The Big Day

Jason and I went snowboarding yesterday. Little did I know that it would be day that changed my life forever.

My first run down Sugar Slope (the easy, "learning" slope) went well, and I felt like I was starting to get the hang of turning from "heel side" to "toe side." For our second run, J suggested we ride towards the left side because it was less crowded. I started out toward that side but ended up inching into the middle as I tried, unsuccessfully each time, to make that half-spin turn.

"Kay, come over on this side by me," J encouraged, still further up behind me on the hill. "No, I'm GOING to make this stupid turn!! I'll lose half the mountain by the time I get over there, it's just gonna be a waste." Little did I know that J was whispering, "Oh, no, it won't!" to himself. :)

In spite of my words, I did steer all the way to the left, losing very little of the hill. Then I tried again in vain to do my spin, fell, and sat down in the snow, discouraged. "I can't do it! I keep catching my back edge," I pouted to J. I was actually getting VERY frustrated, feeling like I was just getting worse. Poor J. He took off his board and walked over to me, then knelt down in front of me. I thought he was going to say, "Kay, it's ok, I love you, you're amazing and you can do anything," as he usually would, but instead he just sat there with a look on his face I couldn't read. Then he unzipped his jacket and reached into his inside pocket. I thought he was going to pull out a tissue so I could wipe my nose, or take out his phone to show me something encouraging. What he pulled out, however, was a blue ring box! I briefly wondered if this was a joke, not wanting to get my hopes up. But then he opened the box - slowly and significantly - and there inside was a real diamond ring!!!!

"Oh my gosh!!!" I said, TOTALLY surprised. "I love you, Kay," he told me, tears in his eyes. "Will you marry me?"

"I will!" I said, now crying myself. He slipped the ring on my finger and I kissed him, so full of joy I could hardly contain myself. He was even more emotional than I was (which is usually the case with us).

We spent about ten minutes composing ourselves from all the emotion and then boarded the rest of the way down the hill - now I felt like I could conquer the world! Then J took me to the fancy new Red Tail Lodge restaurant which was a lovely atmosphere and we called our friends and family and had a wonderfully romantic little lunch.

It was such an amazing day! There were several times in the day where I'd suddenly get more of a realization of what just happened and say, "Whoa! We're engaged!" or look down at my ring in awe that it was really real! We both wanted it to be a surprise, and it so totally was!! It's an extremely difficult thing for J to keep anything a secret from me, but he did, and I was so proud of him.

After we finished at Mountain Creek, we had a lovely little engagement party with both of our immediate families and played music until late into the evening. It was the perfect day.

I'm soooo happy.

I love you, Jason Roe!! :)

- Kay