How He Asked — the adventure decade

Before Drew tells you the wrong version, I have to get the truth of our engagement out there…

So let me set the scene for you... I had just been in the field for seven days (#sadlieutenant), which conveniently ended on a Sunday. With no recovery, I headed into a full work week. After any amount of time in the field, my body feels horrible and out of shape so I hit workouts hard that week. All I wanted on Saturday was to have a lazy day… fair, right?

On either Monday or Tuesday, Drew INSISTED we take a hike on Saturday morning. But Saturday was my relax day! So I kindly told him “no.” He replied saying that “fall is about to be over! It’s going to snow next week.” It was 90 degrees that day. Okay, sure Drew.

Brief update: it pains me to admit, but to Drew’s delight, it snowed the following week in true Colorado fashion. Six inches! But, it melted the next day so fall is definitely not over…

Each day, he brought up this hike again and I got suspicious. Friday afternoon on my way home from work, I called my best friend Olivia and told her that I had a feeling he was going to ask soon because he’d been acting weird.

Saturday morning came and I slept in to 7:30 (honestly late for me). We had quite a productive morning, counter to the lazy goal, and sold a bed frame, Foosball table, and bunk bed to different customers on Facebook marketplace (highly recommend for selling things today!) We then sat on the front porch and sipped coffee while looking at Pike’s Peak and the front range. How relaxing!

“So how about we go for a hike and then go get brunch? We have that concert tonight at Red Rocks and it would be nice to enjoy this beautiful fall day.”

“Fine. As long as I get to pick the brunch spot.”

Quick side note about brunch. Brunch is my FAVORITE. Matter of fact, it was our first date years ago! I knew he was a keeper then.

“What shoes should I wear? Is it a hard hike? I’m not trying to kill myself today.”

“No, it’s not bad! Whatever you want.”

I slip on my comfy, “grocery store sneakers” with little support. Drew would call these “tennis shoes”…. strange mid-Westerners, I’m not playing tennis.

So we hop in the car off we go to this hike of his. He gets lost on the way. We finally arrive. We start hiking, and I mean HIKING. In hindsight, it wasn’t hard at all, but it was more than the casual stroll I was anticipating. I start getting annoyed. I agreed only because he said it was easy and adamantly needed to enjoy this “fall day.” I start sweating as we climb up this mountain. I catch Drew smirking but remain fully unaware of what is to come.

I tell myself to make the most of it. We’re a few miles in. I’m committed. He might ask me to marry him! I need to change my attitude!

“It is beautiful out. This is really nice. Thank you, Drew".”

“Almost to the top!”

We get to the summit. Drew stops in his tracks. There’s a group of 5-7 loud and obnoxious middle aged women popping champagne and taking photos. They INSIST we take a photo together. We decline. They force us to anyway. Now, I love this photo because it captured a funny memory of this day.

He improvises. He adapts. “Let’s walk along the ridge and enjoy the view.”

We walk about 400 meters to the left and there is an opening. It truly is beautiful. The most beautiful fall day ever. He was right!

“Let me take an artsy photo of you.”

“I’m okay, I don’t really need a photo, thanks!”

He takes one anyway. I’m not amused.

“Okay, I’m ready to go!” I say.

I’m not making it easy for him. I’m honestly worried that if he asks me now it’s all ruined because I’m being a brat to him. He keeps smiling. My heart is beating. It’s happening.

He puts his arm around me. He finds his footing. He turns to me. He takes my face in his hands.

“Claire.”

He drops to a knee, still smiling.

“Despite you not wanting to go on this hike, and despite you kind of being a ‘crankster’ right now…. AND ALL THE SWEETEST MUSHY STUFF YOU CAN THINK OF…”

I start crying, he chokes up. But we’re both wearing sunglasses so we will never really remember what our faces looked like in that moment…

“…will you marry me?”

“I KNEW IT!!!”…………weird excited noises…………. “YES!”…………… “I feel horrible!!!!” I laugh.

He stands up. We hug each other in a way that feels like the promise is sealed right then. I look down and notice there are huge indents on his knee from the gravel he just knelt in, but he says he can’t feel it. It’s the least of his worries.

I’ve never been happier in my life. And Drew, well, if you know him…he’s never been more relieved.

It was wonderful. It was funny. It was our own version of perfect. It’s a great story. No photographer, no one else around, no rush. Just us, the mountains, and a promise to love each other for the rest of our days.

As much as I regret being “poopy” that day, I smile thinking of what was going on in his mind when we were climbing up that mountain. The story makes me sound quite difficult and a little lazy, but that’s fair and kind of true. I’m so grateful he didn’t bail that day. October 5, 2019. My new favorite day. Definitely an upgrade from October 5, 2010 when I tore my ACL in a soccer game, that’s for sure.

My beloved Drew, I will say yes to us everyday of our lives. I will fight for us and never bail, no matter how hard it gets. I will love you with everything I have. I cannot wait to climb all life’s mountains with you. You’re my everything and I can’t wait to marry you. You have my heart, forever.

THE RING
The ring is an elongated, rectangular, Radiant cut in a cathedral setting on a solitaire band. I love simple elegance. We did go ring shopping together once in the spring, which I highly recommend! But it was all him, and he crushed it. I feel so honored and humbled by such an amazing gift. The company he bought from is Shane Co.

THE RITZ-CARLTON
After our concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater that night (we saw AJR and they were amazing) we stayed at the Ritz in Denver. We payed for our stay 100% with points! You may have the AMEX Platinum card, but did you know when you book through the site you get automatic room upgrades upon availability (we got upgraded big time!), $60 toward room service, and $100 toward any other services? (spa, gift shop, etc). Always book your luxury getaways through AMEX travel!