Skippy Says: Where It All Began, Part I (Skippy Gets Engaged)

Thank you all so much for your congratulations and kind words on yesterday's post. Since I've told you we're having a baby, I figure I should go ahead and tell you where it all began.

Ryan and I met and started dating in high school, the summer after my junior year. Well, technically, I was in high school and he had just graduated, since he is a grade above me. For this reason, Ryan likes to constantly remind me that he is my high school sweetheart, but I am not his. And then I like to punch him in the face.

We planned to just have a fun summer fling together for a month or so before he went off to college, but we both fell for each other faster and harder than expected. So the month turned into a year, then another, and then a third. Four years of cross-country and cross-continent long distance dating and lots of fights later, we finally moved to the same city. A year later we moved in together, and another year after that he took me to Cape Cod and told me he wanted to make an honest woman out of me. And I told him I couldn't wait.

I love animals, and for our four year anniversary Ryan took me to the San Francisco petting zoo. I decided I wanted to go back there for at least part of our engagement photoshoot, since you'll never see a bigger smile from me than when I'm hugging a goat. Or sheep. Whatever.

After the zoo, we headed to one of my favorite museums-- the Legion Of Honor.

While there, we decided to have a runway walk-off. You know, America's Next Top Model style. Ryan totally won.

A quick stop by Queen Wilhemina's Garden:

Before finishing off the day at the beach:

Stay tuned for part II, the wedding ceremony, tomorrow!