Our 12th Anniversary Of The Day Jim's World Was Never The Same

Our little Yankee Family in 07...my how we have grown
One of like 3 of me and Jim but I do love this one of us...
This was taken a few years ago...summer of 02, I remember because I had 2 babies
When Noah was blessed!

Ya, a long title but so fitting for the anniversary of when Jim proposed. It is such a cute story and few people really know it so I thought I would share it with the people who already know it and those who don't care!

I was working for The Downtown Alliance and our office was in SLC. It was a Friday evening about 3:00 ish when Jim's mom, Jolene, called me at my office and asked if I would go to the tinder box and pick something up for her. I didn't think anything about it because Jolene was always buying stuff at The Tinder Box. And since I was already downtown it wouldn't be a problem. Well, I walked the 3 or 4 blocks to CrossRoads Mall (which btw is NOT even there anymore a piece of our history is forever gone). I walked into the Tinder Box and before I could even say anything the sales lady grabbed me and said "it isn't ready yet" I thought this was rather weird and said to her "Umm, okay ya I am here to pick something up for Jolene Potter" and she said "ya, it isn't ready yet, come back in 15 minutes." Weird but whatever...so I gave her my "you are really coockie" look and walked out. I walked into the poster store and looked at posters for the next 15 minutes...When I had had my fill of pictures of places I will never go or bands that I never liked, I walked back to the The Tinderbox only to be greeted by the same 'weirdo' sales lady but was handed a box. Again I have her my best "what the crap is this all about" but the look I got back was one of weirdness and happiness. I was handed a box with a Lilly Put Lane figurine and an envelope.

The Lilly Put Lane was of a cabin and the envelope had a clue in it that read "When we first met at the cabin.... second clue go to the video store"

The Video Store handed me the box set of Star Wars (which we watched as our first date...yes, it was a very long, long first date) and another envelope and in it clue number two that read "We weren't sure what would happen...third clue go to See's Candy"

See's Candy hands me a box of chocolates and another envelope and in it, it reads the third clue "But we both wanted to SEE...go to Memory Grove"

Holy Crap, I was smiling from ear to ear but I really still had no idea what was going on. I didn't think Jim was going to purpose because you see, the previous night, he broke up with me...yes HE BROKE UP WITH ME... I just thought this was some elaborate way of saying he was sorry!

But I ran my little heart out to my work, yelled that I was leaving early and bolted. When I got into the car to drive the few blocks to Memory Grove the song "Everything She Does Is Magic" by the Police came on and the line that stuck out at me was when Sting sings "Ask her if she will marry me some old fashion way..." What the...is Jim going to ask...no, we had looked at rings two times but I did tell him he had to pick it out. And I DID tell him I didn't want to know when he was going to ask and I DID tell him that he would have a better chance of me saying yes if he made the whole proposal thing amazing! Hmmm, the clues were stacking up.

Well, I got to Memory Grove and Jim was so nervous I couldn't really read him very well. But we chatted for a few moments as we were walking and we came to the Greek thing-a-majig at the Grove when he handed me the fourth clue which read..."Now Ann Marie, will you Marry Me...and he said it with my hand in his shaking hands and gave me the most beautiful ring I had ever seen...

Of course I said Yes and then we had to go home to show off the ring...Little did I know that the ring had come the previous day, the day he broke up with me, and most of his family already knew. Little did I know his sister was there taking pictures, following us, the whole time. Little did I know that when I showed up at the Tinder Box the first time, Jim hadn't gotten everything lined up yet...When I walked in he was hiding behind the counter telling the sales lady to get rid of me...That is why I love Jim, he thinks of everything, and he always makes life a lot more fun, filled with a lot more laughter and filled with so much love! Thanks Mr. P, I love you!