He PROPOSED!!!!

the story......

So this is going to be written by both me and Jared. It all starts with Jared and his crazy obsession with wanting to buy a canoe. About a month ago Jared calls and says babe I want to buy a canoe! Needless to say, I said NO! (Someone has to be the voice of reason.) We wouldn’t really even use a canoe but maybe twice a year! Anyway.. keep that in mind.. So in our relationship we have talked about marriage the last few weeks and this is were it really gets so EXCITING!

So after going through the process of deciding if we should get married… we set a date. For the next few days we went back and forth on a few dates. We finally came up with Nov 7 and decided that we would get married in the SLC temple.

Now the fun for shopping for the ring began. We spent a few days going back and forth online and tried to find a lot of different styles to look at. My cousin was getting married (July 18) and I had to pick up some heels from the mall. Jared decided to go with me and thought that we could check out a few jewelers in the mall. With no time he took me to a few places to look at settings. We went to one store and I fell in love with the thicker setting. I tried it on and LOVED it! It was even on sale! : ) Jared being the picky person he is (at least he pretended to be) said, I like it but I think we should keep looking around. We drove in 2 cars and I left to hurry and get ready to leave for the wedding. Little did I know that Jared went and bought the setting! So sneaky!

Jared went and bought the diamond and had it set in the setting all without me knowing. He told me the setting got sold when he went back to look at it again. I was soooo sad! We went ring shopping a few places and just didn’t find anything. (He even took me ring shopping the day of the proposal!)

So Saturday (Aug 1) he calls me and says, “babe you will never guess who I just ran in to. I said who?! He tells me that he ran in to one of his old school friends and that this friend runs a business. I asked what kind of biz. He says that he rents 2 person kayaks at Antelope Island. Jared was soooo excited! He asked if we could go kayak after my friends wedding reception. I of course wanted to please my boy and agreed to go. (such a loving girlfriend I am!!)

We go to the wedding reception and while pulling up found that the line was out in the cul-de-sac! It was sooooooooo LONG!!! (Jared adding emphasis) We parked right by my brother Casey and his wife so we could walk in together. Jared went right to them and was talking to them. (Come to find out he was telling them that we was going to propose and needed help getting me to not talk all night)

(Jared typing) I was nervous that we were going to run out of daylight! It was already after 7 PM and the line was so long. I remember feeling my stomach sink to my ankles pulling up. I told her brother that we had to convince her to leave! The island closes their gates at 9 and my brother and his wife were sitting out there waiting for to come so they could light the candles.

So we stand in line for about an hour and I kept telling Jared that he could go kayak with my brother Casey. Casey said NO you go with him. I even tried to pawn Jared off to Jackie! I didn’t want him to be mad or disappointed that we weren’t going to make it to kayak. Jackie was telling me that because Jared came with me I should go with him! Such a nice sister in law – pre-marriage counselor! We finally get to the bride and groom. We said our hellos and talked to a few friends and headed back home to hurry and change.

We get to my house to change and Jared was telling me that we didn’t have much time because the sun was setting and the gates were going to close. Needless to say at this point we both were a little edgy. Jared had a bunch of nerves and I thought he was mad at me… you know how that goes. So we get in the car and Jared is texting his “friend” (really his brother) and sped off to Antelope. He bought a video camera and decided to make start making movies. Such a great time to video! NOT! I decided that I would lather myself with bug spray and Jared starting crying that he was getting overspray in his eyes. Such a baby!! So we agreed that I would wait until we got there to put on bug spray.

We got to the main gate just a few minutes before 9 and right before getting there Jared asks me if I had any cash because he may need another dollar. He tells me that his friend gave him a receipt and that he would just use that. We get to the gate and he flashes the receipt to the lady.. she didn’t even come out of her shack. (This was my 3rd trip out there. I’m sure that lady was wondering what the heck I was doing going in and out in so many times.)

We drove out right as the sun was finishing setting. It was so pretty! Jared was driving like a madman! He even passed on a double yellow line! That’s my man! We pull up to the marina and Jared was so anxious to get in the kayak and get going. We got in and started to head out of the marina. Jared was such a great paddle boy. We both started to paddle together so we could get out faster. I only screamed a few times! I thought we were going to tip over (Jared just laughed!!) It was a little buggy in certain spots and I told Jared I was his bug shield. He said that we could switch after we got to the end of the point where we were going. I said, NO Jared! We are NOT going to the beach!! No matter what! I told him I would drag my paddle in the water before we switched spots. (I drug my paddle in the water to help us turn and Jared wasn’t too pleased. He said that it slowed us down and that if we were on a river rafting and had to turn quick then I could drag my paddle. We both were just a little on edge still because of running to late. Oh I forgot to tell you that on the way out to Antelope I told Jared that he shouldn’t plan so much in a day and that we were just trying to do too much in this day.) So we kept paddling on and Jared kept trying to paddle on my side! So I just sat for a minute and ran the camcorder while he paddled! : ) We were going along the shore line of the island and it started to get darker now and there were some lights on the shore. It looked like a bunch of torches or fire. Jared said maybe there are Indians over there! Me thinking that he would never lead me astray... believed him! He started paddling right towards the shore where these lights were!! We started getting closer and I started to scream and told Jared to stop!!! I said stop this kayak Jared! RIGHT NOW! I even stomped my feet like a 2 year old girl and screamed. I was so scared! Jared was laughing and yelling to the shore to see who was there. (he was such a good faker!)
He was paddling like crazy and all of a sudden we were on the beach right by a burning torch. He jumped out and pulled the kayak on the shore. I said, Jared you did this for us? It’s so cute! He had flower peddles for a walkway leading to a blanket with little candles on the side of the walkway. There were 3 big fire torches lit with 2 lanterns around the blanket. It was so romantic and cute! We walked to the blanket and sat for a minute. I said Jared, we’re going to have a picnic? I had no idea what was going on. He sat the camera down and squatted behind me. He was cuddling me and told me that he needed to stretch his legs so he was going to squat behind me while cuddling me. I asked him if he was pooping! So romantic I know! We talked for a bit and next thing I know he is telling me how much he loves me and wants to be with me for forever… He then asked if I would marry him. I didn’t realize that he was on one knee and was holding a ring. The first thing out of my mouth was, “are you for real?!” Followed by, “are you serious?!” He moved the ring a little closer to my face and I started to cry. Sitting there waiting for an answer he asked, “have you answered my question?” I finally said YES I’ll marry you. Sorry Jar to make you wait so long for an answer!

We loaded back up the kayaks with all the stuff on the beach and started off back to the marina. It was about a 500 yard paddle. So when we got everything in the kayak Jared had me sit in front and pushed us out a little bit. The water is so gross! He went in a little past his ankles and got in. We were stuck on the rocks! Jared tells me to start rocking back and forth. We almost tip and he says no babe… rock front to back not side to side! We looked like twittle dee and twittle dumb! It was so funny! We headed off in the dark with the moon and stars to light our way. To my surprise Jared hired Roy City and Harrisville City to light their fireworks for us! OK so they just happened to be going off right as we were heading back in. It was such a pretty night.

This pretty much wraps up the night! So much FUN! I love him so much and I can’t wait to spend ETERNITY with him! Thanks Jar for the best night ever!