December 19, 2005
She said yes!!!!!


January 7

Two weeks ago today the grand conspiracy was completed. The canoe was delivered, the trade was made. John (Kristen’s dad) got a canoe, Kristen got a very special ring, and I became engaged to the loveliest bride-to-be this century has seen. On Monday, December 19, exactly six months to the day since I first set eyes on Kristen, I asked her to marry me… and she said yes. (By amazing coincidence, the loveliest bride of the previous century is married to John, my future father in law. What are the odds?!)

It has been a while since I last updated the blog and much has happened, so let me start where I last left off. After 4 weeks secretly building the canoe in Hood River, I was still not quite done, but I had to return to Philadelphia because Kristen was flying in for Thanksgiving. I flew in on Friday, disheveled my room, and collaborated with Allen and Heather to get our stories straight so that when Kristen flew in on Sunday it had looked like I had been there the whole time.

She never suspected a thing. She arrived on Sunday night, and then we left on Monday morning and drove out to Michigan to spend Thanksgiving with her family. Now the plan was starting to get exciting; phase three was beginning and her parents were about to be let in on the big secret. I printed a couple of pictures of me and the canoe and then sealed them in an envelope where they would wait until I was to reveal them to John. This was the step the entire plan hinged upon. Was the canoe good enough? Would he let me take him up on his offer and give me his blessing to ask his daughter for her hand? Would he still agree to make the trade? Would the canoe fly off my car and shatter into a thousand pieces on the highway somewhere between Hood River and Tucson?


Phase 3: In-laws and Conspirators

I decided that Thanksgiving was the perfect opportunity to ask Mr. Childs for his permission to ask Kristen to marry me. Kristen flew in to Philadelphia and we drove to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan over the next two days. We spent Thanksgiving with her entire family and uncle at her grandparents’ house. The day after Thanksgiving, Kristen, her mom, and sister went out to do some holiday shopping.

I asked Mr. Childs if he wanted to go on a little excursion of our own. We drove in to town and looked through the various shops in the weathered winter mining town of Hancock, Michigan. We went through gift shops, furniture stores, Christmas knick-knacks galore, picture galleries, and the like… and still I waited. Finally we ended up at the outdoor store. We looked around and drooled at the overpriced biking and outdoor equipment that we are both so allured by. As we walked out the rear exit a long green canoe hung overhead. That was my signal. Now was the time to enact phase three.

Upon leaving Philadelphia I printed four photographs and placed them in a white envelope, which I presently carried in the left pocket of my jacket. The contents of the envelope were simple yet poignant: four photographs of a sixteen foot wood strip canoe with me proudly standing beside. With one brief life-changing slide of hand I pulled the envelope from my pocket and presented it.

“I have something for you… if you want it.” A curious but knowing smile painted over his face.
“What’s this, Jay?”
“Open it up.” He pulled the pictures out and paused for a moment.
“Is this for real?”
“It’s quite real.” I was about to explode from the nervous excitement.
“You know what this means, don’t you?” he says knowingly.
“I know exactly what it means.”
“You want to make the trade, don’t you?!”

A lot of hearty laughter and rejoicing ensued, and I laid out the whole conspiracy to him; the month of secret canoe building on the other side of the country, the ring, kidnapping Andrea, the plan to drive it down to their house and propose on December 19, exactly six months to the day since I first met Kristen.