He Put a Ring on It

Nine short days ago, my lovely beau of six years asked me the four most wonderful words in the universe:

"Will you marry me?"

I of course said, "Yes!"

But I want to rewind and tell you all my incredibly romantic proposal story.

About a month ago, I went to a ring sale over my lunch break.

I put a ring on that gave me chills.

The lady wrote it down for me, and Travis went back that day, but it was sold.

I was heartbroken, but vowed to not be a part of this process any longer.

Last weekend, Travis insisted we go visit family since he had work off.

I was a bit suspicious, but I did not want to get my hopes up.

On the way home, Travis told me to go ring shopping with a friend that weekend to send him a report because I needed help.

I thought, "I guess he really doesn't have a ring."

On Friday evening, he took me out on a date and told me to dress pretty.

We went to a nice Italian restaurant, and I hinted at my suspicions.

He joked, "Just wait til you get to the center of that bread!"

Again, I thought, "Okay, not tonight."

Afterwards, we were driving to my house to watch a movie, when he stopped at my favorite little white chapel behind my house.

There, waiting for us, was a perfectly laid out picnic with a dozen roses and his quilt made from his grandmother's clothes.

It was beautiful

but no proposal.

We sat and reminisced over the past six years and enjoyed the scenery.

I was on cloud nine.

We laid down to look at the sky, and out of no where, he said,

"Will you marry me?"

No box.

No knee.

Just his sweet smile and the beautiful ring that he had told me was gone!

I called him a liar, said, "Of course!," and immediately put my favorite ring on.

Then he began to mess with his phone,

and shortly afterward, fireworks began shooting off in the distance.

It was magical.

He had given my best friend, Suzie, "the signal,"

and she lit them.

(She is great at keeping secrets.)

The next night, he had a whole party planned with our family to celebrate.

It was fun and perfect and a little quirky.

Just like us.

I still cannot believe I am a bride-to-be,

but I could not be happier!

Travis is the most wonderful man I have ever known, and I cannot wait to have countless adventures with him as his wife. :)

-Beth

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The One That Got Away

My friends from high school and I have sort of started an odd tradition when I go home.

We make music videos.

Our latest project a couple of weeks ago was "The One that Got Away" by Katy Perry, right in time for her summer blockbuster.

The video involves five girls and five break-up stories.
Let's see if you can guess them all.
Enjoy!

Hope you are having a lovely summer!

-Coffeegirl

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HUNGERTHON 2012

Last weekend, I had the privilege of volunteering at HUNGERTHON again after two years. 

HUNGERTHON is Ozarks Food Harvest's largest annual fundraiser for their backpack program. 

It is a radio-thon with Alice 95.5, a local radio station, where they spend four days outside telling heartwarming stories on air to encourage people to donate to such a great cause.

All the money raised goes to help fund the backpack program for the Ozarks.

The backpack program is a program for kids who are relying on school to receive food each day, and do not always get a meal over the weekend.

Ozarks Food Harvest, our local food bank, creates the backpacks filled with good food that is easy for a child to prepare, and the backpacks are sent home every Friday with the at-risk students.

Two summers ago, I had my first internship with the PR department at Ozarks Food Harvest, and I learned so much about hunger in the Ozarks as well as valuable career skills I still use everyday.

It was so great to be able to come back and see all the people I worked with that summer.

In fact, we had an intern reunion between my former internship supervisor, Lindsey, her previous intern after me, Sara, and her current intern, Riana.

We snagged a photo to commemorate the occasion!

Sara, Lindsey, Riana and I smile for the camera!

Ozarks Food Harvest is such a great nonprofit.

They were and are huge players in the Joplin tornado relief.

If you are interested in being a part of Ozarks Food Harvest,

check out their website: ozarksfoodharvest.org. 

Do not forget to give back to your community,

-Coffeegirl

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Person in Charge of Getting the Word Out

I'm starting to settle into my new job at Askinosie Chocolate,

and I'm just smitten.

It is the perfect job for me.

However, I am constantly asked:

So what do you actually DO?

Do you get to eat chocolate all day?

Are there oompa loompas involved?

Well, 

I am a public relations professional for an artisan bean-to-bar chocolate factory, where I do get to eat chocolate frequently and there are not oompa loompas.

I adore my actual title:

Person in Charge of Getting the Word Out.

I think that pretty much sums it up.

I'm a storyteller,

an event coordinator,

a social media peep,

a listening ear for customers,

a idea factory for journalists

and simply an advocate for the company.

A wise professor once described PR as three things:

reading,

writing &

relationships.

I love all of those things.

My outfit for my first day of work!

Being the Person in Charge of Getting the Word Out,

you all will be hearing much more of Askinosie's story in posts to come,

but for now that is all.

Hopefully, you understand what I do a little better than before.

Indulge in yummy chocolate always,

Coffeegirl

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La Capilla del Hombre

This week, I have called Quito, Ecuador, twice for work, and we got our shipment of cocoa beans from Ecuador this morning.

All this has me reminiscing over being in that lovely Latin city this time last year.

Photo from Askinosie Instagram.

One of my favorite experiences of the entire trip, I have yet to share with my fellow traveling chums: 

Visiting la Capilla del Hombre.

Found on Flickr

La Capilla del Hombre, or the Cathedral of Man, is an art gallery dedicate to one of Ecuador's most famous artists: Oswaldo Guayasamin. The gallery was actually designed by Guayasamin, but he did not live to see out his final masterpiece's completion.

"I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a child with no feet."

Guayasamin had a very unique style born out of his friend's death in a political demonstration and his travels to indigenous people along the Amazon. 

He became obsessed with human suffering and injustice in the world. 

His work reflects that greatly.

The cathedral of man is showcases man's suffering and greatness in that suffering.

Like in religious depictions, there are three levels:

heaven,

purgatory &

hell.

However, it is more about man than a higher being because Guayasamin was not a religious man.

Found on Flickr.

My favorite of his paintings is called "El mestizaje," or mixing of cultures and races. The blue and yellow hues represent the clashing of the Spanish people with the indigenous people of South America.

I love how he represents this concept.

I hung a copy of this painting up in my Askinosie office this week because I love it so much.

I enjoyed our group tour of La Capilla Del Hombre so much,

I made an independent trip back to the gallery and bought three paintings.

One is in my office.

One is hanging in my new apartment.

One still needs a home.

Does art about social injustice excite anyone else? 

Or just me? :)

Safe travels,

-Coffeegirl

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