The night before the big day, Mike insisted that we go hiking the next morning. His reasoning was that the weather is so nice now and it will get way too hot to go soon. I suggested going to Superstition because we had never been there together before, but he insisted on going to South Mountain and he insisted that I pick him up in the morning. It was quite strange how persistent he was, so I gave in. I called my dad on the way to pick up Mike and he ended the conversation saying “Let me know how your hike goes!” Seemed strange that he would want me to tell him about our boring hike. When I went to pick him up, he was wearing cargo shorts, you know, the ones with the big pockets on the sides. I thought that was interesting since he usually hikes in basketball shorts. I obviously had been reading into every detail for months though, so I tried to convince myself that I was just over thinking everything like I always did. I actually told his mom, “I have a feeling about today” and she just smiled at me and said “I can’t tell you anything!” Still, I wasn’t sure because she was always saying things like that.
We got to the hiking trail and struggled through most of it (I am so out of shape!), but what was keeping me going was thinking “If I make it to the top he might ask me!” Of course, I didn’t think that would actually happen because I had thought that dozens of times before. On the way up, we ran into an ex-boyfriend of mine. All I was thinking in my head was, ‘please don’t be weirded out by that and not ask me!’ We made our way to a particular spot and there were about 20 people there spreading someone’s ashes (later he told me that was the spot he planned on asking me!). We went a little further, towards the top in a more secluded area where you could see the entire city, it was beautiful! He looked at me, started telling me very sweet things and then got down on one knee. I immediately started crying and actually had a minor panic attack as he fumbled through his pockets for the ring. It was absolutely perfect – just us in a very secluded area (something I had requested when he joked about asking me at a Suns game by dressing up as the mascot). On the way down, I was running off of pure adrenaline and almost ran down the mountain!
{Images strategically taken by Mike}
When we got into the car, it was a strange feeling…”Is this really happening? How do we tell people? Who do we tell first?” I called my parents to see if we could stop by, but of course they weren’t at home and were both at different places. I pretty much told them to meet us at their house, they knew what was up! First we went to Mike’s house to tell his mom. I hid my hand so she couldn’t see the ring and we fooled her for a few minutes. Then Mike said “Have you met my fiance?!” Wow, she was SO excited! Then we went to my parents’ house for lunch and we told them. They were very excited as well, but they had known for a bit (Mike went in to my dad’s work to him for permission). After that we went to Mike’s dad’s work and surprised him there with the news.
It was a beautiful day — a day I will always remember. The coolest thing is, we now have a ‘spot’ and one day we can take our kids to the actual spot where we got engaged.
The week we got engaged, my mom and I started planning our engagement party – we love to throw parties! Since my grandparents from Minnesota were going to be in town for my cousin’s graduation, we decided to have it then.
{the engagement party invitations I designed}
{Left to right: My nephew and our ring bearer, my sister-in-law and MOH, Mike’s mother, Mike’s cousin}
It was so wonderful to bring both of our families and friends together for our celebration!