The Engagement...

Labor Day weekend we headed to Utah. I knew that Milton had been talking to my brother in law, Bram, about getting the hook ups on a ring, so I knew that this was going to be the weekend we were going to get engaged (or at least I was hoping it would be).

Milton asked my parents for permission and of course they said yes. Later that day Milton goes on to say that he wasn't able to get the ring and it was going to be another couple of weeks at the soonest. I was crushed but just smiled, knowing that I had come this far and could wait a couple more weeks.

The last day we were in Fairview, which I believe was Sunday, September 3rd, Milton mentions he wants to go to the Anderson Cabin to go off the famous swing. I wish I had some digital pictures so that I can better explain this swing...The rope swing is located at the top of a mountain and swings out over the valley below. It is attached to a very large pine about 50 feet up and about 50 feet away is another tree where there is a platform. You climb up onto the platform, pull the rope swing up by another rope connected to the platform, uphook the swing, hop on and jump off. Sounds easy right? Not so! It is quite the thrill and even after going off it my whole life it still takes me some time to take that step off the platform.

So, Milton and I hike up to the swing and I am up on the platform pulling up the swing. It's quite heavy and the platform isn't that big, so I remember feeling a bit nervous and unsteady. Milton is on the ladder next to me, talking away about how nice it's going to be to create future memories here like all the memories I have from my childhood, blah blah blah. Then out of nowhere he pulls out a ring box and asks me if I'll marry him. I'm shocked and drop the rope to the swing, which snaps from the weight of the rope swing. I turn back to him still shocked and of course say yes. Now, the ring...it's not the actual engagement ring he says. It's a gold ring with a Rose in the middle that he had bought years ago. The signifiance of the rose is that his last name means Roses in Spanish. I truly didn't care! We were engaged!

We made haste back down the hill without even going off the swing (or at least I don't think we did since the rope to pull it up was broken). After talking briefly with my Aunt Shauntel and her family we head back to Milton's Sequoia. I go to get in and I notice the most shiny ring I've ever seen sitting in the front seat. Milton then proceeds to get on his knee and ask me again if I will marry him, this time with the true engagement ring. All in all Milton really asked me 3 times to marry him, once in the steam room, one the swing and again next to the car. He has always been able to surprise me!

We headed back to Fairview to my Grandpa Anderson's house where we knew the family was gathered. My Grandpa was fighting cancer, another reason I was so glad I was able to make it home that weekend, because he passed away just a few weeks later. Just thinking about it makes me emotional since Grandpa played a very special part in my life. I was never too big to sit on his knee and feel the love that he had for all of his grandchildren.

We announced to everyone there that we were engaged and proceeded over to Grandpa's bed to tell him the good news. Much to everyone's surprise, including my own, Grandpa understood every word and even remembered that his own anniversary is December 10th. It was a very special moment for me, one that I will never forget! The last time I got to see my Grandpa alive was one of the best days of my life and he was there to share it with us. The days before Grandpa was in and out of sleep and didn't make much sense when he talked. So, for him to understand such great news, was truly more than I could have ever hoped for. He continued to talk to Milton and tell him that there were children waiting for us (which scared me at the time, but I'm convinced he saw much more than we could that day). I love you Grandpa and can't wait to see you again!

After saying good-bye to the family we headed up to Orem to Milton's parent's house to tell them the good news. His family was also very excited and I knew that this day would be the beginning of many more to come.