Skip to main content

Sandy Beach Reminiscing

My amazingly talented husband worked as a whitewater river guide in Moab during the summers while he was a BYU student. We got engaged on this beach twenty years earlier and this was our first time back to Sandy Beach since he popped the question. He was working in Moab while I was enrolled in summer school at BYU. I missed him so much, as we'd been dating all through the school year and spent nearly every day together. We'd write letters or call each other, then one weekend when I drove down from Provo to visit, he said he had a gift for me, but I had to wait to open it until we got by the river.

He had this huge box for me, gift wrapped. After opening the box, there was another gift-wrapped box. And another, and another, and another. It was like the Russian nesting dolls, with a smaller version nestled inside the larger one. As I was opening the boxes and as they were getting smaller and smaller, the thought crossed my mind, "Could this possibly be an engagement ring? Is he going to propose to me?"

As I got down to the smallest box, it was in a clear acrylic box and Kelly commented, "It's a Rubic's Cube!" At this point, it wasn't funny to me, because I had sort of assumed and hoped for the ring. Fortunately, it was, or I might have tossed the box into the river. It was a gorgeous evening just before sunset and he asked me to marry him and I obviously said yes.

We hadn't eaten dinner yet, so we drove back into town and there were only about two choices back then in Moab: A&W, which is no longer there, and the Taco Bender. So our choice for fine dining to celebrate our engagement ended up being A&W. All I really cared about was that Kelly and I were going to get married and I could not be more elated.

My girlfriend that had driven down to Moab with me got clued in from Kelly what he was planning, so she headed back home. Kelly and I drove to Colorado to see his family and to share the excitement with them. Yeah!!!!

Comments

Summer Adams said…
Aaaaah, such a cute cute engagement! I'm glad y'all are still so lovey-dovey after all these years. I think Josh and I will be the same way. Moab....I have YET to go there! Sounds so fun.
Heidi said…
Great story! You guys are a really cute couple!

Popular posts from this blog

Book of Mormon Stories Pool Party!

Hopefully this title, Book of Mormon Stories Pool Party , does not sound irreverent, because as an Activity Days leader, I felt compelled to come up with a fun end-of-the-summer event that is also uplifting, and after all, who doesn't love a splash in the pool on a hot day in August?  My current church calling, or official role that I volunteer for, allows me to plan two activities each month for girls ages 8 to 11, that will encourage them to learn and live the gospel, serve others, and use the talents Heavenly Father has given them, to learn to do many good things.  This year's seminary course of study for high school students is The Book of Mormon, and since I am a huge fan of this inspired book of scripture, I came up with this idea to have each girl show up to my house with a written summary of one of her favorite stories from within its many pages, and share it with the rest of the girls, while outside in our swimsuits near our backyard swimming pool!  As each girl shares

Our new daughter!

This picture was taken at church a few days ago while Kelly was on his way to the US for work this week. We have some wonderful news to share.  We are adopting 7-year-old Yeh Min Yu, who has been in our home off and on the last couple of months.  There's a lot that goes into making this official, dealing with US Homeland Security to arrange for her immigration visa, Taiwan courts and Chinese documents, getting a home study done by a licensed, qualified person, applying for a passport.  You have no idea.  I'll be glad when it's all done, but I couldn't wait to share this bit of joy with everyone.  We will name her Hannah to go on her new US birth certificate.  She's excited and nervous to go to America with us.  She can say more than 100 words in English so far.  Some of her favorite things to say are "small dog, butterfly, apple, pig."  She says it more like pig-uh.  We love her and feel this is one of the reasons we came to Taiwan.  Who would have thoug

Elder Larson to return from Thailand soon

Soon is relative, I suppose. Our son has been away from home more than a year and a half as he has been volunteering as a full-time missionary in the Thailand Bangkok Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since September 14, 2016. He will be home in four months and is working so hard, knowing his time there is winding down. He has been assigned to train Elder Ben Meyer, from Sydney, Australia, as they serve in Ubon, Thailand. Christopher has been there since November. We are very proud of his dedication and hard work. This week in Thailand, the new prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, with his wife, Wendy Nelson, along with one of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, and his wife, Patricia Holland, will be on their world ministering tour and be where our son is. The Church members and missionaries in Thailand are very excited and happy for this special visit! I can't wait to hear how it goes, and I look forward to pictures and stories to come.