How He Proposed

Many have already heard the story, but for those who haven't, here is the proposal story, told from the bride's perspective:

When Wayne and I got back together in December, we talked about getting married soon, so I knew a proposal was coming. And when you live 500 miles apart and only see each other about once a month, it's pretty obvious when it's going to happen. I thought he was going to do it on the Saturday of his visit at the end of January. I was to pick him up from the airport Friday night after Young Adult Fellowship, and then Saturday was going to be our day to spend together. But that was just a ruse...

Even though I had told Wayne and myself that I didn't need to be surprised in order for the proposal to be special, I secretly (and guiltily) wished it could be otherwise. Little did I know that these past two weeks, Wayne had been hatching a plot with our close friends to do just that. Instead of flying in Friday night, he made the long drive down Thursday right after class. Through stormy weather and a loooong detour around the grapevine, which was closed due to snow, he arrived in socal... and his painstakingly planned proposal came into play...

It was Friday, January 25, 4pm when I was woken from my nap by a knock at the door. I expected the UPS guy, because we've been receiving a lot of packages lately, but instead, it was Tihua. "I'm here to kidnap you. We're going on a scavenger hunt."

Scavenger Hunt
The scavenger hunt consisted of clues to destinations that were significant to our relationship. At each stop waited a close friend of ours who gave me a short quiz, and if I passed, I was rewarded with a small gift and my next clue. My adventure began in Jenny's room, where there was a package waiting for me... During the 3 years I tried to tell Wayne I wasn't interested in a relationship, I used to give him the analogy that he was a raincoat, and while he was a GREAT raincoat, I was looking for a sweater. So what was in the package? A card with a note alluding to my silly analogy and a beautiful black raincoat that was so nice, I was convinced he couldn't have picked it out himself! Inside was also my first clue...

Clue #1
Clue #1 took us to Peterson Hall, where Wayne and I first met our Freshman year. There, Clark and Jenny were waiting for us with my gift (purple curtains reminiscent of the ones Wayne helped me put up in my dorm room during our first time of hanging out) and my second clue!

Clue #2
Clue #2 took us to the Grove Cafe, where Wayne and I had our first DTR at the end of our Freshman year... and where I told him "no". Tihua and I had trouble finding it, actually, because of all the construction, but finally, we found the Grove... and Leon! who gave me my gift (a book of crosswords and a package of strawberry newtons—two of my favorite things!) and my third clue!

Clue #3
Clue #3 took us to La Jolla Shores, where Wayne asked me at the end of our Junior year if I was "ready to take the next step" and enter a relationship... and where I took a whole 45 minutes to squeak out, "...okay..............." That same night, Wayne had brought two blankets—a large blanket that he thought we could huddle under together for warmth while sitting on the smaller beach towel that only allowed for close proximity. I, on the other hand, would have none of that, and to render the evening even less romantic, proceeded to lay out the large blanket to sit on at a small distance away from him and used the beach towel to cover just myself. At this stop in the scavenger hunt, John was waiting for us, and gave me my gift (my very own fleece blanket, hopefully to share this time) and my fourth clue!

Clue #4
Clue #4 took us to Coffee Bean in Clairemont, where Britney Spears first lured me with her love for their Mocha Ice Blended beverage and where Wayne and I subsequently spent hours and hours studying, talking, and building our friendship and relationship. Caleb was waiting for us with my very own mocha ice blended and my fifth clue!


Clue #5
Clue #5 took us to Seaport Village, where Wayne and I first held hands... and where I gently (I hope) told him it felt odd and took my hand away. There, waiting on the bridge over the pond, where our relationship started so awkwardly, was Wayne!!!

From the start of the scavenger hunt, I knew that it was going to culminate in a proposal, but I thought that it would happen at the airport when I picked up Wayne like I was supposed to. Tihua was REALLY good at making me believe we were still going to Young Adult, with subtle comments about picking up my car after the scavenger hunt, being late but that it was worth it, and how it was too bad I wasn't hungry for the sushi that we were having at fellowship. So when I saw Wayne, I was really surprised!

He got down on one knee... and after eight years, he finally got to ask me to marry him. And this time, without hesitation or excuses, I said, YES!

We have it all on video, too, thanks to John, who was hiding in the bushes with a video camera! It's a wonderful video of me and Wayne... and Tihua, who didn't know where to go or what to do with herself! :)


The night continued with dinner at Harbor House in Seaport Village, followed by dessert at my place. While we were at dinner, Jenny and John decorated our apartment in preparation for our arrival, so when I opened the door, I was greeted by candles, roses, and two BIG slices of Costco chocolate sheet cake (my favorite!) And the surprises kept coming—on the table along with the roses was a book that Wayne made and had printed for me that chronicled our journey through pictures and prose! We read through the book together, and as we neared the end of the story, Wayne got up and took out his guitar and played and sang Jars of Clay's "Water Under the Bridge" for me—a beautiful song that reminded him of our relationship and our commitment to stick through it and by each other until "the last drop of water flows under the bridge".

We finished off the night by heading over to Leon's house, where our friends were waiting to celebrate our new engagement! I loved how Wayne incorporated our friends into the proposal and how we were able to celebrate with those in the area right after—it is reflective of the impact our friends have had in each step of our growth, helping us arrive to where we are today individually and together... and helping us as we continue to take steps forward!