Once Upon A Time... Part 18

All week we talked to each other every day. During lunch. In the evening. That is if he didn't come down to see me. We were so happy and so ready to get on with it. We just needed that ring!

On Saturday, I drove up to Dan's house and we left for our day of meeting his family. We started with his sister Jennifer. She was very nice and didn't say anything about thinking I was pregnant! I met her family, too. Then we drove up to Logan to meet Lisa. She's Dan's oldest sister. We stayed and chatted for a while then had to move on. These were all quick meets. We then drove up to Idaho. Malad is where Dan's parents grew up and met. Dan had spent all his childhood summers there working on his grandpa's farm. I met his grandma Shelba. She was so sweet. She had made a roast and potatoes and lots of other food for lunch.

Now I feel the need to insert something here. I was taking a medication for my kidneys that made me gag. It was nice to be losing weight, especially now that I would be getting married, but I gagged all the time. I love food. I love to eat. But I gagged when I tried eating anything. Plus I was nervous.

So his grandma served me some food and I mostly picked at it. Normally that wouldn't be the case. But I tried to eat what I could. She noticed. She said to Dan, "She doesn't like my food!" I said, "Oh no, It's wonderful. I just am not that hungry!" She tsk tsk'd me. What else could I do? I gave Dan a look of "help" and he said we needed to get back on the road anyway.

We had been out all day. It was getting close to dinner time. Dan had said that morning that the ring was ready and we needed to get back down to Layton to get it before they closed. All day I was willing him and daring him to drive faster. "Can't we just go meet the rest of them tomorrow?" "No, they have been waiting all week to meet you!" But I had been waiting almost 28 years for this ring!!

We got to the next to last stop. I knew it was too late. Dinner was over and the store would be closing. I tried not to cry. We walked up to the door. We were at the house of his other brother, Richard. Also, Deanna and her family were there. So we had introductions all around. Then the doorbell rang. Someone went to open it and I hear, "Special delivery for Jennie.." I turned and went to the door. There in the doorway was Clark, Deanna's hubby, with a huge bouquet of red roses. I went to get them and then turned around to Dan. He was on his knee with a little black box in his hand. I started to cry! He said, "Jennie, I love you and want to spend eternity with you. Will you marry me?" I cried more and said, "Yes!!" I handed the roses to someone and gave my future husband a kiss. Or two. Or three...

He put the ring on my finger. It was perfect! I showed it to everyone and we stayed just a bit longer. We still had one more sister to visit. The last visit of the day went well, too. It was late and they got their kids out of bed to come meet me. His family was just wonderful. I liked them already.

At Dan's house, we said goodnight. He wanted to come to church with me again in the morning. We would be showing off the ring there, too. I drove home and watched all the freeway lights hit my ring, making it glisten! I was happy, we were official, and this was the best time of my life.