Love is an Open Door

I have told this story so many times, I feel like I might as well share it on my blog.

Our First Date (10/19/2013)

People ask me if I was surprised to get engaged. The answer is yes, and no. I knew it was coming. I knew it was going to be in July. I just didn't know when or where. We had gone ring shopping a couple weeks before and I knew he had the ring, but I had no idea what it looked like. It was important to me and to Gariet that he pick out the ring. I told him styles and designs that I liked and didn't like, but I never told him which one I wanted. Honestly, I am glad I didn't have to choose because I would have never been able to make a decision!

Kindred Dead Concert
(One week after we started dating)

Gariet's mom came into town about a month ago. It was fun getting to know her better and at the end of the week she gave us an 'early birthday gift' with passes to Thanksgiving Point. As Gariet and I were looking through the pamphlets, I noticed that the Thanksgiving Point Gardens were having Frozen as an outdoor movie. (If you don't know me, you should know that I LOVE Frozen!!) I got excited and told Gariet that I really wanted to go. He agreed nonchalantly and teased me for being a girl. (Though he had already planned for us to be at the Gardens that day!)

Memorial Day Hike 2014

It started getting closer and I asked Gariet if we were still planning on going to see Frozen. He told me of course. Then he said that we should invite his roommate and his fiance because they would love to go. I agreed, but I was a little disappointed. I had kind of thought that he might try to propose at the Gardens, but knowing that it was going to be a double date made me doubt that it was going to happen.

Liberty Park Ferris Wheel

On July 1, I went and got my nails done (which I never do) because it was July. He was going to propose sometime in July and I wanted my nails to look good. I would just have to keep them up for the rest of the month, which would have been no problem.

Then, July 5 we went and grabbed sandwiches for dinner before going to the Gardens. We had a picnic dinner on the grass while we waited for our friends to join us. It was fun just to talk and tease each other. When Joseph and Ana-Lisa arrived, we started walking around the Gardens. We went to the pond and looked at the fish. Then, Joseph told us that they were going to go check out the Fragrance Garden. I was fine going with them, but Gariet knew that I had wanted to see the Rose Garden. He insisted that we would be able to catch up to them (because Gariet walks faster than the average person). So we walked around the Rose Garden. We didn't know where our friends were now, so we went up to the highest garden to have a look around. We could not see them anywhere, so we decided to just keep walking and eventually we would meet up with them.

Walking into the Secret Garden

We weaved our way into the other gardens. I started to suspect something was up when Gariet kept getting texts from Joseph in Czech, but he gave me a really good story about a bride that we had seen earlier. The whole time I was trying not to read too much into it because I didn't want to get my hopes up. So we went on to look at the other gardens. There was also a statue exhibit with statues of Christ. We spent a lot of time there and talked about the different statues. Then, we walked through the Butterfly Garden. I told him that I wanted to got to the Secret Garden, because it sounded really cool. So that is where we were headed to next. If you have never been to the Gardens, let me describe it to you. You walk through a hall of vines and then there is a wooden door. It was really cool. As we walked through the door, Gariet squeezed my hand. I knew something was up, but again, I did not want to get my hopes up.

We looked at the garden and Gariet started making small talk. He then told me he had another gift for me from the Czech Republic when he went back a couple months ago. We sat down and he took out a cardboard box. In the box was a crystal heart box (really from the Czech Republic). And I could see that there was a ring. I started getting emotional. Gariet said some nice words and I cried a little bit.



We then stood up and he got down on one knee. If you are a fan of Frozen, you will appreciate this line. He said, "Can I just say something crazy? Will you marry me?" (a line from the song "Love is an Open Door") I knew that was the line, but I could not think of the other line back. I was too in the moment. I said "Yes!" and then he put the perfect ring for me on my finger. A minute later he looked over into the bushes and said "You guys can come out now". Joseph and Ana-Lisa were there the entire time taking pictures and recording! I laughed because I had looked around the garden when we had come in looking for a camera and did not see anything.

It was a perfect moment. I am now engaged to the most wonderful man I know. We are getting married for time and all eternity in the Mesa, Arizona Temple on December 27, 2014. We are excited for the adventures that yet await us.

Come what may and love it!