The Engagement

Kathy: Well, I kind of had an idea that it may happen but I didn't know how. The original plan was that it would happen at Disneyland. Which, he blew it because he gave me a hint so that option was out. So it all happened the Friday before Christmas. He was going to come up to my house for dinner and to celebrate Christmas with my family and we were going to open gifts. I rush home because he told me that he would be there about two. He calls and says that our friend Matt needed his help and that he would be late. No problem I thought, I could do some errands that I had been meaning to do. Like, get my nails done (ha ha , he he). Anyway, he calls and says he is going to be even later than expected. I was bummed, but thought it was okay because I liked our friend and knew that he was in need. Well, it is almost six and I am hungary. I want to eat without him and not wait any longer. My mom convinced me to have patience and we should wait for him (yes, she knew it was coming). He finally gets here about 7, "yeah, yeah, come in, let's eat" is what I was thinking. So, we ate and after we had coffee and started to open presents. I liked everything I got :) The last gift was on the floor and Dave told me to open it. The whole feel of the room changed. My parents got their cameras out and all eyes were on me. The box was big, what could it be? It was a jewlery box. I thought that was great because I told Dave and my family that I wanted one to help keep me organized, hmmm, I should get to that by the way. Anyway, I asked if it played music and he told me to open it. I was expecting Over the Rainbow or maybe a song from Phantom, but nope, it was a song from one of the first mixes that he made for me. It was Passenger Seat by a band called Death Cab for Cutie. Okay, so cameras were out this jewlery box began to play "our song" and a little ring box was sitting in there anxiously waiting to be opened. Dave got down on one knee, opened the jewlery box and said "Kathy, from the first time I met youuuuuu....." Oh no, the phone started to ring. My mom instructed him to keep going. Iwas listening to the jewlery box, Dave, my mom, and the phone, sensory overload! It was my sister calling, she left a message on the machine, thinking that we forgot to call her. So, Dave continues, I say "yes" and wipe the blurry tears from my eyes. Then I think, "wait a minute, so what took him so long that day?" He and a few other friends had spent the day making the jewlery box to play our song. The whole Matt story was a cover-up. You got me this time Dave!
Yay, so that is how we got engaged.
Now, for FAQ's

So did your mom know?
Why yes, I said that she did. They had discussed the details earlier that week.

Were you suprised?
Yes and no. I knew it was coming soon, but I didn't think he would do it in front of my parents.

When is the wedding?
June 20, 2008

Are you sure Dave is the "one?"
Can we ever be sure of anything, ahh, just kidding. YES! I love that guy!

How did he give you the hint for Disneyland?
Oh that is a good one. We went to Disneyland in November or October and I expressed how much I loved it. Then he told me not to worry because we would go back soon. It was then I knew that if we went back in the near future it would be to propose.

Where are you going to live?
Good question. We don't know exactly where right now, but the Lord does and we are ready and willing.

Okay, no more questions for right now :)

Dave: My idea was simple, I would find a nice restaurant with a piano, and I would recruit a singer and piano player to spring out of nowhere and play our song-- then I would produce the ring.

Things didn't quite work out that way (do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a restaurant with a piano in Hollywood? Let alone one that will let you use it?). And that part of the story ends with my total boycott of Micelli's Italian Restaurant in Hollywood, CA.

My next idea was also simple: find a music box that plays mp3s and rig it to play 'our song'. Now, anyone who knows anything about electronics knows that these items don't exist. So, I dreamt it up and called upon Jonathan deRoche to put thought into action. It just so happened that this was the day of the event... I had approximately ten hours to pull this thing off. And, with help from Matt Beans, who misled my lovely soon-to-be wife, I convinced Kathy that my extended absence was nothing to get alarmed over.

Relying on the technical expertise of a friend of Jonathan's, we used all sorts of bizarre equipment to bring this device into reality.

5 hours after I was supposed to arrive at Kathy's, I put the ring box inside, wrapped it and tucked it into my car... then I was off to ask the biggest question I'll ever ask.