concrete business so there is what we call "The Crusher". (where they crush up the rocks to make the concrete). He calls me about 7pm asking me if I want to drive out to the Crusher with him to take welding rod to his dad. He must have been pretty confident I would say yes. So I said okay. He picks me up lookin' all studly and I'm rocking those sweats and sweatshirt; I mean as far as I knew it wasn't a date and there was no ring in his pocket. We were just "taking a drive". He goes and actually picks up welding rod to make it super convincing.

So we set off into the sunset. Okay, not really because it was already dark. :)
He starts telling me about the things that happened to him when I was on my mission and right before I got home- how he knew I was going to be his wife, etc. And I still didn't expect it. I just thought, "Well, he's in a lovey mood". Ha

We get to the Crusher in the bottom of this huge pit and he is looking around, trying to figure out where we are supposed to be or where to "give his dad the rod". I'm just like, "hey, stop being a man and just pick up the phone and call your dad to see where he is".

He finally decides where we need to be is right smack-dab in the center and bottom of some big crater. It's pitch black. I ask, "This is where your dad is?" He says, "Yeah, this is where the crusher is". I'm like, "Tannin, I don't see your dad". I'm thinking, "Is he high or just dumb?" He gets out of the car and I plop my bare feet up on the seat and get on my phone because I think he's just gonna take the stuff to his dad and we'll leave.

No.

He comes and opens my door and holds his hand out for me to take. I still didn't catch on. I'm thinking..."uh... I guess this means I'm getting out." I put my shoes and jacket on and get out. He walks me in front of the headlights of the car and starts telling me some sweet analogy about how his life is a pit and thennn it clicked. He's proposing. So as thoughtful as his analogy probably was, because of the shock, I heard none of it.

He drops to a knee and I cover my face like a little school girl and turn around because I was so shocked and...

BOOM. No, literally. Fireworks. Going off on both sides of the pit over our heads.

Oh my goodness. I turn around walk to him and he pulls the ring out and asks me to marry him. I kissed him and said yes. I don't think I even saw the ring at first. Then we hugged, danced and had our cute moment...

We drove back with nothing but smiles on our faces, leaving all of our craters in the past and riding off to our beautiful future.

So whether or not you're a fan of us, we are so happy. We have both seen how nothing other than the Lord brought us together in His way and in His timing. We're both so filled with perfect joy because God is the center of our relationship now and we've both learned and become strong from it. We're especially happy because all of our trials were all for us to appreciate one another and to enjoy the sweetness in life.

So like every other post, I'll say it again. It's the Lord's way. Not ours. And this is what is the best for us.

Big thanks to his brothers for being awesome and lighting the fireworks. Big thanks to my sister-in-law-to-be for the pictures afterwards.

Enjoy.

The Rock. By the way, I did not pick this baby out myself. He asked me if I wanted to and I told him I trusted him. He did so well. Don't think I would've picked a different one myself.