Proposal Story - One Year Later

During June of last year I was able to fly back to Brazil for three weeks with my parents where I was able to show them some of the areas that I served in. It definitely was an interesting trip. I got to see the house where I used to live in when I was very young, go to the chapel that I used to attend during my early primary years, go to the temple where I was sealed to my family for all eternity, visit my mission and the people I still very deeply love, go to Rio De Janeiro and see the Christ Statue, have monkeys eat straight from my hands, run away from someone trying to rob me while at the beach and I finally met my birth family (still not sure what to think of that last experience). Even though it was an unforgettable trip, the best thing that happened actually didn't happen until the moment I walked off the plane on my first day back in Salt Lake City.

I knew that I would be seeing Danny at the airport, what I didn't know was that in his pocket would be an engagement ring that he had picked out for me. The plane back from Brazil was supposed to arrive at 2pm but it didn't land in Salt Lake City until 7:30pm (so I had a lot of time to stalk my birth family haha). It was also a lot of time for Danny to start freaking out because he had to wait longer to propose.

           Side note: I avoided the topic of marriage like the plague while we were dating because at that time the thought of being with one person for the rest of eternity freaked me out. He was so nervous to bring this subject up because I would get out of the conversation faster than a cat leaving the bathtub (I just made that analogy up haha). Anyways I thought I had him figured out because he would make comments like "I'm going to sell my motorcycle this summer for money" and "my apartment contract ends in September and I don't think I'm going to renew it" and every time I heard this I wouldn't respond and instead would just think to myself 'what do you need the money for?' and 'why wouldn't you renew your contract?'. So I figured that as long as he had his motorcycle I wouldn't get a ring and while in Brazil he posted a picture of him on his bike three days before I came home so I thought 'oh good he still has the bike which means I have more time to mentally prepare myself'. . . nope I was wrong. Okay back to the story :)

After I got off the plane I descended on the escalators to the terminal where I knew he would be waiting with my sister. On my way down I saw a long row of rose petals and this huge sign with these large words "Will You Marry Me?" . . . It was someone else proposing to his girlfriend :). Of course I just walked right past all that because I didn't think I would be getting engaged that night. The funny thing is that Danny must have been really nervous because he started making fun of the other guy proposing! He said "can you believe that some guy picked the airport out of all places to propose?" I don't even remember what I said but Danny was secretly mad that someone decided to do it at the same place and the same night.

I remember just being really happy to be back with Danny. When we got to the luggage belt to pick up my suitcases I noticed that some bags had individual signs taped on them that said "Happy Six Months Gina" with roses on them. Danny picked up the roses and gave them to me. I blame it on jet lag but instead of me thinking it was cute I got mad at him. I told him "Danny you really can't put posters on random bags, people are going to get mad at you!!" He told me not to worry because he brought those suitcases from home, but then I said "well you didn't even grab the luggage, they're going around again!!" I don't know what my problem was but I was getting on his case about it. I found out later that both of our families were there hiding in the crowd and his sisters were on the other side of the luggage belt where I couldn't see them switching the signs on the bags so when it came back around again it said "Gina Will You Marry Me?".

I must have been tired because the way I read it in my head was so backwards, it was like "Marry Me Gina Will You?" haha it felt like I was reading it for a good five minutes even though it was really only seconds but the whole time Danny was on his knee behind me waiting for me to turn around. Finally I realized that it was a proposal to me and I guess I got so excited that I tried to take the ring box straight from his hands. To make it worse I also gave him my wrong hand right after that (I was tired lol). He finally put it on my hand and that's when I realized that the majority of our families were there. Everyone asked him what I said and he was like "Umm I don't think she ever said anything" haha I forgot to say yes!! So then I did and we were engaged. :)

We were both literally shaking, me because I was so excited and him because he was so scared I would say no. It didn't help that the night before he had about five dreams of all the different ways I could tell him no. We didn't have a date set for about a week after or even a temple picked. We had to start from ground zero and that's my fault because I avoided the topic of marriage so much. Those three weeks in another country with limited communication made me realize that I never wanted to go that long without him again.

    
I used to be so scared of the idea of marriage because I was terrified of getting stuck with the wrong person for the rest of eternity. Let's face it; eternity is a very long time. On June 18, 2013 I changed into someone who was no longer scared of marriage. It has been the most exciting journey so far and the fact that it IS for eternity actually makes it 'icing on the cake'. I don't know why I avoided marriage talk for so long because once he was on his knee I didn't hesitate for even one second. I kind of surprised myself with how excited I actually was that he felt I could be someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. I didn't have to stop or think if this was the man for me. I also didn't have to pray for a confirmation because I instantly just knew that it was right. I knew long before he proposed that I was going to marry him, I just didn't know when that would happen or what his exact feelings were.

It's been a great year since the day Danny proposed and I'm still forever grateful that he asked me to marry him. :)