On September 27, 2009, Bub Easley asked me if I thought we could sit down and talk. I said, "I'd like that."
The moment we sat down in Starbucks, Port Orchard, Bub looked in my eyes with grave determination and said, "Before I say anything, I want to know if you have any feelings for me...at all?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded my head once, not wanting to say a word that would make him change his mind.
Well, he never did change it. Exactly two years and four months later, on January 27, 2012, Bub asked me to marry him. And I can say without a doubt that my proposal story is the best ever.
It was the Christ the Rock Community Church's senior high winter retreat in Bend, OR. Bub and I both went as leaders. We arrived in Bend late Thursday night and spent all day Friday on Mount Bachelor (cough cough), snowboarding and inner tubing to out hearts' content. I did in fact try snowboarding for the very first time and was shaky and utterly exhausted by the time we started packing up.
As all the students piled on the bus, Bub told me we were going with Jeremy and Marie in their truck. I almost told Bub that I really should ride on the bus, since I was a leader and had responsibilities. But I knew his mind was made up and decided not to bother.
We climbed in the truck along with Amanda, one of my high school girls, and as Jeremy started the truck, he said, "Kyle wants us to check out the other lodge to see if it's better for tomorrow."
I was sleepy, content and oblivious to all of life around me. I didn't notice that Bub had left me standing in the cold next to the bus before we left so he could take five minutes to "get his GPS" and that Marie went in with him to help. I didn't notice that Kyle forgot to invite me inner-tubing on the last run of the night when he strongly suggested Bub go with him. And I didn't notice that Amanda was as quiet as a mouse in the corner of the seat beside me as we pulled up to the second lodge on Mt. Bachelor (cough cough).
We climbed the snow bank at the side of the lodge until we had a view of the mountain range surrounding us. The last rays of a perfect sunshiny day were dancing across the snowy face of the Sisters to our left as Mt. Bachelor looked on above us to the right. I was gazing at the sisters when Bub suddenly pulled an 8x10 book out of his jacket and said, "I made this for you."
I gasped. "Oh, Bub! That's so sweet, I love it!" He had made a hard cover picture book, summarizing our entire dating relationship. I was shocked by his creativity and thoughtfulness but also a bit confused, and quickly asked, "Do you want me to look at it now?" Inside I was thinking, "This is an awkward time, Bub, to give me a romantic book..."
"Yeeess." He said.
I slowly flipped the pages, smiling at memories and my boyfriend's cuteness, when all of a sudden in the corner of my eye, I realized Amanda and Marie had a video camera. I stopped breathing and instinctively decided to skip a few pages when at about the same moment Bub fiddled in his pocket and dropped to one knee. Unbeknownst to myself, I blurted out something like, "What are you DOing?!" Finally, I got to the last page: it was a picture of Bub holding a ring. But not only in the picture! In real life, Bub Easley was before in me in the snow on his knee, holding out a sparkling diamond ring, and saying, "will you marry me?"
"Are you serious?!"
"Yes."
"Right now?!"
"Right now."
And then came the flood. I put on the ring and babbled a few more things before collapsing onto his shoulder. Through the snot and tears I whispered, "Yes...but there are PEOPLE here!"
Bub pulled me from his neck and asked, for the sake of the camera, "Wait, what did you say?"
"I sa-aid ye-es!"
"Ok, good."
After we hugged again, Jeremy, Marie, and Amanda all gathered in to be the first to congratulate us. Even though I had specifically asked Bub NOT to propose to me in front of people, it was hard to be mad about it. And we now have it on camera! ;)
The cloud I floated down the mountain on was of creamy white chiffon and Spanish lace. I had a diamond on my finger and my hand was being held by a man...in front of YOUTH! I called my mommy and daddy and told them I was getting married (of course they knew all about it). Bub called his mommy and told her I said yes. We texted and called friends to my heart's content, and when we got back to Bend and were stormed by Kyle and the rest of the students, I had told this story about 5,000 times. But it hadn't really sunk in yet that I was officially going to be a wife.
Thank you, Father, for my fiance! I am blessed beyond words to be able to be married to this man someday. We've already had adventures like few couples ever will, and I am excited for the many more to come. After all, I am marrying an Easley. ;)
I'm already stressing out, because of planning my very own WEDDING and because life is about to change and will never be the same again. But Bub and I have the Lord with us. I've been reminded that this delight is only a small glimpse of the pure joy and celebration we the church will know when we are finally home in heaven with our bridegroom at the marriage supper of the Lamb, Jesus Christ the Lord.
And "Amy Easley" sounds pretty stinking adorable. ;) Ana ghudi kun l'arosa!
