[Before she starts the story I have to give a little background. When Karen and I had barely started dating, lik
e during the first week, I went with her to her mission prep class with Brother Bott. He always has time at the beginning for announcements like mission calls and engagements. We were just talking with each other and he points us out of the whole crowd and says, “What about you two, you’re engaged aren’t you?” Karen turned red and I [for one of the first times in my life] was basically speechless. I said no, not quite yet, and he countered with, “Well what’s wrong with you?! She’s a beautiful girl isn’t she?!” Again, at a loss for words I said, “Well we’ve only been dating a week, give me a minute, I’m working on it.” By this point all of us were laughing hysterically.
While I was trying to decide how to ask Karen I was talking to her mom on the phone and running my original idea by her. She liked it because it was romantic but said, in case I wanted to do something a little more crazy (because she says that I am REALLY crazy) that I could do it at school during one of her classes. And because she is really “embarasoza” (easily embarrassed) it would be great. I remembered the time when Brother Bott put us on the spot during announcements and thought it would be hilarious and ironic if I were to do it during his class. I told Karen that I needed to talk to Brother Bott because I “was reading the scriptures last night and
I had a question for him.” She didn’t think anything of it and gave it to me. I called him and talked it all over with him and he thought it was a great idea.
Anyways, it took the whole night before to make the video and plan everything, like buying a sweet flashlight, burning the cd, finding cool pictures etc. I never even got to sleep and barely had enough time but it all worked out! I had already talked to Brother Bott about it and he was down, the only problem was that when I stopped by the class period before it was going to happen he told me that the projector wasn’t working but that they had an IT guy working on it and asked me if I had a back-up plan. I was trying to be quiet as I dropped off the cd so that I didn’t disrupt his class but he told the entire group that I was going to propose during the next class. Everyone cheered and clapped with excitement. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do so I just prayed and hoped for the best!]
*WHAT MICHAEL SAYS IS IN [BRACKETS]
(not parenthesis)
Aww guys it was absolutely PERFECT!!! It was during my mission prep class (haha). Now before I say anything I think you should know that we have a BIG class!! The class is held in an auditorium of 250 students!!! Ok so this is what happened ... Class started like usual, we sang a hymn, had a prayer, share
d a scripture, Brother Bott went up to the board and started with his lesson. But next to him there was a kid that was trying to get the projector to work so that we could watch a movie on the big screen.
[I was hiding in the hallway with Russ and Mary praying that the stupid projector would work at least just for the next 10 minutes!!]
Brother Bott told us not to worry about it, and that as soon as the projector started working we were going to watch a video. After about 20 minutes, the kid tells Bro. Bott that the projector is ready and so he goes and turns off all the lights.
[Finally start breathing again because the projector started working just in time to get nervous and not be able to breathe!!!]
By now everyone's attention was focused on the screen. It was weird because we seriously NEVER use the projector in this class. So, the video starts ... its about the mission field, about how wonderful it is to go on a mission and serve the Lord and His people, "Families can be together forever" is playing in the background but then suddenly the song "All my life" by KC and Jo-jo (Our song) starts playing and a quote with something about preparing for even bigger decisions in life go
es on the screen. Then up on the big screen a picture of Michael (a super cute one of when he 2 years old and swimming naked in the pool) appears and then a picture of me when I was little (with my princess dress and tiara hahaha) Everyone thought they were really funny. By then I am in complete shock and totally embarrassed that the WHOLE class is looking at our pictures, and then even more pictures come of us at different times in our relationship, the first time he cooked for me, the first time he “made a fool of himself in front of me” etc. After those pictures there is this one of me smiling and then a phrase above it saying: "I know you're happy right now but ..." and the next picture is of me driving the go-kart up in WA with me in the driver's seat with nobody sitting in the passenger's seat, and then a phrase saying: "But it looks like you still need a companion…” (Everyone in the class is screaming, tons of the girls are crying and I'm still in shock haha) Then there's a picture of the day when we both made a wish by the fountain when we went to Salt Lake, followed with the phrase: "I never told you what my wish was
that day .... But I’ll give you a hint..." And right then a picture of the Salt Lake Temple appears with "January 16th, 2009" as my clue!!!!!! The lights are all off for the movie but behind me I heard people running down the stairs, it was Mary, one of our friends who was shining a flashlight on me to put me in the spotlight.
[Then everyone turned towards Karen because they realized the whole thing was for her, and they were saying “Hey, that’s the girl, she’s over there!”]
Everyone is screaming their heads off even louder, then Michael enters the room and the flashlight goes on him and they all go nuts!! ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE IS SCREAMING AND CHEERING AND CLAPPING, then he comes over to me, takes me by the hand and leads me to the aisle and has me stand up in front of the ENTIRE CLASS (Remember: 250 people!!!!!!
[Plus the dozens of people who found out about this the period before when I dropped the cd off and Brother Bott told everyon
e that I was going to propose next class period. Tons of people stayed for Karen’s class to see it!!]
He kneels down, holds my hands, takes out a box and right there in front of everyone he confesses his undying love for me and asks me if I would marry him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[At the same time the screen has a picture of the fountain again and in big red letters says, “Karen will you marry me?”]
And of course I said YES!!!! (At least I think I did, 'cause I was about to faint and I don't really remember if I said in English or Spanish!! hahaha)
[But I remember very clearly that she looked into my eyes and said, “Oh si amor!!” and it was amazing!!! ]
Then he picks me up into his arms, and spins me around while hugging me! We had the entire class screaming and clapping in the background!
[Eventually I put her down and struggle to stop shaking long enough to put the ring on her hand which coincidentally was also shaking! ]
Hahaha and then Brother Bott came over to us in tears to give us a big hug and then he told the class "Folks, this is what its all about!" And then he gave me permission to leave class so that Michael and I could be together!! :) :) :) AHH, we are so happy right now! I can't even explain it!!!
[On a side note, Mary, Karen and I went to the creamery in the wilk to get some ice cream and the girl serving us said, “Hey, you’re the couple that just got engaged!!” Throughout the rest of the day random people would stop us or wave and say, “congratulations, I was in that class, that was soooo cool!” We were basically famous!]
Anyways, we hope you enjoyed the coolest proposal story EVER!! ;)
and had a great time together as a family. Michael loved every minute of it! Oh how much I love him!! Sometimes I wonder how life would be without my best friend and I can tell you that those thoughts have always lead to tears. Being married to my sweetheart is the best thing that ever happened to me. Let me fix that sentence. Being married TO THE MOST AMAZING, HANDSOME, LOVING, ADORABLE, GIVING, CHARITABLE, FUN MAN is the best thing that ever happened to me :) And I can't wait to celebrate many more birthdays with the love of my life!!
