Do you hear the bells???

I hear them...sound like wedding bells to me!

If you've followed my blog over the past year or so, you just might know what I'm talking about...WEDDING BELLS! My BABY sister is now an engaged woman at the ripe 'ol age of 18!!!

Let me back up to catch people up with our story in case you're not familiar with my family. In fact, let's back up about 19-20 years ago and really do this story justice. Then, we'll get to the engagement details...

Our family had decided that we were not whole. I was 8. I had always wanted a baby sister and as we sat around the kitchen table with my parents asking if we'd ever want to have another baby in the family, I saw all of my dreams coming true before my eyes. Fast forward past the whole adoption process to adopt a 2-3-y-o from Mexico through an adoption in town that fell through to a baby that was due ONE WEEK FROM THE DAY WE GOT THE PHONE CALL ABOUT HER! I was almost 10 by this point...we hadn't had a baby in the house for that long. This baby was due in 1 week! Basically, the case worker had randomly stuck our homestudy in with 100 others and had put the parents in separate locations to review them. Both of them chose our's as their top pick. There was a catch, though. The birth dad wanted his baby to grow up in the church of Christ. The solution to that catch? US again! My mom grew up in the C of C and my dad went to it from adolescence on. A God thing? I think so.

She (which we did not know the gender at this point) ended up giving us 1-1/2 weeks to prepare. The day that the birth mother was in labor was the loooongest of my life, I do believe. It was a girl and we immediately started calling her "Danielle (Dani for short) Lanae," the name we had chosen. Two days later, we all walked into a hospital room to meet that little baby girl for the first time. There was not a dry eye in the room and we were all head-over-heels in love with her!

So, I'm 10 years older than her pretty much. I was her second mommy. I sometimes got up with her in the night. She slept on my tummy every night from age 2 until she was too heavy to do so. We were inseparable and are still the best of friends to this day.

Last year in July, my parents went on a trip and I was sent to "take care" of Dani while they were away. There was a guy that she thought she might be interested in that was a few years older than her. I wasn't crazy about the age difference with her in high school and all, but thought that the whole thing was sorta cute. At the end of our time together, she went to Teen Camp with our church. Things took a completely different turn on that trip and she started falling for none other than Mr. David Herrington. Remember that age thing? HA! He's not a few years older than she...he's SIX years older. They started dating in August of last year and, as of last night, are now engaged with a wedding set for June/July of 2009.

Now, the age thing is definitely crazy to me. If they were 28 and 34...not such a big deal. She is fresh...FRESH out of high school. There is only 1 thing that makes it okay for me...David. I'm pretty sure he is someone that I might pick for her. He loves her, treats her so well, and is definitely a man of high integrity. If ever there was a couple with God as their foundation, it was this one. I think what stole her heart initially was when they would study the Bible together until late at night; reading, discussing, and learning.

We knew something was up soon. It was just obvious. Besides, now that she's at a Christian college where the joke motto is "Ring by Spring or your money back," we knew that he'd be wanting to get a "taken" sign on her just as soon as he could. :)

Last night, they went and picked up sushi to take and eat. He then made her put on a blindfold. They ended up riding an elevator to the 25th floor at which point it opened up to my cousin's apartment, which is the entire top floor of what used to be a Holiday Inn. From what I understand, it and the view are both breathtaking! There were a dozen roses worth of petals strewn all over and soft music playing...a playlist including all of the songs significant to them. After watching a sunset and eating, they watched a slideshow that David had prepared detailing their romance in pictures along with the first song that he ever sang to her (though the name escapes me). When the pictures ended, the song continued as he retrieved his guitar and sang and played along. When the song ended, he kept playing and singing it to her telling her how important she was to him. This ended with a hug and I'm sure a few smooches. As they went to set back down on the couch, he suddenly dropped to 1 knee and proposed to which she gave a huge yes. After enjoying the moment of realization, they went out to the balcony where they threw handfuls of rose petals over the balcony (which I'm sure is less than legal). All in all, she thought that the night, the ring, and the memory were all pretty amazing and pretty perfect.

So, there you have it. My sister is now engaged. Now, I have to look stinkin' good in a tight-fitting, strapless bridesmaid dress in June or July. OH MYLANTA!

More info to come as it unfolds! :)