Spencer knocked the proposal out of the park.

Early Saturday morning, after 20cm snow had fallen, we head out to Winter River - our favourite dog walking trails.

After a late evening at They Alley the night before, Spencer suggests we look half presentable on our dog walk so we can take the GoPro and take some family photos. Great idea. We do it all the time!

So we walked almost the WHOLE Winter River Trail. I help Spencer set up the GoPro on a tree. He clamps it onto a tree trunk with some sticks here and there to keep the camera straight. Super normal for us. Still not thinking anything of it.

Meanwhile, he has charged the GoPro but the cold temperatures have started to drain the battery so the low battery light has started to flash. He turns to me, red faced, a little panicked, and tells me he has something to ask me.

I still wasn't sure what was about to happen. Part of me is like 'OMG is this it?! Finally!! Woohoo!!' and the other part is like 'well don't get too excited, maybe he is going to ask if we can stop at Canadian Tire or Tim Horton's on the drive home.'

He proposed. He got down on one knee and presented the most beautiful ring I have ever seen.

I remember very little of the moment. He recorded the whole thing (hence the GoPro). While I would prefer to never see this video again, the reality is that we will probably play it for everyone to see at the wedding. There is a lot of screaming. A lot of 'oh my god - do my parents know about this?!'

One of my favourite parts of the story is after we go back to town. Pit stop at Mom's house to tell her. Dad already knew about it. Mom is out running the roads and wants me to meet her at the Farmer's Market. I call her and tell her to meet me at the house. She still has no idea why. She insists that I just get dropped off at the Farmer's Market. Nope. Can't do it. You're going to have to come home and get me. She was a little put out but agreed.

By the time she gets to the house, it's about 11:30am? We're all having a beer. GALE IS NOT PLEASED.

- 'Why are you all drinking?'

- I hold the can of beer out in my left hand - 'Ma, do you want one?'

- 'No I don't want one - it's not even noon yet'

- 'Are you sure you don't want one?' as I put my hand, still holding the beer, closer to her.

She just looks pissed.

I put the beer down and hold my left hand up *typical 'I'M ENGAGED' hand gesture* 'MOM!!!!'

'Oh my god - you just made my Christmas!'

Things to Do

Rehearsal