I AM GETTING MARRIED!!!!!

This is the record of our engagement.

I will not bother you with the specific details of the morning but it sufficeth me to say that Nick moved from his old apartment and I got the house ready for him to move in. We did meet up with Natali and Holly at the Farmers Market and enjoyed a breakfast burrito ($5) and a freshly squeeze lemonade ($2.50). It was fun listening to the different bands play. Then it was back to packing and cleaning.

I did some errands around town and came back to the house around 2. Nick showed up around 2:30. Our plan was to do an endowment session but we were not ready to go until 3:30 so we changed plans and did initiatory instead. It was fun because we ran into Dave and Mel while we were there and it was quite the surprise!

Nick told me we had dinner reservations at 5 so we needed to hurry. We made it just in time to The Elements restaurant and we were seated outside by a very romantic stream that Nick’s co-worker claims to have fish in.

We ordered the lettuce wraps for an appetizer, and enjoyed a Lime Rickie and a Raspberry Pina Colada to drink. It was all so beautiful. Right when we were finishing the lettuce wraps we were visited by a family of ducks. A mother duck and four of her children sang to us while we ate. It was almost like Mary Poppins and the Penguins but they sounded better! Then our meals came out. Nick got the soup and I got a salad and we shared and ate most of it. By this time I am already getting full.

Next came the main dish. I got a pasta dish that had bell peppers and bacon on it and it was really good. Nick got a chicken dish with mashed potatoes. It wasn’t full of flavor but the chicken was super tender and really good.

We looked at the dessert menu but decided we were too full and would have some ice cream after the fireside that started at 7. Nick had brought in two story books that were glued together and said that we should read them. It was exactly our story and he loved it.

So he pulled it out and started reading. I started laughing on the first page because the characters had our face on them. He had gone on to Facebook and printed off pictures that could go on the faces of characters in the book. He read the first book and I read the second one. The second one was about LOVE and what it means. They were both super cute. On the last page there was a note that read SECRET PAGE with an arrow pointing to the next page. This is what I read:

I think before I met you
That I didn’t understand
How the Lord would lead me to your heart
With his omniscient hand

I might have been impatient
For the one I’d truly love
But I must have had some brownie points
With someone up above…

You’re beautiful, Intelligent,
You’re everything I need…
And I promise that your happiness
Is always guaranteed.

I thank the Lord with all my heart
For sending you to me
May he be with us inside our home
And through eternity

My heart is yours forever,
Though our “things” might rust with age
But I have another thing for you –
Find one more secret page!

I love you Steph. Love Nick

Then I had to search the book for this “hidden page”. It was really hard, I was looking for something hand written and it was taking a while. I said, “I might have to tear this book apart” and Nick said, “ya, you might!” At that point it occurred to me that the books were not supposed to be glued together like he said they were. I started to tear the two books apart and finally when I separated them I found my ring.

The most beautiful (no offense to the rest of you) ring ever made. It is perfect! We kissed a little (ha ha) I of course said, “Yes!” and “you bet your boots I will” and “you betcha”. I wanted to say it multiple times just to be certain I was clear in my answer. Then we got ready to go. I guess to set the whole thing up he had to tell the waitress and so all the workers there told me congratulations. It was fun!

Then we went to the multi-stake fireside where Elder Bednar was being broadcasted from the Tabernacle. The words shared were so great and so inspired. Nick and I both really enjoyed it. Then we came home and I made milkshakes while he hooked up the T.V. and surround sound. We watched an episode of Scrubs and said goodnight.

It was really different saying goodbye last night. Not because we were engaged but because he was staying in the nice cool basement and I had to leave to a stuffy upstairs apartment down the road. I am very grateful for the apartment, that it is so close and we can stay in the same ward but I miss my queen sized bed. I now get a single air mattress on the floor. It was also strange because I realized the next time I sleep here I will be married with a boy as a roommate. Weird!

I love Nick with all of my heart. I am grateful for his example to me. I know he cares and we will have an amazing future together. We are getting married on October 21, 2011 in the Logan LDS Temple. Lets start this new adventure!