What is that noise in the distance??

Ok, so from reading the comments of my previous post, I am gathering that many of my fans out there have put two and two together and know I have some BIG news to share (and it seems that most already know the news). Well, for those of you left in the dark and sitting on the edge of your seat, here it is......I made all A's and a B+ this past semester!!!!!! Oh yeah, and I am engaged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOO HOOO!!!!!

On Christmas Eve, Austin and I were in Heber Springs, Arkansas (where my parents live). We were spending the day with my family until that night when we would drive an hour south to Little Rock to spend the night with his parents. The day was normal (well, as normal as normal can be around the Howard house). Earlier that day my sis, my bro, and Austin and I made a last minute Wal-mart run to pick up a couple more gifts and some groceries for Paula Jean. While at Wal-Mart I mentioned to Austin that when we got back to the house that my dad wanted me to wrap some presents for him and Austin quickly asked me to do the same for him....and I lovingly granted him his request.

Turns out that sneaky Austin used the time that I was wrapping presents to ask my dad if he could marry me. That story is pretty humurous, especially if you know ol' Buddy at all. Let's just say that Austin caught my dad completely off guard!

So now it is about 5pm and we leave my parent's house. I am currently under the impression that we are headed to a cute part of Little Rock called the Rivermarket. It is pretty and runs along the river and it has some shops and restaurants. For weeks he had been saying that he wanted us to go there on Christmas Eve to have some time for ourselves (like a mini-date) and without our families (hey, that sounded great to me!). He had also been saying for a couple of days that he wanted to pick up his sister another present from there. So naive Ashley fell right into his plan!

Now it is 6pm on Christmas Eve and we are driving through the Rivermarket in pouring rain!!!! Of course all the shops are closed and neither one of us are about to get out of the car. So, Austin keeps on driving and finally comes to stop in a parking lot in a shopping center. In the center of the shopping center there is a large covered area that is like an amphitheater and it has some fountains around it. Austins informs me that due to the rain this is where we are going to have our mini-date. I am still clueless to what is about to go down.

We make it under the covered area and Austin begins his speech immediately. Unfortunately for him I had no idea how important what he was saying was and I kept interrupting him by saying, "Awww, thanks!" and "I love you, too!". I was also interrupting him by kissing him everytime he said something sweet. Even to this point I didn't realize what he was doing! Then he took my hands and got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I was in complete shock!!! My first words to him were, "Are you kidding me!!!!!" After a couple seconds of uncontrolable laughter I said yes!

Can we say worn out! This whole break has been non-stop busy! We were gone from Ft. Worth for nearly two weeks and I do not think I spent more than two consecutive nights in one bed. Not to mention that I was sick the entire time! We traveled all over while we were gone. And this post would have made it out sooner if it weren't for the fact that Arkansas does not have internet! Well, at least our parents don't.

So now my life consists of fielding wedding questions from our mothers and looking through my Martha Stewart magazine and wedding planner! For anyone wondering, the wedding will be May 20, 2006 at First Baptist Sherwood, Arkansas at 4pm. So, mark your calendars and save the date!!!! Also, beware....I will soon be tracking you down for your address!

And pictures will be coming soon, too!!! We have tried to take pictures of the ring, but they do not turn out well because it is so sparkly!!! What a terrible problem!