Engagement story confession

*Warning* Super long post. But if you want to read about my engagement story, carry on!

At the very spot that he proposed to me.

Yesterday marked the 7th anniversary of the day that I got engaged to that Cute Boy of mine. I had totally forgotten about it until I flipped through my journal a couple weekends back.

Have I ever shared my engagement story with you? No? I'm pretty much in love with my engagement story, it's hilarious and  it totally fits me.

It was the summer of 2004 and I was just finishing up a spring term and I was facing a cram session of finals to deal with. I had known for awhile that C.B. was planning on proposing to me, I just didn't know when. Did I ever mention how much I hate surprises? It was killing me not to know what he had planned out.

Every weekend, C.B. would plan out these extravagant dates to fancy restaurants and fun outings. Every weekend, I would think THIS IS THE WEEKEND, and I would go all out with makeup and hair. If you know me, you know how I feel about makeup and doing my hair, it hardly happens.

I would come home every Saturday night from my dates and my roommates would hurry to check my hand anticipating the engagement. Without fail, I would shake my fist in the air and say "Not this weekend girls!"

On a side note, one Friday night we went to Salt Lake City for dinner, and afterward he wanted to go to the Salt Lake Temple to walk around. My heart was racing, cause in Utah, if a boy that you are anticipating to get engaged to takes you to any temple to walk around, something is up. While we were there staring up at this insanely beautiful temple, we witnessed another couple get engaged. Then, C.B. asks "Ready to go?" I was so confused. After we were engaged, I asked him about that night, and he explained that he really just wanted to go see the temple.

On Wednesday June 16th, he called to ask if I wanted to go see a movie with him. I remember telling him I would, I just had to finish a final paper. He showed up to my apartment really dressed up and I was a bit confused by it all, but decided that my ensemble of a messy bun, no makeup, and a t-shirt with shorts would work.

While we were driving to the theater, he was so quiet and it was really odd. I asked him what was up, and he explained that he felt uncomfortable being completely dressed up while I was not. He offered to go home and change but I became a complete brat and demanded that he take me home to change. I changed, did the makeup and hair and we were on our way. I was not at all thrilled.

When we arrived to the theater, we learned that the movie we wanted to see was sold out. I was ok with that since I really just wanted to get home and go to sleep. I wasn't feeling the whole outing. C.B. had other plans in mind and suggested that we go to Rock Canyon Park instead. We had only been there once before during the day and I couldn't really remember how to get to it.  We drove around in circles trying to find it in the dark and I tried to convince him to just go home. He was not having it. He was determined to find this park.

We finally arrived to this dumb park and I was a little annoyed by the whole experience. I just wanted some sleep already! We set up shop under this tree and we sat around and looked at the stars while all along I was thinking about the paper that need to be finished and my bed. C.B. tells me that he is going to run back to his car to get a blanket because I looked a little cold. When he returned he had a blanket and his guitar. I asked about the guitar and he explained that he had taken it to work to show a friend. I totally believe him.

He started to play the song  Layla by Eric Clapton and I was shocked because previously he would refuse to play it for me. Any time I would ask, he would respond " Oh, Layla, I don't know it."  So he was strumming along while singing and then he got on his knees while he sang  the line "Layla, you've got me on my knees. Layla, I'm begging, darling please. Layla, darling won't you please marry me."  Folks I am not even kidding, I had no idea he was proposing to me. I responded by saying "Ahh yea, you know we talked about this, one day we will get married." So he gets up and hugs me and when he does, he puts the ring box in my hand. Surprise of my life! I kept saying "Are you freaking kidding me!" I was not expecting it at all! He totally surprised me. Then the sprinklers went off, and we ran to the car before we got too wet. Not even joking.

I returned home with a custom designed ring on my hand and didn't say a word to my roommates. No one noticed or wanted to check my hand. They were not expecting anything to happen that night. The next morning while eating breakfast, one of my roommates caught a glimpse of my hand and did a double take. She rubbed her blurry eyes and asked "Really?" It was all very exciting! Lots of jumping up and down.  

Seven years later and that story still makes me laugh. I am so lucky to be married to such a wonderful man who puts up with so much insanity from me. He is the best!