from Ainsley, with love: Sometimes You Forget to Schedule Your Monday Posts

Because occasionally, the beginning of the week is like that, ya know? Especially if you've been a road warrior like I was this past. I was very sneaky this weekend. Very sneaky indeed...
You see, we had to take off for Nashville to get this girl engaged.

Do you know that best friend who is always going to remind you to RSVP, is always excited to see you, always thinks late night is a good idea, or is always going to listen patiently as you complain about the same situation for the 1093th time all the while nodding and giving the same good advice? That's Ann Clark.

We've lived together. Traveled together. Learned together. Grown up together. Cried, and laughed a lot, together. And as the sentimentalists of our group, documented, appreciated, and valued every moment of our times all together. While I've been blessed to have been able to stand by the side of two of my dear friends who have already tied the knot, this was the first occasion where the fiance-to-be prepared me for what was to come. So sitting on pins and needles was an understatement. And on Thursday, I hopped in my car for a quick 48 hour trip to get our girl engaged.

The funny thing is, Ann Clark is impossible to surprise. Once, I flew home while living in Manhattan and straight to her on her birthday to surprise her, only to be greeted with an enormous hug and "I knew you were coming!"
#Fail
So, fiance-to-be Warren knew that he was really going to have to pull out all the stops and tie up the tiniest of detail to get our girl good. And while it's their story to tell, let's just say the tears kept coming multiple times throughout the night. After the proposal, Warren took our bride to dinner, where their families were waiting to surprise her there. Then, they "went back to the house to call their friends,"—and their friends were waiting for them in an impromptu surprise party to celebrate the newly engaged.

(Ann Clark with our bride-to-be in two weeks, Mary-Crosby!)

And then we hit the town in Nashville. Obvs.
I can say from the bottom of my heart that these two people are truly two of my favorite. Meant for each other is an understatement, having popped into one another's lives when they least expected it. Which leads to the perfect mantra for the week: