Good morning, traveler!! Welcome to your next stop on the ScrapMatters [inter]National Scrapbooking Day blog train. This train has stops ALL OVER THE WORLD!!! You have probably just visited my gal-pal Wendy of WM{squared} in Texas – isn’t she awesome?? Love her!! Now, you are visiting Trixie Scraps Designs in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania where its just starting to feel like spring. I am loving the return of warmth and leaves and green grass!

Our NSD mega-collab at SM this weekend is called “Moments that Matter” and the whole theme of our celebration is all about those moments in our lives that really matter. At each stop you’ll find a story about a Moment that Matters along with a freebie!! There are TONS of stops on this blog train, so you can pick up a LOT of goodies!!

If you started at the beginning of this train, you got to read Britt’s proposal story. She inspired me to share mine, also, and I think it is pretty special, too… it is definitely a moment that matters to me!

It was early 2002. My Erick and I had already decided in October of 2001 that we wanted to get married. In fact, we had already set a date, booked a reception hall and everything! The one thing we didn’t do was the “formal” engagement with the ring and everything. But, I’m not much of a material girl, so that was okay with me. I was head over heels in love with the man I knew God had chosen especially for me. What more could I want? Of course, there WAS talk of a ring. Erick asked me a couple times what I would like. And just like Britt did with Josh, I told Erick I did not want to be involved in picking a ring out, if he decided to buy me one. I wanted it to come from his heart and I wanted something he thought I would look beautiful wearing.

The day that I got my ring was a Friday. I was working in a sales job for a paper company (yes, I totally LIVED The Office at one point in my life). That day, I had experienced what might have been the best sales day of my life… initially. I had landed a brand new client who placed a huge order and I was on cloud 9. Until about 4pm when credit terms and other things caused the whole deal to fall apart. It was awful. I called Erick on my way home and cried to him about it and he said “Just be careful and come home and I’ll make you feel better.”

Well, I sure had no clue about the surprise that was waiting for me! When I walked in the door, the first thing I spotted was a huge bouquet of beautiful red roses on the foyer table. My fiance was suspiciously absent… I called out to him and he peeked out from round a corner with a huge smile on his face. Then, he handed me a little stuffed kitty cat with a tag around its neck that said “We’re purrrrrfect for each other” on it. And then, he got on one knee, held up the ring box and asked me to marry him. It was one of the most magical moments of my life. I started kissing him and hugging him and crying and oh, I was a hot mess! When I caught my breath, he looked at me and said “Well???” And I said “What???” And he said “WILL YOU!?!?” We both fell into a fit of giggles and the rest is history. So, the issue of whether or not we were engaged in October 2001 remains a point of debate for some who know us… but I will always treasure February 1, 2002 as one of the most amazing days of my whole life. Eight years later, this wonderful man God blessed me with still lights up my days and lives to make me happy. He is amazing and I am a very lucky woman.

I don’t have any photos of “the moment” since the proposal was just he and I, intimate and perfect, cuddled together in the home where we fell in love. But, here’s a photo of the two of us from last summer, enjoying one of our favorite things together – a YANKEE game!! 🙂

And that’s my “Moment That Matters” story!! And now, to thank you for reading all that sappy reminiscing, I have a freebie for you!! I’ve made a stacked paper and a pre-shadowed cluster for you using our Moments that Matter mega kit. I hope you like them and use them in good health and happiness!

The freebie has expired – check the shop at ScrapMatters.com where the full package of items from the blog train is now available for sale!

The link will be active until midnight Thursday night 5/6. Then all these blog train goodies are getting gathered up and put into the ScrapMatters store!

Enjoy!!! And now you’re headed off to the next stop on the blog train . . . in RUSSIA!!

Maria – ScrapMuss Designs

Have fun and HAPPY NSD!!!! Thanks for stopping by to visit me!!