10 Years Since the "Popping of the Question"

Labor Day, Monday, September 7th--We made our yearly drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon to Silver Lake. It is a tradition of ours as we celebrate the Labor Day Weekend that Nate took me to this very lake to propose to me. This year marks 10 years since that very special weekend. Nate planned it all on his own. He packed a picnic and we drove up there. There weren't a lot of people at the lake that day (anymore, it's always packed!). We found a picnic table in a beautiful, sunny area next to the ranger station. Lunch was delicious. Then it was time to burn off the calories by taking a walk around the lake. It's a very easy walk and you can often see chipmunks and an occasional moose or beaver. I figured Nate was going to propose to me but I began to wonder as we were nearing the end of the trail heading back to the parking lot. We came to a bench, kind of secluded, and Nate suggested we sit down for a while. We looked at the beautiful lake. I gave thanks for the fresh air and forest that reminded me of my Washington home I had just left behind to be with the man I love. We started some small chit-chat and then Nate got off the bench, got down on his knee, held my hand, and proceeded to share his feelings of love for me and then proposed. It was incredibly romantic and there wasn't a doubt in my mind that I wanted to spend forever with him. We kissed, hugged and then Nate decided we would "commemorate" this moment by "recording" it into the very bench that was involved in the decision we made that day to spend our lives together (thank goodness for sharp keys!). Sadly, that special bench is no longer there, it was old then so it's now been replaced. The first couple of years we would return we could still find it and our initials carved into the right-hand corner of the seat.

Every year we take the kids up with us. We pack a picnic and when we're done eating we take a walk around the lake. We show them the area where Nate proposed. This year we also tried to geo-cache. There was one on the geo-caching website that looked pretty easy. Nate's new GPS pointed the way but, sadly, the "treasure" was either gone or buried some where. The kids were bummed but we assured them we'd go on other treasure hunts. It was fun!

I still can't believe it's already been 10 years! Nate took me up to Silver Lake on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend then on that Monday we went ring shopping. I could have chosen a traditional diamond but decided on a beautiful sapphire instead. Nate liked it too.

We made the decision to become a family at that beautiful lake on the 1st week of September, 1999. I've never regretted that decision, it's the best one I've ever made or will ever make.

**A "Hidden Mickey" we discovered while walking around the lake. We think it's rock. It's near Brighton Ski Resort. You Disneyland/world fans know what I'm talkin' about! : )