Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Celebrating 10 Years of US

The third week in October means Idyllwild time. Every year we visit Idyllwild to camp, stay with friends or take a day-cation to celebrate the beginning of US since 1999.

Here is the NEW updated version
(specifically the engagement and photos):

The Story of US

In the beginning... July 1999
Paul and I were introduced through Moe. Moe and I went to Disneyland which is where Paul was working at the time. Paul was a tram operator, so Moe and I ended up riding around on the back of the tram a few times while they talked. I said some sarcastic comment about sitting well back into your seat and he shot one back at me. (ahh love)

October 1999
It was early October and the show Roswell was on for the first time, Angela and I were hanging out in the dorm. I was on bubbs and noticed that Paul was online, I mentioned this to Ang. She said invite him to chat and I replied why would I do that, I don't really know him. After a few minutes I did end up beginning a chat with Paul. I told Ang I felt like playing basketball and for anyone who knows Ang knows she couldn't play a sport to save her life so she suggested I ask Paul if he wanted to come down and play. He for some unknown reason said yes. So I got my basketball and Ang and I headed over to the court, Paul met us there. About 5 minutes after Paul got there Ang got a call from an old BF and decided to talk to him so we were left alone, we shot hoops for a couple hours. Paul then drove Ang and I over to Denny's where we met up with a group from Biola and Moe tried to introduce me to Paul again, I mentioned that he was the one that dropped Ang and I off and a look of surprise and then approval spread across Moe's face. Paul had to leave pretty quick because he had Spanish early the next morning (like he ever went to Spanish class).

Well that was Oct. 7th. The next Monday Paul and I decided to go to a church service where we were packed in like sardines and after about 15min. Paul fell asleep. I kept nudging him the whole time. I found out afterwards that if he was in an uncomfortable position or it was to hot that he falls asleep.

Paul and I in our many conversations talked about movies that were coming out soon and for some reason we both wanted to see The Story of Us. So that Friday Paul picked me up from work (Chuck E. Cheese) and we went to AMC in Fullerton. Paul's roommate Daryl and some of their other friends met us there. By the end of the movie we were holding hands. We will forever "discuss" who held whose hand. All I know is that some how when the couple on screen was reconciling our hands found each other. When we stood up we stopped holding hands, Daryl looked at us funny like Paul had forgot to tell him we were dating or something, even though we weren't.

The following week was Torrey which means about half of Biola uses the time off from regular classes to take a mini vacation. Moe, Nick, Paul and I decided to go camping next door to the camp where Paul worked at for a couple summers. Paul and I took a walk, he wanted to show me Camp Maranatha and town. We went back into some small shops where there was a wooden porch swing and sat down. We just talked about nothing and everything for quite sometime. Then Paul tried his best to ask me out, but it came out something like this... we should stop doing what we are doing (holding hands) if we aren't gunna be together... you know. I agreed, so we officially started dating October 21, 1999.

October 2000
A year later Moe, Nick, Paul and I decided to head back up to Idyllwild. In order to have some "girl time" and because Nick had to work a night volleyball game Moe and I drove up a day early. The evening the boys were coming up Moe decided we should go surprise them, watch the game and then we could all drive back up together.

Boy did we surprise them alright. I saw Paul walking around, I snuck up behind him and hugged tightly. I could feel his entire body stiffen. He swung around and the chin dropped. Immediately Paul said he need to go use the restroom. I turned to Moe and said that was weird. We dismissed it as he was just surprised to see us. The three of us watched the games and waited for Nick to complete the press release, it was finally time to head back up the mountain. It was really late by the time we got back to Idyllwild. Quickly the 4 of us started a fire and sat around talking.

Paul and I decided to go for a walk again as we had the year before. Slowly Paul and I made our way through town and back to the very spot where we started our relationship, the bench. Once again we sat down and talked about the past year. Paul began to tell me how much he loved me, and suddenly stood from the bench, knelt down while pulling a box out of his pocket and asked me to marry him. Before the boy could even open the box I said YES, while trying to move to hug him and nearly fell off the bench. Paul slid the ring on my finger and we kissed.

On our way back to camp we decided to play it cool, pretend nothing happened. Moe and Nick kept looking at us like uh, you two going to spill it or what. You see Moe and Nick knew of Paul's little proposal. After a few minutes we did confirm that yes indeed the twos of us were engaged.

October 21, 2000We go back and visit "OUR" bench every year.


October 2001October 2002

October 2003 October 2005
October 2006October 2007

2 comments:

Moe said...

Have you met my friend Paul?

Congrats on 10 years you guys!

When you guys were off on your walk Nick and I were coming up with all sorts of ways to ask you if you got engaged. My favorite was,"So did you guys have some "engaging" conversation on your walk?" We were too afarid to just ask you guys incase Paul chickened out and didn't propose on your walk. We didn't want to blow his surprise in case he was waiting for a better moment or something. I'll always remember you guys sitting across the fire from us and after like a year of waiting for you guys to say something you finally just lifted up your joined hands and shined a flashlight on the ring and Nick and I jumped up cheering! We were so blessed to share in that moment with you guys! We love you!

Anonymous said...

congrats... I miss you guys. Your story makes me feel cozy inside!
Brad (Clark)