The official requirements for engagement:
1. Ask your girlfriend's father for permission. July 1, 2006
For the weekend of June 30/July 1, we planned a day at Lagoon (amusement park). My granddad had a stroke just after Father's Day, so we were also anxious to come to Utah and spend some time with Granddad & Grandma. James, my parents, my siblings & families all drove to Utah for the weekend. James was planning to ride with my parents - the perfect opportunity to privately ask for permission to marry their daughter. Instead, Kathy came to Utah a few days early with my Aunt Janeal, Katie and Jayme. So, James would have uninterrupted time with Gil on the 5-hour-drive. 5-hours! That could make a suitor nervous. Instead, Deven's siblings, Brady & Kaydrielle, also hitched a ride to Utah with Gil & James. So, James thought he'd wait for a more confidential opportunity.
We spent Friday June 30th at Lagoon,
riding rides and playing at the water park. James must love me, he let me drag him into the Pioneer Village, dress him up like an Outlaw and have our picture taken together. It really is Grandma's fault. She began calling us "Jesse James". Then we began calling James' XTerra, "The Outlaw". And sometimes, we refer to our future children as our "banditos". It's silly, but I think we look like very happy outlaws!On Saturday July 1st, we spent some time at McKay Dee Hospital visiting with Grandma & Granddad. I was sitting on Granddad's bed and James was sitting in the windowsill. Gil and Kathy, Jed, Hallie, Stella, Deven & Kim, McKayla, Carter, Clay & Kristen, Emma and Aspen were all in the room or somewhere near.
Granddad asked me what our relationship status was currently. I made some non-committal answer. Granddad asked, "What's the delay?" And every face in the room turned to look at James.
Brave, brave James. He turned to face my dad and asked, "Gil, may I marry your daughter?" And every face in the room turned to look at Gil.
Dad's in the Hot Seat! "I have one condition, you'll have to watch a slide show of Jessi's life." James agreed and permission was finally, publicly obtained!
2. Buy an engagement ring.
James and I decided to go looking at rings together. We had several 'ring shopping' dates. We narrowed down the style of my ring very quickly, but looked and looked and looked and looked and looked at men's bands. We also decided that we want to save up the money required to buy our rings, so I knew he might not be able to propose with a ring. On the sly, James purchased a ruby ring, which he'd use to propose. (Not so sly: James ran into Kim & Deven at the store and Kurt & Carlee insisted on seeing it when he brought it home.)
3. Propose marriage to the love of your life. July 6, 2006
The Simpson Family Reunion was July 6-9, 2006. I was so excited to bring James to the reunion and introduce him to (yet more of) my dad's extended family. I wanted us to paddle the inflatable kayak on Cascade Reservoir, to play in the annual cribbage tournament (I taught James how to play cribbage very early in our relationship - in our games, the winner gets to choose a movie!), to help clean our adopted stretch of Highway 55, to jump off Banks Bridge into the river (which we did!), to raft the Payette River, to eat, to laugh and to visit.On Thursday July 6th, after James got off work,
we took The Outlaw on the 2-hour drive to the reunion. At one point, we drove over a wooded hill and then down a grade with a pretty view of Cascade Reservoir. James had seen a dirt road that looked as if it might have another, quieter view of the lake. We turned around, and turned up the dirt road, then parked and walked up to the ridgeline. Sadly, the view was mostly obscured by trees. We hurried back to The Outlaw (the mosquitoes were fierce!) and continued our drive. We quickly arrived at the campground. James asked if you can get to the lake from the campground, so I directed him to drive past our sites and down the road to a day-use area on the lake edge.
We arrived at sunset - the sun just below the ridgeline with a few pink clouds overhead, the almost-full moon putting extra sparkle on the water. We climbed out of the XTerra and walked to look out over the lake. James chose that moment to ask me to be his wife. I said YES! And he slid the ruby ring onto my finger. (There might also have been kissing.) James & I share a love of the outdoors, especially the mountains, so making the official decision to get married in this setting was wonderful.4. Choose a wedding date & place.
October 10, 2006 - Salt Lake Temple
James wanted an anniversary that would be easy to remember - 10/10 looks like an easy date: we'll see if he remembers that date in five, thirty-five, even sixty-five years! We had a very short debate about which temple to be married in, but James didn't really have a choice. My parents, my maternal grandparents, and my maternal greatgrandparents were all sealed in the Salt Lake Temple and it has always been one of my favorites. Although that particular temple has significance to me, it is also wonderful to see and learn from all the long and happy marriages exemplified in both our families.
5. Congratulations, you can announce your engagement!
Because James proposed just minutes before the Simpson Family Reunion, I was able to introduce James as my fiance. In fact, I re-introduced him to my parents, my siblings and their spouses, aunts and uncles, cousins, Oma, anyone who would sit still for a second or two. We had just arrived at the pavillion and were visiting with some cousins, when APPLAUSE burst out from some picnic tables all the way across the room. Kim, Carlee & Kristen had caught sight of my ring and were cheering for James!