Laura and I

I got engaged last Sunday to Laura Felt. I am extremely excited.  After the month abroad I caught a flight to New York on Saturday morning.  I got bumped a flight and got in around 4.  After fighting with the transit system I made it to Penn Station and met up with Laura.  It was good to see her. Really good.  I got in to Utah at 12am Saturday and spent the next few hours north of Salt Lake City at my traveling companion’s house doing laundry.  He then dropped me off and I caught a flight to New York at 6:15.  Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights were horrible; so at this point in the game I was running on maybe 20 hours of sleep in six days.  Laura being the sweetheart that she is took me back to her place after picking up a movie and let me take a nap.  Sunday Laura and I attended Church in Manhattan and had the afternoon free.

While traveling in Nicaragua I had a ring made for Laura.  It took me five or six joyerias, jewelery makers, before I found someone who was not trying to rip me off.  I put a down payment on the ring and came back in two hours and they had it ready for me. This was in Granada.  So the plan was to get Laura to Central Park and propose there.  The plan was simple.  After church I prodded her to take a walk in the Park.  It was not the secluded romantic paradise I had imagined.  It was Labor Day weekend and it was  Sunday.  There were thousands and thousands of people hanging out.  It took a while before we could find a semi-vacant patch of shade.  Considering all the people around it was a pretty tranquil spot.

We both kind of sat/laid down on the grass.  I just asked her if she wanted to marry me. She said yes. I took out the ring. She asked me if I was kidding. I said no. That was it.  We hung out at the park for half an hour and then made our way home.  I had planned to call her father and be traditional but I had lost my phone.  I never had a chance to nick hers and call him.  But I figured he would have said yes,  really hoped he would say yes.  I called him a few hours after and it turned out alright.  I spent all of Monday in New York seeing the sights and enjoying Laura’s company.  I left at 5am to catch my flight back to Utah and catch my first class of the semester at noon.

I am more than excited to spend the rest of my life with Laura.  I have been extremely blessed.  The next four months are going to be hard doing this long distance, but it is worth it.  Life is beautiful.