I have to say I have the most thoughtful fiancé ever.

Oh that’s right, fiancé. We got engaged this past weekend!

I wasn’t overly suspicious of the reasons why Jeremy wanted to take me to the Brownville winery — Whiskey Run Creek Vineyard and Winery — Friday night. After all, a friend from his work would be playing with his band there and it was a great opportunity for me to drink plenty of Riesling.

The very first time I met my fiancé was at our friends’ wedding rehearsal on the steps of a small church in Shubert, Neb. I remember walking up to the church and seeing him for the first time and being instantly infatuated. That was Friday, Oct. 5, 2007. Ten months later we went on our first date.

I don’t know why it took so long for me to figure things out, but I sure am glad I did.
So now, Friday, June 5 is the happiest day of my life – so far.

The church was the first place we met, but the winery was also the place of our best friends’ wedding on Oct. 6, 2007 — the day Jeremy and I walked down the aisle as a bridesmaid and groomsmen. You see, one of my best friends was marrying one of his best friends.

Jeremy told me he had originally planned to ask me a month ago during an overnight concert trip in Omaha, but sadly his grandmother passed away that same weekend and we canceled our plans. So he’s been trying to figure out a way to do it ever since.

His second plan was to propose to me at the winery, but there were a lot of people around that night, and for some reason he must remember the story about our first encounter at the small church.

On the drive home from the winery we stopped in Shubert, to “recreate the moment from that day,” he said. At this point I was a little skeptical but thought it was just him being a goof.
He got out of the car, walked up to the church step he was standing on that day and waited for me to walk up, when I did we laughed for a minute and I said, “OK, now, let’s go home.”

As I started to walk down the steps he grabbed my hand and pulled me back up to the step he was standing on.

My heart started to race, and I thought this is it, he’s asking me. He had barely gotten out a complete sentence when I started to tear up.

“Are you going to be alright?” he asked.

“No. I mean yes, continue please,” I said.

And so at that moment he began to discuss our relationship and what I meant to him.

By the time he got down on one knee and opened the ring box, I could barely see with so many tears in my eyes. In fact, when he opened the ring box all I saw was a shiny blur. I had to blink several times to give it a good look.

And that’s how this love story really begins. Neither Jeremy nor I believe in love at first sight, but that day may have just proved us wrong. If it wasn’t love, it was definitely something strong.

And good things really do come to those who wait. Jeremy waited those 10 months for me to make up my mind, and I’m grateful every day that he did.

I thought about not writing my next column about his amazingly thoughtful and super-romantic marriage proposal, but this is something I’d like to save for the grandkids.

Plus, I thought everyone should know what a wonderful man I will be married to some day.
Oh, and I’m really glad that he didn’t do it up in Omaha or at the winery. I liked how romantically intimate it was for us to be alone on those church steps. OK, so I really just didn’t want a bunch of people to see me cry and carry on.

And don’t ask, because we haven’t set a date yet either.