two best friends saying "I do"

Its crazy to think how we ended up where we are now. We both knew each other for many years. We went to sistering churches that did a lot of things together so thats how we "knew" each other. Fast forward a few years later after I (Rachel) went to PA for bible school and Nick went to community college to become an X-Ray Tech. We crossed paths again when Nick started attending Crossroads and, like any young man, was ready to marry and decided to go after all of my girlfriends. We were really good friends, pretty much like brother and sister (I would even say he was like a brother to me). Fortunately none his attempts worked out, which made me feel bad for Nick then but now I totally see why :) We continued being the best of friends and would always hang out with our main group of friends together doing all sorts of fun adventures. The beginning of this year was when everything changed; Nick moved out of his parents house and got his own apartment and I had ended a long distance relationship at around the same time. I wanted to get my certification in personal training so I asked Nick to help me study and he would come over at least once a week and help tutor me. Then we just started to naturally hang out more; going to the gym, studying, and also going out to eat together (but simply as friends). We literally thought of each other as brother and sister at this point. We'd say "Love ya" to each other all the time so trust me when I say its weird when the flip "switched". Apparently everyone saw it but us; I think we were both in denial for a while because of our friendship for so long. But one day, Nick decided to be bold and ask me out on an actual date. I said yes and we went out and so was the beginning of it all. Now, as we look back, we realize its all God's timing. If we would have tried to date anytime before this it simply wouldn't have worked. His timing is perfect, for we are simply two best friends who happened to fall in love.

I'm serious when I say that we will be engaged longer than we actually dated haha. But we both knew!! Before we made it official about dating we both agreed that the reason we were going to date was because we were both seeking our spouses. Nick and I have known each other for so long, so it wasn't like the first date was a "lets get to know each other" sort of thing. Being friends first was such a blessing in disguise; and again, thank you God for your timing!!!! One day, Nick decided to take me out to a nice restaurant for lunch at The Ashbury Inn in Paris, VA. We went and had an amazing three course meal (which had me suspiciously thinking "is he going to do it today?"). We finished dessert and he said he had to use the restroom, which then I was like "oh man, why is he going to the restroom, he's taking a long time in there!" I was getting nervous with butterflies but he came back and sat down and said "wow the hand soap in the bathroom smells amazing, here smell!" and whips his hand at my nose and sure enough it did smell amazing haha. Of course that threw me because I'm like "okay he actually went so its not today.... okay cool." Just when my nerves were calm he said "so last night I met with your dad about asking your hand in marriage" With that our waiter comes with a glass bowl with flowers all around this black stone with a ring in the middle of it. My heart was pounding and I was thinking to myself "OH MY GOODNESS IT IS HAPPENING". He got down on his one knee and popped the question. I said "yes!!!!" and boom it happened.