Reader, I said yes!!!!! 😭😭😭
I honestly can’t believe that we’re engaged! 😭😭😭
I knew I wanted this to happen when we first met eight years ago, and to say we’ve been on a journey is just the most enormous understatement.
From falling head-over-heels in love to going through the most devastating heartbreak, to cutting ties and some five years of separation, to finding each other again and doing long-distance through a global pandemic – I would do it all again.
We sent off my visa application the week after I arrived in New Orleans (another pinch me moment!!) and not long after, he proposed.
And now I’m finally engaged to my best friend and the love of my life.
Here’s to forever!!!!!! 🥂
So how did it happen? Well, we had just been at home talking, having spent an amazing day at the lake with the little one and shared a few pounds of crawfish for dinner, when he proposed out of nowhere!! I had always thought to myself I would love a really spontaneous proposal where the guy kind of just blurts it out because he can’t wait any longer – who knew that that’s exactly how it would happen 💜
He had also really thrown me off the scent, so I genuinely hadn’t been expecting it at all and couldn’t believe what was happening 🥺
It was the most special, intimate moment and so deeply meaningful for the two of us. He said later that that wasn’t how he’d wanted to do it, but that he couldn’t wait any longer 🥺
It was honestly perfect and there was never any doubt as to what I was going to say, was there? I mean, have we met? 😂💜
As it was late at night when he popped the question so I texted all my friends and woke up to all their joyous replies the next morning 🥰
We headed to Drago’s for lunch to celebrate with oysters and champagne 🦪🥂
I’m still getting used to saying he’s my fiancé 🥰
The rest of the trip was a whirlwind of snapping the ring in various settings, eating my weight in all of the foods and doing wholesome stuff as a family 🥰
This was earlier in the day before the proposal, look how happy I was and I wasn’t even engaged yet 🥲 (he proposed later that night!)
We had cute family time at the lake, wearing out the little one 😄
And letting Grogu fly.
Attended my first basketball game. I had no idea what was going on but the beer was goood.
This was before any margaritas were consumed 💃🏻
We went for a stroll down Magazine, I picked up a cute gift for my friend’s baby’s 1st birthday (a crawfish teething ring! 😭) from my new fave shop, Fleurty Girl! And some beaut linen shorts from Funky Monkey.
Before a feast at Dat Dog.
I give you, Lucy and the Son of a Saint: a love story.
He had loads of good recommendations on this visit, including this surf and turf burger from Walk On’s. Granted it was a little on the greasy side, but shrimp in a burger is just genius 😍
The blessed Mardi Gras pasta from Bobby Hebert’s 😍 I joked this was enough for three people, how do they expect one person to eat all this, I’m gonna have the rest for lunch tomorrow…
…of course I ate it all.
We were both amazed to be honest! His crab cakes were so good too and look at the size of these shrimp! 😍
I also gained many new furry friends on this trip, starting with my queen, Yoncé. I hope she found a good home 😭 I’m obsessed with everything cow at the minute, and carried her around on my hip like she was my first born.
Also much love to the giant piglet! 😭
I had to make this purchase though, meet Bianca 😭😭😭
And Freddie! 😭🦊 Foxes are one of my favourite animals so he treated me 😭 True love.
We spent an evening wandering around the French Quarter.
Before Bianca swiftly changed ownership! (jokes, we share her) 💖
Now this was a big one, he took me to the gun range.
I’m gradually accepting that I’m going to be moving to America and sadly, something that comes with that is knowing that it’s probably best I know how to use a gun – and that I’ll probably have to own one one day.
It’s not an easy thing to digest and culturally, it’s completely jarring, but I decided to try to think of it as a new skill, it’s just another thing I’ll know how to do, and that’s been helping a little.
So off we went and I have to say, the whole experience was really stressful 😂 The sound is what got me initially, it’s so bloody loud when a shot is fired that close to you, it goes through your chest and rings around the whole room. Then it’s being in this booth with total strangers with loaded guns, then it’s concentrating so hard when loading the thing and trying to point straight and not drop it and hurt someone, there’s so many things that could go wrong! So I took it really seriously and was focused AF. 😂
It turns out I was a pretty good shot, all my shots were on target and everyone made it out unscathed 😂
Well everyone except my nerves! The whole experience was so exhilarating / stressful that I had anxiety after the fact, so we drove straight in search of an enormous DRINK 😂
And settled in for some comfort grub at Central City BBQ.
We also took the little one out for crazy golf! Good wholesome, competitive fun at City Putt, topped off with beignets and a walk around the park after.
And possibly the most intense activity since shooting: the indoor trampoline park at Defy 😂 Bouncing around all day might seem like fun and games, but we probably should have stretched or something first – we both came back with sore backs, legs, arms, heads and everything else really! It was such great fun though and all three of us passed out once we got home, then watched Turning Red when we woke up (such a good movie!).
It was such a wonderful trip and I loved getting to spend so much quality time with my new fiancé!!!! My forever best friend, I can’t wait to be his wife 🥰
And as much as I’m still working through what moving to America will entail, I know I can do it, especially with this guy by my side.
Forever ever 💜
