For most people, March 17th is a day to wear green, eat chocolate coins, or perhaps drink green beer, but it’s a more important day for me. On March 17th, four years ago, a cute boy asked if I, Kristi Beth, would be his wife (and yes, he did call me Kristi Beth when he proposed).
Christopher and I talked about getting married very early on in our relationship. I think we had been dating less than two months when we first broached the subject. There were a number of factors for not getting engaged right then, but it was always something in the back of our minds (okay, maybe in the front of mine), and something that we would discuss often. I had a list of rules when it came to the actual proposal. To some that may seem controlling and overbearing, and you’re probably right… it might be. But, I had a picture in my mind of what that moment would be like, and I didn’t want it to differ too much from that. Though grand proposals with fireworks, or helicopter rides or crowds of people work for many people, I knew that wasn’t what I wanted. Our relationship, though incredibly special to me, was simple and not over complicated (well, except for the fact that I had been waiting for a missionary at the time… but that’s a story for another day). I believe that a marriage proposal should be simple, and thoughtful, or at least match the personalities of the couples. That being said, if Christopher had proposed to be in front of the Eiffel Tower, I would not have objected. I just wanted it to be us, so that we could have that special moment and not have to share it with anyone else. I also had a list of dates that Christopher could not propose on. I wanted our day to be ours, and I didn’t want him to propose on a day that he thought he should because of the significance that day already held (like Christmas, or Valentine’s Day). I wanted that day to be special because it was the day that he proposed, and being the selfish person that I am, I didn’t want to share it with anyone (though, funnily enough, one of cousins got engaged on the exact same day).
I knew that Chris was proposing that day. Not because he told me, but because I am kind of an obsessive person, and I was always looking for clues. We had decided that we would probably get married in late spring or the summer (though our original plan was to get married on May 4th, but we decided to wait a few months), and I wanted to have a 2-3 month engagement, so I knew it would probably happen sometime in March or April. There were a few other clues, like that Chris wanted to drive down to Cardston, just the two of us (we were going as a ward to go to the temple), and not give anyone else a ride there or back. I knew that as we walked around the beautiful grounds, and the snow fell around us that it was just a matter of minutes before he popped the question. And yet, knowing all that never dimmed my excitement or kept my eyes dry for the moment that that ring, a symbol of our love and commitment to be married, was placed on my finger after I said yes.
I’ll still wear green every March 17th, and probably eat a bowl of Lucky Charms, or sugar cookies shaped like four-leaf clovers, but this will always be a special day for us, it’s our lucky day.
Photo Credit: David Dudley Photography
