Dave and Jen's Engagement

The proposal!

Hi friends and family! Here is the story of how I barely proved myself worthy to Dave. :)

We had been planning for weeks to go backpacking in Yosemite and I had just gotten myself all geared up at REI with a new backpack and sleeping bag, but then came down with a yucky cold the middle of last week. I took my sickness and crankiness out on Dave and said I didn't think we were gonna make it that weekend. He, half joking in his mean way, said that was it, we were broken up until I could suck it up and prove that I could backpack 8 miles and back. Super. I of course did not know that he had already picked up a ring and talked to my dad that day!! Dave's a good liar.

On Friday when it was time to leave, Dave played it super cool and left it totally up to me whether we went to Yosemite or not. Instead we could just relax, hang out in SF, do a short trip in Marin, whatever, it was all fine with him. By about 7:00 pm I was feeling slightly better and figured at that point we were just going to waste our evening watching TV anyway, so we might as well get in the car and spend our time driving instead. Arrived in Yosemite close to midnight and got a tent in Curry Village, which always makes me feel like I'm at summer camp. :)

Before I go on I should mention that Yosemite is a really special place for both me and Dave and our families. We both grew up going there often, Dave and his parents used to cross country ski there every Thanksgiving, we've had some of our best trips there, and it's one of my dad's favorite photo spots. Dave also had himself a near-death experience in the back country this past summer, but that's another story.

So anyway -- come Saturday morning, we decide to go backpacking at Hetch Hetchy, a 6 or 7 mile hike to Rancheria Falls campsite. We had gorgeous weather and my new gear was awesome. But I still wasn't feeling super well, was coughing all along the way, and went through a lot of kleenex, blech, plus it was actually super hot and dry along the way. It felt like we hiked forever, and Dave was super encouraging, although later he told me he didn't really think I was going to make it. But we eventually did, hurray, and ended up at a pretty campsite with a gorgeous water fall next to it.

Dave, always the water baby, wanted to go for a dip in the 10-degree water, what a loony. Meanwhile I was just happy to be done and sitting on the rocks in the sun, enjoying the scenery. Next thing I know Dave is out of the water, puts his shirt back on, and is reaching into his chest pocket to pull out a box, gets down in front of me, said some really romantic things, and proposed! I was bawling. Totally completely shocked. Did not see it coming. Even looking back now, I have to say Dave's behavior was totally normal that day, no signs of nervousness, nothing to let on that something was up. Plus Dave went ringshopping all by himself and talked to the jeweler and picked out an absolutely breathtaking, incredible ring! As Jen Martin said, "WOW! God bless Dave's little cheap heart, he was just saving up!!" So we hugged and kissed and took pictures and then he told me the story about how he asked my dad, and then I bawled all over again.

That's about it! We enjoyed our campsite, did some more fun hiking around the waterfall the next day, and did the 7 mile hike back on Sunday, me with a little more spring in my step! Also we both really really had to pee which was good motivation for getting back as fast as possible.

By the way -- had I not dragged my sickly self all the way to Rancheria Falls, Dave would not have proposed. For real. He would've just waited until some other time when I had passed the test before he gave me my "reward".

No specific wedding plans figured out at all yet, we'll keep you all posted! I'm just trying to get used to Dave being my fiance! Ahhhhh!!

Love,
Jen

PS -- check out our Flickr pics in the right sidebar!

posted by Dave @ 9:22 PM