Today is engagement story time!
I knew Jared was going to be proposing soon. We had picked out my ring the week before and he had spoken to my dad the week before that. We’d also decided that we weren’t going to have a long engagement (November 17!) so I was hoping that he would ask soon so that we could get the ball rolling.
But when he asked if I wanted to go hiking in the Witchita Mountains I was only slightly suspicious. First of all, while we had discussed hiking before, we had never gone. Also, I’m not much of an outdoor person. I enjoy hiking; I don’t enjoy the Oklahoma heat. So I wasn’t sure if he really wanted to deal with me squealing about bugs and such while he tried to propose.
We ended up driving down to the Lawton (about 2 hours away) early that morning so by the time we started hiking it was still pleasantly warm outside, not-death-by-oven hot. We hiked around the Quanah Parker Lake area which was an area I had never been to so I was excited to get some pictures. I was getting so nervous, thinking that every time we set up my camera to take a picture he was going to propose. Jared later told me that he was getting super irritated because there was a guy close to us that would NOT go away.
Unfortunately, about 15 minutes into our hike, my camera decided to die. After that I thought, “ok he’s DEFINITELY not asking now”. So I was able to kind of relax and enjoy our time together. At the time I was so upset that I wasn’t going to be able to document every moment of our engagement (if he asked!) but looking back I’m almost glad that I didn’t have my camera. I was able to focus on Jared and just enjoy our moment together and not think about anything else but him.
But when he asked if I wanted to go hiking in the Witchita Mountains I was only slightly suspicious. First of all, while we had discussed hiking before, we had never gone. Also, I’m not much of an outdoor person. I enjoy hiking; I don’t enjoy the Oklahoma heat. So I wasn’t sure if he really wanted to deal with me squealing about bugs and such while he tried to propose.
We ended up driving down to the Lawton (about 2 hours away) early that morning so by the time we started hiking it was still pleasantly warm outside, not-death-by-oven hot. We hiked around the Quanah Parker Lake area which was an area I had never been to so I was excited to get some pictures. I was getting so nervous, thinking that every time we set up my camera to take a picture he was going to propose. Jared later told me that he was getting super irritated because there was a guy close to us that would NOT go away.
Unfortunately, about 15 minutes into our hike, my camera decided to die. After that I thought, “ok he’s DEFINITELY not asking now”. So I was able to kind of relax and enjoy our time together. At the time I was so upset that I wasn’t going to be able to document every moment of our engagement (if he asked!) but looking back I’m almost glad that I didn’t have my camera. I was able to focus on Jared and just enjoy our moment together and not think about anything else but him.
We wandered around a little bit more until Jared came to an awesome view of this valley (no pic ;)). We sat down and just kind of soaked it all in for a little bit. After a few minutes Jared gave me the sweetest speech that had me laughing and half sobbing by the end of it. I’m not going to tell you what he said ;) I want to keep that moment for just us, something that is special and intimate between us alone. There are some things that just don’t have to be blogged (gasp!) and this is one of them. But never fear, I’ve written it down to keep for myself so I don’t forget!
We stayed in that valley for a while longer, looking out and laughing and reveling in the moment. Afterwards, Jared took me to Meers for lunch, a famous longhorn burger joint that’s been around since 1901 that I had somehow missed eating at. I don’t know if it was the burger or the moment but that was the best dang restaurant I had ever eaten at.
We stayed in that valley for a while longer, looking out and laughing and reveling in the moment. Afterwards, Jared took me to Meers for lunch, a famous longhorn burger joint that’s been around since 1901 that I had somehow missed eating at. I don’t know if it was the burger or the moment but that was the best dang restaurant I had ever eaten at.
I feel so wonderfully blessed to be able to call this man my fiancé. It sounds so cheesy but looking back now I can see God’s hand in our lives over the last seven years, shaping us into who we are today and bringing us to this perfect moment. Jared is my absolute soul mate and I cannot wait to marry him!
