The Pre-proposal

Mike here.......

So Kelsi wanted me to write a bit about the events that took place before I actually asked her to marry me. First of all I bought the ring months before the proposal and was constantly deliberating the perfect way to ask. I bounced ideas off of my family and friends for a while until I finally reached my decision. I would do it at the annual family camping trip that we do with the Halpern’s and some other family friends at boundary dam each year. Kelsi has already written how that went down so I guess I will tell you how I got to that point.

The first part aside from the ring that goes with any proposal is asking for permission. This was almost as nerve wracking as it was waiting for Kelsi while I was on that cliff. It took me a few times hanging out with Lloyd to actually ask. I finally got the courage to ask while the Halpern’s where camping with Kelsi and I at Farragut State Park which is just north of Coeur d’Alene, ID on Lake Pend Oreille. Lloyd and I went to go play disc golf (a golf like game played with Frisbees) and once we were almost done playing I finally asked him. He said yes, of course and that set the ball in motion.

The next step in the process was getting some help to fulfill my plan. I called Kelsi's mom a couple weeks before the camping trip and I told her my plans. She was very supportive and offered me some suggestions and little bits of encouragement. One of the hardest parts was getting my suit in with the camping gear unnoticed. I did this by packing the suit and ring into a small compartment in my car that Kelsi never goes into. I also had to have a neighbor tie my tie because Kelsi always ties it for me and that would have been a bit suspicious if I had asked her to do it.

So now we are camping.... I wanted all of our family to be able to be there for her and this was pretty tough because there were the eight of us. Also it was hard to keep it quiet cause some how Lindsey and Rachel found out and then everyone knew but Kelsi! So the day that seemed to work out the best was Saturday. The tricky part was getting all of us to the same spot up river at the same time. It was even harder because Lindsey went up river with some other family and was gone for hours. I was so anxious about it working I'm surprised Kelsi didn't notice. I was pacing and stumbling with my words.... It was almost a disaster. With daylight fast burning and the secrecy of the whole plan diminishing, Lindsey finally came back and we told her it was time. I left to go "cliff jumping" with some of the Kienbaum boys and Linds in a separate boat. They took me to the place where I would wait for Kelsi. It took her forever to arrive. I was starting to think she would never come. Then I heard the boat, then I saw it, then you all know the rest.