Pop the champagne, we're getting married!

Hayden and I planned a trip to San Diego to visit my parents, a vacation we like to do every few months, but this trip was special and fell on my 24th birthday. Hayden was acting weird all day, from the plane ride to lunch and birthday shopping, but it was MY day, so I wasn't going to let it bother me. Every year on my birthday I get to choose where I want dinner, but this year my mom told me I didn't get a choice. When we landed, she told me we were staying in the area for dinner where my dad would be meeting us. We stopped at the Hotel del Coronado for a drink (which I later realized was to stall until everything was ready at the beach). When my dad was finally "at the restaurant", my mom told me it would just be a short walk. As we walked along the beach I kept asking "do we cross up here?" and every crosswalk they said "no". When we got to the last crosswalk before the road ended, I asked one more time "do we cross here?". Hayden told me, "nope, take a left". In my mind... "Left? Left took us to the beach, not into town!" As we took that left toward the sand, I saw all my family and friends standing there chit chatting. I had thought, oh how sweet they got everyone together to BBQ for my birthday! Hayden told me to grab his hand as we walked barefoot toward everyone. Halfway there, he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife! It was the most perfect day and I still cannot believe they all kept this a secret from me! No better way to spend your first hours being engaged being on the beach with take out burritos from a local Mexican restaurant with your closest family and friends! We finished off the night at a local dive bar, The Little Club, where we enjoyed cheap beer and tequila shots! The best part was Hayden's mom flew in an hour before us and was there to surprise me! My ring holds a special place in my heart as I am lucky enough that Vicki (Hayden's mom) let me have her diamond from her engagement ring! See you in San Diego!