Mission Proposal

   So here’s how it went down: I convinced Cassandra that I was had to be in Nevada all weekend for work. She was to sing in sacrament meeting on Sunday, and so I told her I wasn’t going to be able to make it.  This was just a cover up to give me some time to plan everything, pick up the ring, and get set up. I surprised her Sunday morning by being there for her performance. She was really excited, because we hadn’t seen each other in a while, and she had been bumming that I couldn’t come support her. That was Phase 1. Then later that evening we went on a drive up towards Sandy. We drove along the foothills of the mountains, and started coming down towards my house around dusk. That was Phase 2. Now understand this, there’s a park next to my home ward that Cassandra and I went to often when we were dating before my mission. There’s a certain bench perched under an oak tree in this park that had become our “spot”. We found it a long time ago on one of our first Valentine’s Days together, it’s where we said goodbye when I went on my mission, it’s where we met up when I came home from my mission, and we’ve just had many memorable moments at “our bench”. So this evening as we were driving down Wasatch Boulevard towards my house to visit my family, we passed that park. I pulled into the parking lot, and said, “Hey we should go visit our bench! We haven’t been there in a while.” So we went for a walk at about the same time the sun was setting. As we rounded the bluff, and approached the bench, there were lanterns hanging in the tree and a path lit up with small lights and rose pedals leading to the tree. On the bench was a blanket that Cassandra had made for me when I left on my mission, 24 roses, some Martinelli’s, and chocolate strawberries. At this point Cassandra must have known, because tears started to slowly roll down her cheeks. We danced to some music under the lights, then I got down on my knee, and the rest is history. We sat and talked for a while, then carved our initials in the tree before heading home. That was Phase 3. Then when we got to my house I had arranged for a surprise congrats party. All of her family, and my family, were there waiting for us. She excitedly showed her everyone the ring, we had dessert, and then went outside and let off one of those Chinese sky lanterns. Phase 4 complete. Mission complete. It’s a good day.