I also know that many of you (well mostly all the women) are curious about how we met as well as the proposal. And so I'll bring you the prequel to the story that will become Mr. and Mrs. Arron Delay this coming July.
The Meeting
It all started with Dave (freaking) Mohr. He has no idea this was actually his doing. As was a tradition, Dave and I were hanging out in his office at the church just gabbing and talking and he nonchalantly mentioned that two men in our church had found their wives online on Christian Cafe. I had scoffed at online dating for YEARS and had actually even started my own fake dating website called singlechristianlosers.com for single Christians who were obviously losers because they were not married at the average christian marriageable age of 20. (This is all sarcasm, don't get offended) Anyways. TOTALLY against the idea. But later that day I went home and I was a bit angry and bitter that no one loved me. And I thought about how I love all the covered wagon romance stories about mail-order brides, so doing the online dating thing was probably just the modern version of a mail order bride? Yes?
So I signed up for ChristianCafe.com and searched around a bit and during my free trial week found this totally studly Cariboo boy who loves Jesus and Missions and babies and having a solid family life, and was extra manly. He loves dirt and oil and grease and getting dirty and fixing things, and pumping iron (I'm getting all sweaty and blushy thinking about his totally ripped body). And I was like, "Hey, he's cute. Let's see what this guy is like." So we started e-mailing long long long e-mails. We covered all the big questions within the first weeks of talking. Arron's thinking was, "why waste time getting to know each other and have fun if we are not compatible on big make-or-break issues." So while it was quite overwhelming and scary at times we pretty much decided right off the bat that the other person was compatible with our own dreams and goals and desires.
Then we had to meet. Arron drove his totally awesome motorcycle down to Kamloops one day in the beginning of June for our first date. I was super nervous and he was worried that I would look old. We had Starbucks and Taco Del Mar and went for a hike and then it rained (which you think would be romantic, but it was mostly just wet), and we sat under a tree and talked and he put his arm around me and I pretty much melted! Then we fed Marmots from our hand, went out for dinner and he drove all the way back home through rain, hail, snow, and cold. (Well maybe not snow, but he said it was pretty cold).
Thus began our dating. And it goes on. Lots of hiking, lots of wandering around Barkerville, lots of movies, many motorcycle rides, and some adventures dirt biking.
The Ring
Well one day last December my friend Bobby and I were hanging out and she needed to go to the jewlery store to "just get some things fixed." And while we were there, hey "why don't you just look and see what you like." So I was looking at rings, just for fun because a proposal was A LONG way off (or so I thought). Anyways without my knowledge the sales associate wrote down the serial numbers of the rings I was looking at and Bobby texted them to Arron. Within the hour he went down to the store (very worried that I would randomly go back and catch him there.)Meanwhile I had a secret pinterest board all full of rings that I liked and my bestie Tiersa and I had many discussions. She had a file ready for Arron when I thought he was getting to the point where he might propose. That file is now null and void since he jumped the gun and totally surprised me!
The Proposal
So Arron bought the ring weeks ago. And had it in his pocket every day waiting for the right time. I have forever, all winter, constantly, been mentioning/begging/nagging that I would really like to go for a walk. And he ALWAYS whines back about how it is cold and I'm crazy, and that is a dumb idea. But finally on Friday night we were making plans for Saturday and he said, "well, it is supposed to be warm this weekend so... I guess...... we can go for a walk." So I was super stoked. But he still kinda had his whiny-you-are-crazy-for-wanting-to-be-outside voice.
So the next day Arron was doing his 'exasperated' (although apparently fake and keeping up the facade) face before we left. So I didn't think we would actually go for a walk. But when he pulled into Scout Island (a nice park in town on the lake) I was surprised that we were actually going for a walk. So surprised that I hadn't worn warm winter boots. So we started walking. And I got cold feet. No pun intended, my feet actually got cold. So before he actually got to the spot where he wanted to propose we turned back.
Epic Fail on my part.
The following afternoon after church Arron had had enough of waiting and just wanted to seal the deal and get the ring on my finger. He had been worried all week that I would find it in his pocket and didn't want the surprise to be ruined. We went to get Sushi after church (but wanted to take it home because the sushi place, while delicious smells super bad funky). So we were just walking around outside (on the sidewalk, safety first), waiting for our food to be made. And we were just talking and giggling and walking and enjoying each others company and then he was on one knee with a ring in front of him!
AND I WAS SHOCKED!!!!!!
SO SHOCKED!
Don't get me wrong, I was expecting a ring. E.V.E.N.T.U.A.L.L.Y. Like in the spring. But man alive! Not this week! But I didn't care. I was happy. I was ready. I wanted Arron and the pretty shiny bling bling!
So that my friends and family, is the story.
And I like it.
