Christine's ENGAGED!!!

I will be turning 40 soon, and I have spent the better part of 20 years longing for a happy marriage. This has eluded me over the years. I have been married 3 times. Although there were happy times along my journey, there was much heartache. I often wondered if I would ever experience what it would be like to be married to my best friend. I have never experienced that.

Scott Romney and I have been dating for 5 months. He is so good for me. We balance each other out really well. I have always been passionate and impetuous. He is analytical and logical, he takes his time to make decisions. We both need a little bit of what the other's personality has, and we admire each other's strengths. I believe our personalities really complement each other. We have so much fun together, he makes me laugh all the time, he has a very quirky sense of humor. I can honestly say that he is my very best friend. He calls me every day on his way to work and every day on his way home. We talk about everything. We connect on so many levels; our connection is beautiful. My kids absolutely adore him. My two teenagers, in particular, have been through a lot. Their real dad was killed a few years ago, and my second husband was really hard on them. They could have so many reasons not to trust Scott, yet they completely embrace him and have both told me that they absolutely know he's the One for me. It has meant so much to me to watch him bond with my children.

We are hoping to get married in Portland in the Mormon temple in the spring - my entire family lives there. When you have been married previously in the temple in the LDS church, there is an extensive process to get clearance to be married again in the temple; a civil divorce doesn't automatically cancel a temple marriage. So we are in the process of applying for that clearance. If it goes through in time, we'll go to Oregon by May. If not, we will get married civilly here in UT, probably on June 1. In that event, we would have a temple ceremony later. The reason for the temple ceremony is that it binds you together forever, not just til death do you part. So I am praying that we are able get married in the temple, it just depends on how long the paperwork takes. In any case, we are very excited. I have never felt so settled and at peace with any decision I have ever made. He is so very good to me! I am truly blessed!

This next part is in Scott's words.  It's possibly the cutest thing you'll ever read. 

(Warning: tears may spring freely from your eyes, use of tissues is recommended)

I wanted to ask her to marry me the place of our first date; Zuppa’s, but I wondered how I would get her there. I had talked to Eric , a boy in my church group that works there, about helping me with this by bringing a dessert with the ring stuck in it a little after we started eating.  

We had purchased rings, but Christine did not know that I had picked them up, I did that on Thursday February 2nd. I had talked to her father the night of February 4th, but she did not know that either. We even Skyped with her family on the 5th and nobody gave away the fact that I had talked to her dad.

On the morning of Feb 6th we were talking as I was driving to work and she asked about dinner I told her I was craving Zuppa’s and that is where I wanted to go that night, I wanted the soup/sandwich. I stopped by on the way home and explained to Eric what I would like to happen and he was all good. We get there and order and while paying I tell Christine to go and get a table and I slip the ring to Eric and he offered to pay for the rocky road dessert.

We sit down and are just talking about the day and what is going on and the exciting things happening with LBS and Eric walks over and puts the dessert down and says, This is for you. Christine glances at it and then up at him and I am just watching her to see her reaction. A few seconds later she looks closer at it and realizes that there is a shiny ring sticking up out of the chocolate goodness. She puts her hand to her mouth and starts tearing up, I was tearing up. I leaned forward after a few seconds and said “Will you marry me?” and she said YES! then she looked at me and said “Are you going to put it on my finger?” so I pick it up, lick off the chocolate and put it on her finger, and kiss her! Then she just stared at it and realized how beautiful the ring is and loved it on her finger.

We then talked at how I was able to pull it all together and surprise her. She thought I was being casual about the ring and was not sure I was as excited as her. I had talked to her father as I was driving home in my dad’s truck after the baptism and how they kept it cool during the Skype conversation. Then how I casually mentioned that I wanted to go to Zuppa’s for dinner as I was craving it. It all came together beautifully and it was during this experience that I realized just how strong my feelings for her are. We are amazing together.