How My Boyfriend Became My Fiance

I was extremely wary of starting a blog because, as I mentioned in my last post, things that are cliche and I don't usually get along haha. Yesterday, I finally came to the decision that my last post would be my first and last ever blog post. (A terribly constructed sentence). Driving home from my family's Memorial Day BBQ I said to Stu, "Okay that's it. I'm never posting on the blog again." His response was a great reminder of why he is so good for me. "Do you really care that much about what people might say or think?" Touche StuLuv. So, the blog lives on! Hopefully it can be a good way for friends and family who live far away, particularly the ones in Toppenish, to keep up on us since they can't be as close as we wish they were.

As promised, here is the story of the proposal. The long version... I'm still practicing how to condense it into a short version for those who don't want to hear a play by play of every minute. :)


It's not that big of a secret that we started planning our wedding around the beginning of April. We actually got a pretty impressive amount of stuff done because Lucy, Stu's mom, was in town and together our moms went to town trying to get things done before Lucy had to leave. With so much planning done, I think we were all pretty eager to make it official. The moms were definitely getting tired of keeping it on the DL. One did a better job than the other...thumbs up, Lucy.

We went ring shopping a few times and I finally gave in to the reality that I was going to have to design my ring to get what I wanted and that designing it and having it made meant that it would take longer than I wanted to have it done. This also meant that I would have no idea when exactly Stu would have the ring. I had an idea of when it would maybe be finished but any suspicions of it being this last weekend were squashed when my mom told me that my family was leaving Friday to go camping. I knew Stu wouldn't propose when they were out of town. Looking back on it, there were several hints that I should have picked up on. The biggest one being that Lucy actually texted me and told me that it was happening. Haha okay it wasn't that blatant, but almost! Word for word, the text said: "Jess your mom said she wishes I could be there Friday! I wish I could too! I'm so excited for all of us!" I struggled for HOURS with what to do with this information. I didn't know if I should ask her what she meant or tell Stu what she had said and I felt soooo bad that I had somehow ruined the surprise when I knew Stu was probably trying really hard to keep it a secret.

I finally decided to just tell him and he said he didn't know what she was talking about and I should ask her. The response was that my mom had told her that I was getting my dress fitted Friday and she wishes she could be there. Even though my dress fitting was in fact on Thursday, I totally bought it. A shout out to Lucy, Wendy, and Stu for all the behind the scenes work that went into covering this up by the way! Come to find out that there was a lot of swift phone calls and texting that took place between me asking what she meant and her reply about the dress fitting. Well done friends.

Now we get to Friday.

Under the impression that we were heading up to Stu's friend Cam's cabin to have a game night with a huge group of people, I obliviously headed up to Park City with Stu. He even went so far as to tell me that we were meeting up with other people for dinner and they bailed at the last minute, I even heard the phone call. We ate at this AWESOME restaurant and had the best pizza I've ever had! I would definitely recommend Maxwell's Eastcoast Eatery to anyone who likes pizza. After we ate Stu said there were probably already people at the cabin so we could just go up there and wait for everyone else to show up. Still no real suspicions. Especially when we got to the cabin and there were cars in the driveway. We went inside and the only thing I had time to think as I closed the door was "it shouldn't be this quiet in here..." When I turned around I saw the trail of candles and rose petals that led out to this:

I may have figured out what was going on by now. :) Stu sat me down in the chair, said some things that I can't remember anymore because my head was spinning, and then stood up for the big moment. And then this happened:

The ring wasn't in the right pocket. It wasn't in the left pocket. Nope. No ring! He didn't seem too nervous but I definitely was. His exact words were "Okay I'll be right back... Walk of shame." (Later we found out that someone who could hear him that I had said no when they heard that hahaha). So I waited:

It didn't take him too long though :) The ring had just fallen out right next to the car. And then this happened:

And then this happened :)...

Didn't he do an amazing job?! I am still thoroughly impressed. Special thanks to Cam, James, Johnny, and the two cute girls who helped him with everything and put it together. I loved it and I love the story. It wasn't quite over yet though. As we were leaving he told me that we were going to have dessert in Salt Lake. My mind was still spinning so much and I was so focused on staring at the ring that it didn't really occur to me that this was strange since we both HATE desserts. I also didn't find it strange that we drove right through Salt Lake and to Sandy. Only did I find something a little off when we passed Sandy and started driving into Draper. Then it hit me that my family wasn't really camping. They were still at home and probably waiting there for us. Not only was my family waiting there though, but Stu, my mom, and my best friend of 13 years Chelsea had put together a surprise engagement party.

 

It was so fun. Stu summed it up perfectly later. Having friends and family there to celebrate this awesome moment just made him even more excited for the wedding. I couldn't agree more. The proposal was perfect. Being engaged definitely feels good after the past couple months of secret wedding planning, even though I hope it goes by quickly! I also can't stop staring at this beautiful thing on my finger.

Well done, Stu!

Chapter 1: How We Met

I'm surprised how excited I am about the first post to the "marriage blog." Anyone who knows me or Stu know we both have a unique disdain for any and all things cliche. Starting a blog after you get engaged is about as cliche as you can get! I decided to make an exception though, just this once, and give in to the classic mormon relationship blog haha. I have a great story for this one, so hopefully that makes up for it a little bit. :)

Before I get to the Proposal, I better fill in the backstory of how Stu and I met. 

I graduated in 2010 from Jordan High School and one of the things I was most excited about for college for getting to attend a student ward. (This is especially funny for anyone who knows how notoriously anti-social I am in my wards). Luckily I was at least semi-social in my Freshman Ward because that's where I met Lucas Reynolds. We were super good friends that entire year and he was always telling me how I needed to come do something with him and his older brothers, all of whom attended BYU as well other than Ethan, who was on a mission at the time. Plans were made several times for me to come do stuff with them but they always seemed to fall through. 

That finally changed when Lucas left on his mission. He had already moved back home to Washington for the Summer but decided to come out to Utah to visit some friends one last time in the middle of June before he headed out for Brazil. I'm so glad he did. :) That weekend my roommate Steph and I met up with Lucas and his brothers, Paul and Stuart, along with their cousin Stacie to go bowling at Fat Cats. To be completely honest the only interaction I really remember having with Stu that night was when he came and tried to help me with my bowling strategy one or two times because he was scared I was going to send the bowling ball through the floor. The other vivid memory from that night is him mocking a socially awkward girl that was dancing in the lane next to us. A boy after my own heart.

He sent me a friend request on Facebook that night and sent me a message, "Did you get that shoulder iced?" (I don't think I'm that bad at bowling!) The rest of that conversation consisted of brainstorming techniques to make a better bowler, making fun of redheads, and much sarcasm. We probably talked strictly on Facebook for a few days before I finally just decided we needed to take our interaction to the next level and threw my phone number out there. 

We went stargazing and to get snowcones that weekend  and hung out for about 2 weeks before our first official date. A fateful date that ended in a little pain, and a lot of amusement. We went to sushi at Happy Sumo and then went back to Stu's to watch a movie.. to "watch a movie." We "watched a movie" so much that I got a rash on my upper and lower lip and woke up the next morning with a large portion of my lower face significantly scabbed. This would have been hilarious if the story ended there, but just to add injury to insult, I was going to the Young Women's Camp  director for my home ward during the coming week. Luckily it was pirate themed so I just drew a black beard on my face with a little makeup! 

I don't think I fooled anyone and it's still something I don't think I'll ever live down. When your first kiss came along with such an awesome story, you're morally obligated to share it with the world, right? :)

Anyway, that's the beginning of our story! I can't believe we've known each other almost a year or that we'll be getting married in just 3 short months, almost exactly a year after we started dating. 

August 31, 2011:

 Out to dinner at La Jolla Groves for my birthday.

Now I better get started on my next post about the proposal... It's a good one. :)