There's going to be a wedding!!

My brother Jeff proposed to Kate yesterday! I am sooooooo excited! I wish I lived closer to celebrate with them and get to know Kate. She seems awesome for Jeff, and everyone is really really happy!

Here's all the juicy details I've gotten so far......

They met at a Halloween dance. Jeff was dressed like this:

Let's just say it was love at first sight. :) Ha ha.

They started dating soon after that. Jeff would drive almost 2 hours most days to go and see her. Whew! But she was worth it. He loves to spend time with her, and as time went on they were together all the time.

A little about Kate....

* She's got a great first name! We're going to have another Kate Bates in the family! And her middle name is Marie....I think it's fate! :)

* Her last name is Hart....our family has lived next to "Hart Road" in Illinois AND Washington. Coincedence? I think not! Let's just say Heavenly Father was sending a subliminal message to Jeff. Ha.

* She's a dance teacher. Whoohoo! I'm excited about that! She just got hired to choreograph the high school musical that both Michael and Claire are performing in. Nice!

* She's a convert...and was baptized last May. COOL! Her brother and his family are also members.

* I met her during Thanksgiving vacation. We went to Snowqualmie Falls and then out for Chinese Food afterwards. After our meal, we all opened up our fortune cookies. I don't remember what anyone's fortune was, but hers was "You or a close friend will soon be happily married." Ha ha, we all awkwardly cracked up (how embarassing when you are meeting the family for the first time and are just newly dating!) Ha ha. We finished our meal and left the restaurant. Before leaving I noticed that she had left her fortune on her plate. I quickly grabbed it and gave it to Jeff later. I told him she was a great girl and he should totally keep it for when he proposes. Ha! I was already thinking about how cute they were together!

Two weeks ago Jeff called me and told me they were going ring shopping and wanted to get married. I immediately brought up the fortune cookie! He had forgotten about it, but found it and was excited.

Last week he bought her this gorgeous ring:

He secretly planned his proposal....

Yesterday morning at 5am they went to Mt. Rainier for a hike up to a waterfall.

He packed a picnic for her which included a fortune cookie. He planted the fortune that he had saved inside it. Cute! So they ate the picnic, she opened the fortune cookie, and he got on his knee. She was totally surprised!


Here's the happy couple. Ah, isn't love great? What a fun and exciting time this is! I am so excited that Kate is joining our family and think she is GREAT!