*Proposal Story*

I've been meaning to post this story for 2 months. Sorry for the delay... But without further ado... :)

A little background story: We had our temple date set for quite a while before we were actually engaged. Like a few months. We knew it was going to happen and we wanted to be on the safe side because the Salt Lake temple fills up quick for summer weddings. So that gave me peace of mind knowing we at least had a date, time and place figured out so early. But, for those who don't know--I'm sort of an impatient person, and I was starting to get anxious by March that I wasn't engaged yet. How could I ask family members to make arrangements for my wedding before it was too close to the date? My birthday rolls around (March 10th) and I was sure he was going to propose to me then--what could be a better present? Easy peasy right? Well, he made me think he was going to propose by asking if I wanted to go on a hike and picnic for my special day.

Here's me thinking the big day was finally here

Fool.

So anyways, we go on the hike and had a picnic and instead of a ring, he wrote down the story of how we met and started dating. Very sweet. But not exactly what I was expecting. However, after that I turned on my Sherlock skills trying to figure out everyday how we was going to do it. Finally, the week before he proposes, I get all impatient, sort of whiny and ask in a 1st grade manner "why haven't you asked me to marry you yet?" :( Luckily, he thought that was very cute and amusing instead of annoying. Anyways, after I was being a child for a while, he tells me that he hasn't even thought about it yet. "Give me another month" he says. Can you believe the nerve!! He's trying to keep his serious face on because he had already bought the ring and was planning to propose to me within 7 days. Stinker. All the while I'm thinking "I have to wait another month to be engaged! How could he not have thought about what he was going to do if he wants it to be so great?! Uuugh!" I know, I'm ridiculous. But because of his reply to my question, I give up trying to figure out how and when he is going to propose.

So we go down to St. George (his home) for General Conference weekend to spend time with his family and to get away from stupid school before my exams arrive. We go to the St. George temple right when we get there because he promised me we'd go. Here's my favorite picture from that day

Blissful us enjoying the gorgeous weather and temple grounds

The next day we go on a family picnic, which we did the last time we went down so I didn't think anything of it, and go on a hike. Before the picnic though I notice some things but don't think much of them because I have my Sherlock skills turned off. Things like asking his sister to pick up stuff for him instead of us buying them, his family getting sparkling cider (for a picnic? That's different...) and things of that variety that I am not picking up on.

We go to Snow Canyon park and have an enjoyable picnic.

Unsuspecting me and Loren trying not to be nervous

We all eat and his sisters are "anxious" to go on the hike. They leave before the two of us because he's still chowing down on chips. Really, they needed to set up the proposal scene and he was taking his sweet time so they could prepare. Shortly after, we head out on the Hidden Pinyon trail. I'm having allergy sneezing attacks which gives the crew notice of how close we are. Eventually, I see this



I look over and see this



I'm instantly intrigued and tell Loren to follow. In actuality, I'm falling right into his hands. So we walk over and I discover this

Ignore my shadow

My first reaction is "Aw that's cute!" And then the next moment I say "It looks like someone proposed here" and I start to walk away. No joke. Loren is flabbergasted behind me and yells at me to come back. He gets down on one knee and I still don't believe him. I say "Loren, you're not funny. Stop using someone else's proposal." The reason I think this way is because he's fake proposed to me once or twice before. I am not about to give him the satisfaction of being fooled again. He pulls out a piece of paper and reads a poem he wrote for me but it isn't until after he says a few sentences that I figure that this is my proposal. He puts the paper away, grabs my hands and says the sweetest things about how we'll have a happy life together and he'll provide for me, etc. I'm totally crying throughout this and then he pulls out the ring and shows it to me. At this point my knees buckle and I'm completely inundated with tears and joy. He finally asks me to marry him, puts the ring on my finger and we do the usual--hug, kiss and take lots of pictures for blogging and posterity purposes :)

Imitated surprised look. But feeling true joy :)

I'll only show that one because I look like I had been crying, which is exactly what happened. But get this--his dad was hiding behind some bushes videotaping the whole thing! That was supposed to be a surprise but it slipped. So I'm gleefully walking down the trail back to the car when we meet his family who is about to serve us sparkling cider and congratulate us :)

One thing I don't appreciate about that day is how grubby I look. Really? Getting proposed to while wearing a BYU Basketball shirt and having my hair in a pony tail? Uh, gross. Oh well, it was a great day anyways. We finished it off with some yummy Mongolian food. Notice Loren's sunburn ^_^

Me proudly showing off my new engagement ring!

That's it! Hope it was an enjoyable story :)