We're Engaged!!!!

On Saturday, June 3rd 2006, I took Ms. Amanda Andrew to the VanLandingham Glenn, Susan Harwood Gardens on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and asked her to marry me. Under the ruse that we were there to snap a few pictures of our favorite campus spot so I could complete a group of pictures for our living room, Amanda was brought to the gardens. After search for Vebernum, a Japanese fern, and a three year old inside joke between us, I snapped a few shots of Amanda. I then told her I wanted to show her some pictures I had already taken and get her opinion of them. When she opened the album, there were a few pictures of the two of us. The first one was of she and I at her graduation. The second one was of a drunk Amanda and a goofy Jon on our Asheville trip. Then came the directions for Da Bradshaw Code. She was to look at the extreme close up of signs from Charlotte that are very near and dear to Amanda's heart. When she cracked the code, she would get a prize. The code was as follows:

W= dilWorth united methodist church (our church)

I= brIxx pizza (her work)

L= sur La table (favorite store)

L= Lindt chocolatiers (favorite truffles)

Y= tiffanY & co. (her ring)

O= 89o1 Elkins Park Drive (our home)

U= dilworth United methodist

M= sMithfield elementary (her work next year)

A= callAway plantation (our neighborhood)

R= R (a building block from her graduation cap)

R= midoRi (her favorite drink)

Y= toYota (my 4Runner)

M= Montpelier (the street she grew up on)

E= smithfield Elementary

see prizes below

Above you see Amanda, holding the photo album I gave her with the Da Bradshaw Code. Note the big cheeeeeessssssseeeeeyyyyyyyy grin on her face! It was later said that her cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

Above you will see the happy couple, about 5 minutes into being engaged. No, we don't yet have a date, but look forward to so a fall 2007 wedding!

This is for the girls, the ring and the little box it came in. For some reason unknown to men, that matters?