Just the beginning...

Our engagement story... (told by both of us)

Brody:
After going to look at rings, Jenessa wasn’t sure when I would get the ring, and she told me she didn’t want to know. She said there was no way I’d be able to surprise her. When I asked why she said, “You never plan anything, so when you plan something to do together I’m going to know that’s why.” I agreed that yes, I rarely plan things for us to do, but also registered her challenge in my mind—I had to surprise her! So when I knew that I was going to have the ring, I began thinking about how I could do it. I went through so many different alternatives, but really wanted it to be something sentimental, not just a random surprise. Showing up at the hospital during her clinical was out, anything just random wouldn’t cut it. I had to think of something special to us. The problem is that, living in different states, we don’t really have many places or things that we do or visit often. I thought I was doomed, that I really wouldn’t surprise her.

I decided I had to do it before April, because that’s when she was expecting it. I also knew it would have to be in Idaho because surely she would expect it when we were together in Utah. So I went through my options. I don’t remember exactly when I thought of it, but I remembered an important place for us. It was in Victor Idaho about an hour away from Rexburg. We had an incredible weekend there a couple months before.

Jenessa:
It was back at the end of January when my roommate Dacia had arranged for us to go out to her sister and brother-in-laws house (Tanya and Logan Bingham) for my roommate Becca’s birthday. She knew that Brody was coming up for the weekend and invited the two of us to go with them to celebrate and ride snowmobiles. We decided we would, but since Brody was going to arrive in Rexburg later than they were leaving, we left after all of them had already gone. We drove out there not knowing what to expect, but got there and were happily surprised to find a family that was so incredibly welcoming and seemed to remind us a little of ourselves. Logan worked in construction and Tanya and I seemed to find lots to talk about including all about Brody and I. We spent the weekend getting to know them and their kids and decided after just the first night that they were perfect examples of what we wanted for the future.

Everything was perfect! We had the best weekend ever playing with their kids, snowmobiling, playing games, watching movies, but mostly just getting to know their family and admiring how they lived. We learned a lot about each other and I think that although it was only somewhat mentioned at the time, we could see ourselves together in their shoes someday. We left with both of them encouraging the relationship and reassuring us, “you two look so good together and you’d be crazy to let each other go.” They got us thinking and we somehow found ourselves talking about marriage on the way home. It became the beginnings of confidence in our decision to get married and held great memories, and an example of what we wanted to work towards.

Brody:
It was the memories of that weekend that helped me decide that there, at their house in Victor, I would ask her to marry me. The only problem was getting her out there without knowing why. I began scheming in my mind, and petitioned her roommate Dacia for help (thank goodness for Facebook). After lots of collaboration, a good story was fabricated and Logan and Tanya were thrilled to help. It was decided that on Wednesday night, Logan and Tanya would call Jenessa and explain that Tanya had a broken leg and needed someone to take their daughter to Rexburg to meet up with Logan’s mom who would watch her. They would ask if Jenessa would be willing to help them out since their girls were so comfortable with her and Dacia didn’t have a car. Jenessa would hopefully agree to leave at 9 just after her class. It was a risk, not knowing if she would agree or if she would have something to keep her from being available. I think I was most nervous for this part of the planning.

Wednesday night came and they called while I was on the phone with her. She said she’d call me back and I paced around my room for what seemed like an eternity. Finally she called back and I played dumb and asked who it was. She explained the whole thing to me: “Tanya broke her leg really bad and they need me to go get Kambria on Friday.” “That’s random,” I said. “Are you going to be able to go?” “Yeah, I’ll just go out there after my class and they said to just walk in and go downstairs because everyone will be napping.” I nearly cheered out loud and actually jumped around a bit while trying to keep my voice calm as I said “Oh, you’re so nice to help them out.”

That whole week I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I got the ring on Wednesday and ordered the flowers and rose petals. I went through everything in my mind a million times and then finally left on Thursday afternoon for Victor. I went straight to Bingham’s house and they were just as welcoming as the first time I was there. They helped me so much as we planned the meal and set everything up. I talked to Jenessa on the phone that night and she didn’t suspect for a second that I wasn’t in Provo.

The next day, Friday March 27th, 2009, I was so full of excitement and anxiety about it, but tried to stay busy getting everything ready. I realized that we would want some pictures on her camera, but had to figure out how to get her to bring it. I sent her a text message asking her to video the house so that I could use it for a model house I had to build for my construction management class. She bought it and agreed to take pictures for me.

While Tanya and I were setting the table, laying out the roses, and getting the food ready, Jenessa called me. I saw her name on my phone and thought “Crap, she knows!” I answered to find that she just wanted my help in making sure she knew how to get to Victor from Rexburg. I was relieved and told her I’d mapquest it and call her back. I called her back, gave her directions, and then said “Well I’m actually in my class so I better go.” She apologized for forgetting I was in class and then quickly hung up. I was relieved.

We finished setting up and then I took my place by the upstairs window, watching to see her car rolling down the street. I was shaking so bad I had to kneel down in front of the window. I knelt there shaking for about 15 minutes, but it seemed like much longer! Finally I saw her car and I sprinted down the stairs, started the video camera, and stood ready to turn on the music when she started down the stairs.

Jenessa:
I honestly didn’t suspect anything, just took some pictures, creeped in the front door and then proceeded to start taking a couple pictures of the front room. A timer started going off in the kitchen and confused I wondered if I should try and find it to turn it off. After debating about whether to touch anything or not, Tanya came walking into the kitchen. I was so caught off guard that I couldn’t think straight when I looked at her foot not seeing anything wrong with it. She seemed shocked and started to limp really bad and after a mess of words she just told me to “just go downstairs”. Still thinking that I was there to pick up Kambria, I looked at the stairs to find roses all down the stairs with rose pedals and kisses and letters spelling out my name and said, “Oh you guys didn’t have to do something for me!” She looked at me like I was crazy and again motioned for me to go down. I know… I’m clueless!

Getting to the bottom of the stairs and after taking a double take at Brody standing there in a ring of roses on the floor with flower pedals and kisses, he asked me to dance to our song, “God Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts that was playing and as he pulled me into his arms I started to cry. I was so shocked and couldn’t believe how much trouble he had gone through to surprise me. After dancing for a minute, and trying to compose myself, Brody told me about why he had chosen Victor and proceeded to get down on one knee with the ring in hand. Oh course I mumbled through the tears, “Yes! Yes!” and the ring was slipped on my finger. After all the mushy stuff was over, he showed me the lunch that he had set and we sat down to an amazing lunch with roses, candles, chicken cordon bleu, salad, rolls, potatos and cheesecake. And we started our future together in Victor, Idaho!