The envelope also had a puzzle piece in it, but was told not to read it. I knew exactly what bench he was talking about: it was at the Riverfront park from the first day we really hung out, and we sat there and talked for a few hours, and then went to a pig roast with his family afterwards. I drove to the park and walked over to the bench. Sitting on the exact bench we had sat on, was a plate covered by a bowl, another envelope with my name on it, and a round river rock holding it down. I open the card and it read: 'Here lies the place where we first started to get to know each other. It was a nice summer afternoon that day. I remember playing catch with a football with you and thinking you were a pretty cool girl. After about 30 minutes we headed to this bench and sat down. As we continued to talk, I knew there was something special about you. After a while, I decided to ask you to the pig roast that evening. In memory of our kind of 1st date, I have here some bacon for you. I know it's not prepared the same way that the pig was prepared that night, but please eat a piece or two and pretend its warm! (I had just put in gum, so I didn't eat any bacon)....so after the pig roast was over, we returned back to the parking lot. Go there now! Use the key to get in, passenger side please! (Leave the platter, my people will take care of it.)'
Inside the envelope was another puzzle piece, and a key to his car. I walked over to the parking lot, found his car and got in. I opened up my next envelope, held under another river rock and of course with another puzzle piece. He had written,'Please take a seat and get comfortable. Notice that the driver's seat belt is buckled? I guess I was thinking we were going to call it a quick night but we soon realized that we were enjoying our conversation more and more (I hope you were, cause I know I was!) During that conversation with you, I really began to realize what an incredible person you were. I was amazed that the Lord had caused our paths to cross! Put the key into the ignition and turn it until you hear something. Do that now before you read any more.'
So I put in the key and turned it, and in a few moments, music from my brother's band, Falling Up, started playing out of the speakers. I smiled and turned the card over to read the back of it. 'No way! I can't believe your brother plays for one of my favorite bands! haha! How funny that was to find that out that night. Alright babe, from here I want you to head to the other park in which we have walked around in a lot! Go to the part of the grassy area where we laid down and stared into space.'
He was talking about the grassy field in Bush Park. I drove over there and walked to the grassy field. There, where we had laid, was his jacket that he had laid out for me that night to lay on. I picked it up, and underneath was a card and a portable cd player, and another river rock. I opened the envelope and read the card. 'Can I offer you my jacket to lie on? Haha. We had some good walks in this park and will continue to have them. I really enjoyed those first Bush Park conversations as we were getting to know each other and talked until late. Push play on the CD player. Enjoy what you hear and keep listening as you make your way to the next destination. Walk down to the lower field where we sat underneath an oak tree.'
I put on the headphones and started walking, and then started playing a song by Thrice, called 'A Song for Milly Michaelson', which he had told me way early on was a song that made him think of me.
(You can listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPf9Uksy91I)
I listened joyfully as I walked down to the lower field.
There, hanging in the old Oak tree was rope in the shape of a heart. Hanging in the middle was my next card. In this card, he told me the different qualities that he was always looking for in a woman, and that he saw them in me. (A number of months before, we had sat under that Oak tree and I told him the things I knew I needed and was looking for in a man.) Then he told me to head north to a park where he skipped stones (hence all the river rocks he had been leaving for me) at the river and we got in trouble by the park staff for being there after dark. He was talking about Keizer Rapids park, where we hung out the night we started dating.
I made my way all the way through the forest and down to the river. I stood on the bank where we had been, but didn't see anything immediately. I looked a little longer and noticed something floating in the river upstream a bit. I walked over and saw a basket floating, attached to a string on a stick which was stuck in the ground on the bank. I pulled the basket in, and in it was my next envelope. He told me to skip my rocks that he had gathered for me (i think that was a joke, because he knows I can't skip rocks. I can only 'kerplunk' them into the water...) He also said that he enjoyed our walk there that night and he was sorry he couldn't accompany me back. He directed me to my next location: the elementary school where we went to lay under the stars, after we got kicked out of Keizer Rapids for being there after it closed at dusk. It's a school near his house and we had stayed there talking from 9:30-5 am and began our relationship that night.
I drove over there and parked. I looked to the grassy spot where we had been laying, and saw a blanket lay out. I smiled and made a bee line to the blanket. On it was my final envelope. He welcomed me to the place where our relationship had began and told me to go ahead and put together the puzzle, and finally read the back of the pieces and follow directions carefully. I put the puzzle together, which had our picture on one side of it. On the backside, he had written 'I can't play footsie with you if your shoes are on!' (that night, laying on the blanket he played footsie w/ me all night, but claims he doesn't remember doing that). So he said, 'Take your shoes off, stand up, close your eyes and count to 15.' I took my shoes off, stood up, and started counting.
I heard him running to me from behind. I turned around and we embraced and he covered me in kisses. He told me he was ready to spend the rest of his life with me, got on one knee and asked if I'd marry him. I said, 'yes, of course!' and we hugged and hugged.
His momma came out from behind a tree, because she was filming and taking pictures. We shared some laughs and hugs and then went to his momma's house. His brother Logan, and Logan's girlfriend Rachelle arrived soon after. They had been at all the parks, picking up the stuff left over and hiding taking pictures of me. We all sat around and laughed and talked. I am so excited to be joining their awesome family! I could tell by all the attention to detail and all the little things he remembered that he had spent a lot of time planning the proposal. And it was executed perfectly! I loved it and cannot wait to become an Anderson. :)
He gave me a ring that has his birthstone in it (aquamarine), like I asked for. It has a smaller diamond on the side of it, and when connected with the wedding band, there is a diamond on the other side too, in a diagonal slant. It connects together like a little puzzle! :) It's beautiful! But most special about it, Skyler designed and drew it out himself! He designed how he wanted it to look and took it to the jeweler to make it. :) I'm a lucky, lucky girl.
So there you have it. My first steps in becoming an Anderson!
