OWBAC

Big NEWS!

I’M a fiancée!!  yes yes yes it’s true, Saturday, August 7th will go down in the books as one of the best, most memorable days of my life seeing how it was the day the man I love got down on his knee and proposed!!  Here is how it went down, and before I get started, I will let you know that I am now engaged to one of the most thought-out planners on the PLANET and with his hard work and help from my friends and family, my day was perfect.  absolutely perfect.

So Saturday Morning, I had planned to do breakfast with Ashley Kimbrow and Lauren.  We were supposed to go eat breakfast at 9:30, and Matthew was going to “mow his yard” then drive to conway that afternoon so we could lay out at the pool.  First off, Lauren was 15 minutes late to pick me up.  LAUREN IS NEVER LATE.  So I was walking around the house, griping to my roomate Cara, about how Lauren is NEVER late and how I couldn’t figure out what was taking her so long.  When she finally arrived, I answered the door and quickly found out we weren’t going to breakfast.  And Cara was behind me with the video camera to catch it all.

The video below starts at the official meeting at the Kimbrow home.  There everyone got their “OWBAC” shirts and itineraries.

My sweet sweet best friend looses it midway through the card and tries to get the words out while she cried.  Here is what the first card said, explaining how the day would go:

Cecilia,

One of the things I love most about you is the way you cultivate relationships.  There is an intentionality and a fierceness to it.  The story of how you and lauren became best friends is one my favorites.  You decided you and her would become best friends and the two of you were off and running.  Like any deep friendship you have been through a lot together.  There have been countless hours where the two of you have laughed, listened, cried, prayed, encouraged, and even argued with each other.

Whatever the case, you have made a concerted effort to love her, just she has made a concerted effort to love you.  When I think about the time and energy you have put in to make this friendship, and all your other friendships for that matter, flourish, i get excited.  I know you understand the work required to make a healthy relationship thrive and I know down the road, we will have a marriage others envy because of this.

Today I want to celebrate you.  I could think of no better way to do that than by enlisting several of your best friends to help me.  I hope you’ll forgive me for the white lies in recent weeks as I tried to set all this up for you.  From the moment I started dreaming of proposing to you, I was only sure of one thing:  I wanted “community” to be a primary focus.  So, before you get to me, several others will join you along the way.  They are all people who love you.  Just like I do.

Yours,

Matthew

PS.  A certain favorite photographer of yours will be a part of your final destination today.  Don’t stress!!  I’ve allowed you an entire hour to shower, put on makeup, and find a dress you consider picture worthy.  And if you need more time, please take it.  It’s your day boo.

So Lauren and I hugged and then she threw me in the shower, because obviously, I was in no shape to get proposed to.  Not only is Lauren my best friend, but she is INCERDBILE at fixing hair.  So how perfect was it that I had an hour to get ready, my best friend to share the moment with, and a personal hair stylist.  Amazing. amazing.

Now. As Lauren was fixing my hair, the though crossed my mind.  I am about to get engaged and my nails…my nails… are terrible!  So desperate for a quick fix, I asked Lauren if we could go to walgreens so I could get some glue ons.  And you bet your bottom dollar we did.  Once I was fixed up, we got in Mrs. Creasmans SUV, and headed to walgreens before our next stop.  I sat in the front seat as Lauren drove us to our next destination and glued those suckers on.  And they are still on.  I’m totally not afraid to admit it 🙂  So here we are below, ready for the day…the before shot!

and here’s my new nails!

So the next stops included places that were significant to Matthew and I.  At each stop was one of my friends holding a bouquet of roses and a card.  At each stop they gave me the roses, and read the card aloud.  These are all incredible friends. Friends that have seen me and my best and my worst.  Friends that have caught my tears through when I had lost hope of ever finding “Mr. Wonderful”  Friends that I have rejoiced with in their marriages and hold dear to my heart.

Each person had a hand written card from Matthew and a bundle of roses.  The cards were so sweet, they all talked about what he loved about me and his vision for our future marriage.

The first stop was New Life Church in Maumelle.  Where Matthew and I met.  Ashley Kimbrow was there.  As Ashley held back the tears she read the card and kept telling me “This is it!  This is real!  This is really happening!”

So then, Ashley and Lauren and I got back in the car to our next stop.  Matthew’s house.  Where our first date was.  Where he creamed me in a game of horse on the basketball court.  There Amber stood by the fireplace with more roses, and another card.

Then us three girls got in the car and drove back to Conway.  To my grandparents house.  The one that burned on October 31st.  Hannah was standing outside with more roses and another card.  Matthew talked in his card about how he watched me go through that situation and how much he admired the way I handled it.

The Next stop was back to Cara’s house, where I am now living.  Standing out by the pool was Katy Barber who had another card, and more roses 🙂

By now, Mrs Creasman’s vovlo is FULL of excited girls and one excited bride to be.  What’s funny is I didn’t cry the entire day!  I was almost in shock that I wasn’t a blubbering mess, but it was until the NEXT stop that I totally lost it.

The final stop was at my Uncle Allen & Aunt Regina’s house on Beaverfork Lake.  It was there we found ALL my family (including my brother from Memphis) Matthew’s family, and our friends waiting on us in “OWBAC” t shirts.  Once we pulled in, I was taken down to the dock to meet Matthew were he dropped on one knee, and the world stood still.  Everything around me seemed to stop as the man that I love promised to spend the rest of his life with me.  Of course I said YES!  We then enjoyed the afternoon with Bar-be-que (my favorite) and our family and friends!  Below is a video of the car ride there, and the proposal.  It was honestly one of the best days of my life.  I was BLOWN away by how much Matthew planned and made the day PERFECT for me.  I felt so LOVED my our family and friends.

These are the shirts worn by everyone that was at the lake.  OWBAC = Operation Wanna Be A Creasman…the term that EVERYONE knew…except me 🙂

And as the card said, John Newberry was there to capture it all.  Matthew knew he was my FAVORITE photographer, and he and his wife Brittany, battled the heat to make sure every moment was gotten on film.  I loved that part.  I’ll forever have these pictures to look back on and remember our day.  Here is the OWBAC official photo, taken by John himself!

and our “after” picture!

and here is the sweet email my PRECIOUS FIANCE sent out this morning to all the OWBAC team:

All,

A thousand thanks once again for working so hard on OWBAC in the past few weeks and for executing the plan perfectly on Saturday.  From everything Cecilia has told me, you guys could not have done anything else to make her feel more special.  I’m so grateful she has friends like you in her life.  I look forward to continuing to do life with all of you in the years ahead.

Now, let me hand out a couple of awards from Saturday:

1. The Sweating-Doesn’t-Scare-Me-Because-I-Have-An-#%*&#!@-Job-To-Do Award: Heather Hoyt (and you did your job EXCEPTIONALLY well)
2. The Best-Performance-In-The-Face-Nausea Award (tie): Cara Duren & Amber Hoyt
3. The Best-Hidden-Videographer Award: Cara Duren
4. The Best-Makeup-Hair-Costume-Design-And-Emotional-Support Award: Lauren Redican
5. The Most-Dramatic-Crying Award: Ashley Kimbrow
6. The Most-Complete-Polar-Opposite-Of-Ashley-Kimbrow-As-It-Relates-To-Crying Award: Hannah Bridges
7. The Best-Texter-Slash-Rememberer-To-Turn-Down-The-Thermostat Award: Amber Hoyt
8. The Most-Patient-And-Uncomplaining-Photographer-In-The-Face-Of-Bazillion-Degree-Temperatures-And-Random-Interruptions-From-Family-Members Award: John Newberry
9. The Most-Surprising-And-Funniest-Comment-Of-The-Day Award: Katy Barber (for her suggestion that she be smoking Virginia Slims on Cara’s front porch when Cecilia got back to Cara’s house)
10. The Best-Pool-Volleyball-Performance Award: Jared Bridges (I’m still bitter my team lost three in a row)
11. The Best-Breakthrough-Performance Award: Mac Kimbrow
12. The Best-Water-Rescue-(Of-A-Shoe) Award: Jason Kimbrow
13. The Most-Beautiful-And-Amazing-And-Gracious-Newly-Minted-Fiancée Award: Cecilia Lambert

AND here is my touch:

to the most amazing man- who knows me inside and out- who knows how to make my engagment day perfect- that is the most thought out detailed planner in the history of man- who i get to spend THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH – love of my life::

MATTHEW CREASMAN!!