A Capitol Proposal

"Utah's Capitol building, located on a hill overlooking downtown Salt Lake City, is an elegant architectural masterpiece. The building is set on over 40 acres, with beautifully maintained and sculpted lawns, trees, flowerbeds, and shrubs. From the south steps, Kiwanzar trees can be viewed circling the drive. From the front steps you see a spectacular view of the Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountains, and Salt Lake City below."

Sounds beautiful, doesn't it? So it makes sense that while waiting for Kelsy and friends to call we'd drive around Salt Lake and end up there. Despite the cold of a chilly January evening, we decided to walk up to the building. After ascending the stairs, we looked out at the breathtaking view. Tyler had his arms around me and told me to make a wish. I turned to him and said, "Oh, you can do that on pretty views?" It's amazing how much he puts up with me. "Sure, I guess," he replied. I thought and thought for a second, part of me thinking, "I wish he'd propose and we'd get married," but then I thought a) I don't want him to ask me what my wish is, that'd be embarassing, and b) we finally mentioned marriage today, so it's gonna happen anyway. Should I waste a wish on something that's going to happen? Yes, I'm that crazy.

So I finally asked if I had to tell him what it was, and he said no, so I made my crazy wish. All of a sudden I realized his arms were no longer around me, and I felt like he wasn't standing behind me anymore. My mind raced through the different possibilities--was it possible he was down on one knee?? I slowly turned around to find him down on one knee with a ring box open. It caught the light so radiantly I could hardly make out the shape of the ring. I was dumbfounded.

The first thing I could think to say was, "Are you serious?" I'm such a romantic. He didn't quite know what to say to that, so he looked down at the ring, looked back up at me, asked me to marry him, and told me that he loved me. I figured that even if this was a joke, I'd better answer and ask questions later, just in case it was for real.

So I looked at him and said, "Yes!...but are you serious?" I think he was a little taken aback that I still wasn't catching on, but he put the ring on my finger and kissed me. He told me that he had wanted to ask my dad's permission, but dad had been gone all day, so he hoped he wouldn't be too upset about it.

We stayed up by the Capitol for a few more minutes talking and letting it all sink in. As we headed back down the stairs, I said, "If this is some kind of elaborate practical joke, it isn't funny." He gave me a what's wrong with you look (not really, but he should have), and laughed and said that of course it was real and that that would be a horrible joke.

Despite my shock, it was the perfect proposal--a huge surprise, just like I'd always wanted. And he picked out the ring on his own (also something I've wanted since I was a little girl) and did an amazing job. It is absolutely gorgeous!!

We never did end up meeting with our friends, but it was a great excuse to go to Salt Lake.

When Tyler came...

...on Thursday, I was getting my hair done by Amy. Tyler met us at the salon where Tracey decided to grill him on his intentions with me. Were we getting married? Before or after law school? He obviously intended to marry me, right, or he wouldn't be dating me, she said. We had talked about marriage hadn't we? (The answer to this one was no...) I was feeling a little awkward because Tyler looked quite uncomfortable. I secretly was thinking that there might be some positive outcomes from this--after all, maybe this would get him thinking about marriage. Little did I know what was to come...

The next day we went to go see the Harrisons. Before we went over, Tyler asked me what he thought they'd say. I jokingly repeated Traceys questions of "So, before or after law school?" To which he replied, "Well, what do you think: before or after?" I wasn't crazy, I wasn't about to put myself out there, so I shrugged and blushed and said, "hmm, what do you think?" "Before, I think before." Emboldened and thinking he must be thinking marriage too, I replied, "Yah, me too...so how much before do you think?" I was then shot down with, "Aren't you putting the cart before the horse?" A little stunned, I let it drop and we started talking about horses before carts or carts before horses.

We had a great meeting with the Harrisons where we didn't reveal too much, but told them we were dating again. Then we went back home to decide what to do with our Friday night. I got a call from my friend Kelsy, saying some people were getting together and we should come up and that they'd call with details. Instead of waiting for them to call, Tyler suggested we head up to Salt Lake City.