Miracle of Miracles

Y-E-S spells Yes! And for all of you who have been waiting to hear such a happy little word, this post's for you! I am here to officially announce my engagement to Aaron (long-time beau and current sweetheart)! I'm slightly behind schedule in publicizing this news...but, as you might imagine, I've been a little distracted. So, for those of you who like to gush over details...read on. But for the rest, suffice it to say that we are getting married in the Salt Lake Temple. We will be having a reception, at the Eldredge Manor so if you would like an invitation, please contact me.

So...the story (and let me warn you now, I've spared no detail): Aaron was planning to come out for a "long" visit over Labor Day weekend. I knew that he was coming in on Thursday before Labor Day. What I didn't know was the fact that he had been in cahoots with my sister to fabricate some credible story that would keep my occupied on Wednesday night. Apparently he wanted his surprise to be complete. However it was somewhat foiled as he missed his connecting flight in St. Louis en route to Salt Lake. Totally distraught, he called my sister and told her of his misfortune. She subsequently cancelled our plans and being left high and dry, I drowned my loneliness in a shopping spree at Target. However, by a small measure of luck, he was able to get on a later flight...but his arrival was too late for him to carry out his plan. Being totally oblivious to this, he showed up on my doorstep about the same time I did as I returned home from shopping, and I was just happy that he was there.

The next day we were supposed to have gone golfing, but he kept pushing back our meeting time. I was a little perturbed, but brushed it aside. We went golfing and then he dropped me off at my house so I could meet with my visiting teachers. He crossed his heart that he would be back within the hour. One hour went by, then two. Being the incredibly perceptive person I am, I figured that he was just taking his sweet time getting ready and again, I was...uh...a little bugged! Finally he showed up and we made our way to the Mandarin (a restaurant I highly recommend!). After waiting for several minutes, we finally were seated. In retrospect, I should have guessed it was coming: He was acting kind of weird and I just thought he wasn't feeling well. He also made several references to our second date that we had, which started at the Mandarin. He even pointed out to me that we were sitting in the same spot as on that date.

After dinner was over, the waitress brought our check and with it brought a small brown box (not ring-box small) with a big red ribbon tied on it. Seriously not suspecting anything, I thought it was a promo that the restaurant was doing for its customers, and told Aaron that I thought he should open it. While trying to stuff something in his wallet, he nonchalantly said..."Why don't you have the honors." So, I untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside was a small, black photo album with our picture on the front. At this point I thought..."Ohhhhhh!" and suddenly the day's events were starting to make sense. I opened the book and inside he had written a poem starting with the very first day that we met. With the poem, he had pasted pictures, excerpts of emails and the talk that I had written (which is how we met). The poem took me through the beginnings of our relationship and ended with his leaving to Milwaukee. I half expected him to drop to one knee at that point, but he didn't. He didn't really say much about it and I thought, "Oh."--figuring it was just a really nice gift that he had made me, leading to nothing more.

We left the restaurant and then he asked me what I wanted to do. At that point, I really didn't think anything was going to happen. So, I suggested that we visit my family. He agreed and we started towards Farmington. I called and no one answered. So, Aaron then suggested that we go on a drive. "Sure. That's fine." When we passed Farmington and merged onto Highway 89, still headed steadily north, I asked him where we were going. He told me there was an ice cream shop up by Pineview Reservoir (45 minute away!) that he wanted to check out. Again I thought, "Ohhhhhh!" and said "Ok!"

Upon arrival at 10:00 pm, the city of Eden was pretty much dark. Of course nothing is open up there at that time. Aaron then suggested that we walk down to the water. I hate water at night, but went along with the idea. We then spent the next 30 or so minutes trying to find a place to drive close enough to get to the water. Due to the haphazard nature of our attempts, again I thought, "Oh." Finally we found an entrance and made our way down to the water. Once there, I was ready to leave. But we just kind of stood there. It was rather chilly and Aaron offered to "go get a blanket" out of his car. I said I was fine, and that he didn't need to. He offered again a few seconds later and I said, "Well...are we going to be here for a while?" (Was I being difficult at this point??) He said, "Well, we can go if you want." But we still just stood there. Finally he emphatically said, "Please let me go get the blanket out of the car." I finally figured it was the real deal and I let him go.

He came back with a blanket, his laptop, a thermos of hot chocolate, two mugs and a red rose. He set up the blanket, turned on his laptop, poured some hot chocolate and presented me the flower. We then proceeded to re-watch some video clips that he had made for me over the course of our relationship. After those ended, he then turned on the songs that he so "lovingly" sings to me over the phone at night sometimes. Being the only ones on the pitch black beach, Aaron felt no inhibition to belt these tunes at the top of his lungs--releasing with them some of his nerves in to the mid-night air. Then, a little box popped up on his computer screen saying that his battery was almost depleted. He immediately stopped singing, pulled out another book just like the first, and began rapidly reading it to me. Using the laptop as light, he picked up where the other book left off...the poem continuing to describe our relationship. On the last page, as his words were confessing his undying love for me, the computer died. Without missing a beat, he flung open his phone and thrust it over to me--and, with a now trembling voice, finished the almost illegible words by its faint glow. He then turned the page and there, tied with the book's ribbon, was the most beautiful ring!

I don't really remember what he said too much after that, but I remember I told him that he needed to get on one knee! Which he did, and then asked me to marry him. I said yes and then was absolutely, ridiculously giddy for the rest of the night! We then spent the next 4 hours (mind you that it was 12:00 am when he finally popped the question) waking up our families and spreading the good news. It was a fabulous moment in time. One I wish I could relive. I love Aaron. He is absolutely wonderful and am so excited for all that we have planned in our lives ahead!

So, for those of you out there who were beginning to doubt, let me just say this: Yes, miracles do happen.