For Nathan and Ana

As of Thursday, October 30, 2008, at just about 8pm CST, my little brother Nathan Robert Kveene is ENGAGED!!!
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The funny thing is, I've never even met the girl. Nonetheless, I like her. Her name is Ana Johnson. My dad, mom and sister have all met her and use the word "sweet" consistently to describe her.
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Nathan met her at the Moody Bible Institute, where he graduated in May. Ana graduates this Spring. I think the first time he saw Ana he held the door open for her and liked her immediately. My mom said the thing that struck him about her was her smile - I can see why from the pictures =). So, he bid his time for a while and finally told her floormates that he liked her. They then set her up for a blind date with him. Nathan felt bad that he knew who she was and she didn't know who she was going on this date with so the introduced himself to her - the first time he met her. He went to her table at dinner and said, "Ana? I'm the GYFAD [Give Your Friend a Date]." She said, "Oh, I've never seen you before!" Stab through the heart. Yeah, Nathan had liked her for so long and she didn't even know he was alive. =) So, they got to know eachother after that...then they got together 9 months ago and it's been going very well, obviously. Thursday was exactly 2 years ago that he introduced himself to her. =)

Nathan and Ana were originally "planning" on getting engaged at Thanksgiving when he would be visiting her for Thanksgiving in the UP of Michigan where she's from. But Terry and I convinced him it would be much more exciting for him to do it as a real surprise. So he flew out Thursday and included her friends in the planning. He never even lied to her when she called him and asked him what he was up to that day. He had told her that he got Thursday and Friday off from work and that he was going to use the time to work on the youth group dinner he was planning for Sunday (that he wouldn't be attending, but he didn't mention that to her =)). He went to internet cafes at airports and updated his facebook to say true things, even if they were a little misleading... She asked what he was up to and he told the truth; drinking coffee and reading at a coffee shop, eating lunch at McDonald's b/c it was the closest thing. He turned off his phone when he got to Chicago and told my parents not to answer their phone just in case she called so no one had to lie. And she did. He hung out in his old roomie's room at Moody until it was time to go. What a sneaky boy! Have to give him credit.

So, the engagement plan. It was one of Ana's friends birthday this week and so they planned to all go out for hot chocolate and then to a nearby park that they like (would this be the infamous "make-out park" Nathan?). Upon learning of their birthday plans, Ana told Nathan that she had more memories w/him at this park... He he he. Exactly. This is where Nathan came in. He got there early and ran around for a half hour lighting candles over and over. Then he got a quick phone call (w/no exchange of words) from her friend which was the signal that they were like 5 minutes away. Nathan said his heart rate increased significantly - like 180 beats per minute. That's FAST.

So Ana and her friends got to the park and saw that there were lit candles set up. Ana said, "I don't think we're supposed to be here - it looks like someone is going to gonna get engaged tonight." Yeah, can you believe that? HA!!! Of course, they snickered a bit under their breath and walked further in. Nathan stepped out. When Ana spotted him, she just stopped and stared for a while before going over to him. After a hug, he told her that that day (October 30th) was exactly 2 years since they met. He then got down on one knee and asked, "Will you marry me?" This part is great. She said, "And..." Nathan: "And, I LOVE YOU!" Ana: "YES!"

This is significant b/c Nathan had never told Ana that he loved her before. Can I hear a collective AWWWWWW! How sweet is that?!

Her friends were behind them taking a few pictures so I'll soon have access to them (very soon I hope).

Nathan even said he was glad that he got to talk to me so much through this whole process. I thought that was sweet b/c I sooooo wanted to be involved, especially since I'm so far away and have never met Ana! Thanks Nathan. I had a great time helping, and brainstorming and supporting. I'm so freaking excited. And I'm sorry that I gave a little bit away to Ana with all my facebook status updates saying how excited I was. "Eva is excited for Friday...but I can't say why! Moo ha ha ha!" (b/c I thought it was going to happen on Friday), "Eva can hardly contain her excitement...just ask Terry," "Eva can't wait can't wait can't wait." Man, I just could hardly contain myself. Terry even made me erase another status update Thursday night where I said that "THE event should be happening right now...did you figure it out yet Ana?" b/c he said there was a possibility something would go wrong and she would see it. Gulp. I'm guilty. I erased it.

Anyway, I can't wait to meet her! Here are some photos of the two of them.

Here's the ring! He found it in Rapid City and thought of Ana right away. I really like it. Can't wait to see it on her hand for I real.

Here is the front of the card Noah and I made and sent for Ana (and Nathan - he asked me what the card said and I told him he would find out when he reads it over her shoulder...he liked that idea a lot). It's meant to go with Noah's daily "lessons." I heard she likes kids so I hope she likes it!

Inside

Behind.

Here is our letter-of-the-day coloring sheet from Wednesday. Noah said the letter "R" was the letter on Sesame Street (I had just missed it). After I drew my Ring, I thought I would attempt to convey the idea of marriage to Noah and drew a picture of the engagement b/w Nathan and Ana. I got really excited when I told him Ana would be his new auntie. I don't know if he understood the marriage thing, but perhaps a new auntie made more sense. And now he can say that Nathan is gonna give Ana a RING.

Here's the back.

Here's baby Nathan at me (4) and Stephanie's (2) birthday party. He would have been like 3 and 1/2 months old. Looks a lot like mini-me. =)

Here's toddler Nathan playing in Gramma Ardis' turning cupboard.

Here is Nathan before me and Terry's wedding, June 19, 2004.

Nathan at college with worms coming out of his face...um, they're really pretzels.

Ana posing at their date night.

Eeeee. How cute are they?!

Home sweet home in the Black Hills.

Nathan pretending to be a human...or is it pretending to be a monkey, I'm confused? These last few are from Stephanie and Nathan's trip to Chicago to visit Ana at the end of September.

Weak water fight.

A park near Lincoln Park Zoo.

Playing in the fountain at Daily Plaza.