The Engagement

Last month I had the great experience of going to White Sands National Monument by Alamogordo, New Mexico.  I had never been that direction before and it was a neat experience!  Here is how the website describes the park, “The largest gypsum dune field in the world is located at White Sands National Monument in south-central New Mexico. This region of glistening white dunes is in the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert within an "internally drained valley" called the Tularosa Basin. The monument ranges in elevation from 3890' to 4116' above sea level. There are approximately 275 total square miles of dune fields here, with 115 square miles (about 40%) located within White Sands National Monument…This dune field is very dynamic, with the most active dunes moving to the northeast at a rate of up to 30 feet per year, while the more stable areas of sand move very little.”  I also got to see the White Sands Missile Range which is also home to the Trinity Site where on July 16, 1945 the atomic bomb was tested. 

Michael planned this weekend and thought it would be fun to bring the horses down and go riding in the park.  We each brought one down and took off riding across the park.  The dunes were amazing and so much larger than I thought they would be.  It was a surprise to find snow in the park as well.  It was a brisk day but made for nice riding.  We rode far out into the park and finally found a place that a tree had managed to survive in.  The sand and dunes made amazing formations around it.  We stopped and decided it was time for a bite to eat.  We had cheese, sausage, crackers and fruit while we soaked up the winter sun.  While riding we saw people setting up for a wedding.  We were chatting about it during our snack and came to the conclusion that we did not want to get married at the park. (Yes, conversations are very random with us) After I stated that, Michael asked if I wanted to get engaged at the park. My response was, “Well, if it’s to you I do!”  With that he got on his knee and asked me to marry him!  Oh the excitement!  I of course said yes!  It was a great moment in our lives.  What an incredible place to be with such an amazing person.  It made for a great day.  A long time ago Michael had asked what a perfect day would encompass for me.  I don’t remember him asking me this but I apparently said that it would involve horses so that is how he decided to take the horses out.  It really was a perfect day.  I know it has been almost a month now since the “big event” but I wanted to share it with you!  The wedding plans have begun and I am still on a high knowing that I get to be with such a remarkable man for the rest of my life.  Life is so good!

Here is a picture of me riding at the dunes on my 10 year old mustang named Hooker