The Proposal

Everyone is curious as to how James proposed so here it goes.

I have to tell you about an experience that occurred between us first so that you understand why he did what he did.

We were going on a walk over 2 months ago around his neighborhood. We were having a nice time, walking and talking. We got on the topic of other couples that had recently been engaged and their proposal stories. James tried to lure me in one direction and told me that he had a surprise for me. I called his bluff and told him that I wasn't going to go with him in that direction because I knew there was nothing there for me. He laughed his little teasing laugh and confirmed his bluff. He did it again a few minutes later. He just thought he was so funny! (Thanks Jim Halbert for putting the idea of fake-outs in my fiancee's head) We turned around to head back the other direction and we see this random glove on a chain link fence. He tells me to look inside because there is something in it for me. I didn't believe him for a second. In fact, I was getting irritated that he was getting an amusement out of my expense. I started to march over to that glove sitting on the fence, ready to snatch it and hurl it at him. Before I could, he grabbed me from behind and said, "Just kidding! I don't know who's glove that is." (Laughter from James--Me; not laughing). Needless to say, he got the silent treatment the rest of the walk home with occasional sarcastic comments from me.

I guess you have to understand where I'm coming from to understand why this would irritate me. But anywhoo, now that you know that, let's move on to the proposal.

James picked me up on Friday looking mighty fine and we drove to Salt Lake City. He took me to the Red Iguana Mexican restaraunt. I had been wanting to try this place for several weeks so I was super excited about this. We got there with a 40 minute wait awaiting us, but we didn't care cause we had heard great things about this place. It was definitely worth it! Mmm-mmm sooo good! James wanted us to go to the last showing of the new Jospeh Smith movie in the Joseph Smith Memorial building, but because dinner had gone on later then anticipated, we ended up missing it. (sad) By the way, it was frigid cold outside!!!

We were on Temple Square at this time and stopped to take a gander at the Salt Lake Temple and it's reflection in the water. James, stopped me right in front of the temple and grabbed my hand.... in my head I'm thinking, "please don't propose to me now. How unpersonal is that?!" and he's thinking, "I'm totally going to make her think I'm going to propose to her right now!!" He just said, "Jess....(pause)....I love you," then we walked back to the car and drove back down to Provo. We had some great "what if" conversation on the drive down. We went to his place and hung out for a few minutes. He asked me if I wanted to go for a walk, but I was not keen on the idea of walking again when it was so cold outside. However, I was onto his little plan so I compromised with him. He offerred to drive us a little way and then we walked the rest.

So, remember that first story I told you? Well, we were in that same area walking around (by this time, I knew what he was doing). He asked me if I remembered the walk we had taken a couple of months ago and I told him I had. (How could I forget!?) Then, we came to the fence and there sitting on it was a glove. He "played dumb" and pointed it out saying, "hey, that's weird, there's another glove on the fence." I walked over to it and stood right in front of it. James made the middle and ring finger go down so that the glove looked like it was saying 'I love you' in sign language. I turned around to smile at him and he was down on one knee (in the snow mind you) and he proposed to me. Of course I said yes!

We walked back to the car hand in hand and I barely got a glance of my ring because it was nighttime and we were outside. He asked if I looked at it yet and I said I hadn't, but I was already afraid from that glance that I didn't like it. We got in the car and he turned on the light. I looked at it and tried really hard to hide my disappoint, but I"m soo bad at lying. He asked me what I thought of it and all I could think of to say was, "well, it has hearts on it and it's more of a promise ring, not an engagement ring and it's not really what I wanted...but..." He had such a straight look on his face so I was starting to feel really bad that I didn't like it, but also upset that he didn't get me a ring that was similar to the ones we looked at online a few weeks ago. Then all of a sudden he started bursting out in laughter and said that it wasn't my real ring, but a temporary stand-in. He felt bad that I was feeling bad so he decided to tell me at that moment that it wasn't my real ring instead of several days later when the real ring will be ready. GRRR!!!! I was relieved that it wasn't my real ring, but irritated that he was going to make me think for several days that this was really my ring. He's such a stinker!! I should've known that he would tease me on the day he proposed to me. It's just in his nature, but even though I thought he was a stinker, it makes for a good story.

I think that about covers it. We are still set on getting married in the Oakland Temple but have decided that April 24th works best for us. We will be having a reception the same day in Fresno. We are already working like busy little bees planning everything and scrimping and saving as much as we can to afford our special day. Man, are weddings expensive!!! But we're trying to cut corners in as many ways as possible. My goal is try and make our wedding look like it cost a lot more then it actually did. I'm determined to succeed!!! Any ideas or resources y'all want to throw my way will be taken with gratitude.

I'm getting married!!!!!!!!! WOO HOO!