One Year Engage-aversary

Today marks the one year anniversary of Oran and I's engagement. Since I had already told the story last year, (To read that story click here), I asked if he would write to you wonderful followers of mine from his point of view. He emailed me his story earlier today, and I was crying at the things that he wrote. He can be silly at times throughout the story, but that is something that I love about him. I'm so thankful to have him in my life, and I'm thankful that God brought us together. He is my everything, and I love him more and more each day. Today will always have a special place in my heart, because today was the day my life really began; today was the day I finally knew what I was supposed to be doing.

My heart is racing, and I am racing. It was a battle against time. Can I get there before her? Do I have the ring on my person? Will her family be there? Did she even wake up on time? How do I smell? How do I look? What about the camera, is it ready? Will she like the ring? My head is swimming. So much to do and no time to do it in! Why did I wait until this morning to do this? As I scribble out clues I still can’t believe that I am actually going to do this.

On February 13, 2011 I asked my girlfriend to be my wife. There was a little snow on the ground here and there, but the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. I always wanted to ask my wife to marry me in a really neat way. Something that had meaning behind it, and I believe I did just that. So, how did I pop the question you ask? Oh man, where do I start?

THE DATE-

Well… First off, I strongly dislike doing anything that is a cliché, so I didn’t want to propose on Valentine’s Day. I made Ashlee believe that my proposal was coming, but it was going to be a multi-day thing. Originally I had planned on proposing on April Fools’ Day, but had to change plans cuz I couldn’t wait that long. I bought the ring about 2 weeks prior to the 13^th. The number 13 is our favorite number for many reasons. Our first date was November 13^th, our first kiss December 13^th, our apartment number is 13, and we plan on having 13 children and many other reasons as well. 

(he may have completely over stated how many children we want...)

THE PLACE-

Ashlee has shared a special story with me on why the amphitheater outside of the Timpanogas Utah Temple is so important to her, that I wish to keep sacred, but needless to say, it is the first place that she told me she loved me. It is the place she new that she would take the man she would marry one day. And it is just really cool and peaceful.

THE PROPS-

Pine cones have a special meaning to Ashlee because of something that happened at the aforementioned amphitheater, and not just that, on the day her dad proposed to her mom outside of the Provo Utah Temple, her mom picked up a pine cone. She still has the pine cone to this day. I loved the idea of having something tangible from the day I proposed so I kind of stole it. I went to the amphitheater and picked up 13 pine cones to use in the proposal.

THE ACCOMPLICES-

Ashlee’s uncle Jon was on a mission in Iowa, and my best friend in Ghana, but I really really wanted to propose to Ashlee, so I decided to film the proposal. With the help of Ashlee’s best friends I was able to have photo and video of the whole process.

THE PROPOSAL-

So as I stated earlier I picked up 13 pine cones, and I was planning to use them on a scavenger hunt that led her to me. I can’t remember all the steps, but each one had a special meaning to us. The funny thing is that I was dumb and decided to wake up early before church and plant the clues. I ended up only being a couple of clues ahead of them the whole entire time. At each stop she found a clue and a pine cone. At one of the stops I made them call me and I told them to record themselves singing a song and dancing. (I was stalling.) I ended up having her family at the proposal waiting, and when she arrived at the amphitheater, on the stage was the last clue and pine cone. I asked her to call me, and as she was doing so, I walked out from behind a bush and got down on one knee. Unfortunately you couldn’t see her reaction in the video, and we missed most of it. I can still remember the love I felt for her, the love I still feel. She looked so beautiful, and happy.  I would never change anything about that day. It was so fun and exciting. That day was the first day of the rest of my life.