July 19, 2009. It started like any other day... except that I had a sneaking suspicion that Reuben was going to propose to me that day. :) We were back at my parents' place in West Salem for the weekend because my friend Andy was getting married up in "the Cities". I could tell that something was up because my family was acting very strange - some seemed to be avoiding me, others were way more talkative than normal. My mom brought Grandma home with her Saturday night (she almost never spends the night), and there were more relatives that were coming down Sunday for Tim's baseball game. So these were the early events that gave me the impression that this might be THE weekend.
Then, at church Sunday morning I had the sniffles and Reuben pulled out a stack of neatly folded tissues from his pocket - honestly, what guy carries around folded up kleenex on a regular basis! Then, we went to Fayzes for breakfast and my mom, who almost never goes out for breakfast after church, comes along and starts snapping all kinds of pictures.
Anyway, he asked if I wanted to go for a walk after breakfast. He started heading toward the more industrial part of town, so I steered him toward Riverside park instead. We walked for a while before returning to the car. Then he opens the trunk, pulls out a rose and tells me that he wants to take me somewhere. He said it wasn't far - at this point I figured everone stayed at Fayzes and we were headed back that way. Thankfully, we passed on by the breakfast joint! We walked into one of my favorite bookstores and this is where he started acting really strangely. We toured up and down a few isles and I kept asking him what we were doing. He replied something like, "I just wanted you to show me around your favorite book store." I started panicking - there was no way I was going to let him propose to me in front of a store full of strange people. We walked toward the front of the store and he grabbed a book - Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult (I already own a copy) - and asked if I wanted to open it. I said "not really" and so he grabbed the book and we walked out without having paid. I told him that you can't just take the book, you have to pay for it, but he smiled back and said he didn't see anyone trying to stop him so it must be ok.
We walked for what seemed like hours now, and found ourselves back at the park on the river. I picked the bench for us to sit on and then he gave me the book. I opened it and found the letter, behind which sat the most beautiful rock! He read the letter and then got down on one knee (those tissues came in handy again). I was very impressed with how clever the idea was. Oh, and I did say "Yes"!
Friday, July 31, 2009
The Engagement: His version
So my original idea for the proposal was to insert the ring into a book and propose at Amanda's favorite bookstore in La Crosse, WI. We were planning a trip back to her parents' place mid-July for a friend's wedding, and so I thought this would be the perfect time.
I knew that I wouldn't be able to plan it all on my own and so I enlisted the help of Phyllis, Amanda's mom, as well as the owner of the bookstore. I e-mailed the owner and asked him to reserve a copy of Jodi Picoult's latest book (this is Amanda's favorite author), and let him know that Phyllis would pick it up for me. Then after I insert the ring in the book, she would return it to the store, and the owner would keep the book behind the counter until I came in and signaled for the book to be set on the display table out front.
I arranged with Phyllis for her to do the leg-work, and we came up with a plan for us to be able to be downtown La Crosse at the right time. We would go to church that morning and go out for breakfast together afterward. Their typical breakfast spot is conveniently across the street from the bookstore. We would then meet up with the rest of the family at Tim's baseball game that afternoon.
Everything went according to plan for the most part. When we arrived late Friday night, the book was waiting with a crafty hole-punch tool in the night stand next to my bed. After saying goodnight to Amanda I went to work, carefully punching the holes and making sure not to cut out any of the words in the process. I fit the ring in and left it where I got it. Amanda and I went to the wedding that Saturday and her dad returned the book to the store.
Sunday morning: we went to church, then out for breakfast as planned. After breakfast I asked if she wanted to go for a walk, so we walked down to the riverside park. We came back to the car, and I picked up the rose (which Phyllis had also picked up for me) from the trunk and told Amanda that I wanted to take her somewhere. By this time she had already clued in to what was going on, and she kept asking me what I was doing. We walked in the book store and I made eye contact with the person behind the counter, but he didn't move. We walked around and I again made eye contact with the guy and he then put the book out. By this time Amanda was freaking out - I think she didn't want to be proposed to in a public place. So I changed plans quickly, took the book from the table and we walked out. Amanda thought it was odd that I just "stole" a book from the store but we kept walking back down to the park. I let her pick a bench to sit down at and I had her open the book. There was a letter I had inserted inside the front cover, and when she picked it up she saw the ring. I read her the letter and got down on one knee, and she said yes!
I knew that I wouldn't be able to plan it all on my own and so I enlisted the help of Phyllis, Amanda's mom, as well as the owner of the bookstore. I e-mailed the owner and asked him to reserve a copy of Jodi Picoult's latest book (this is Amanda's favorite author), and let him know that Phyllis would pick it up for me. Then after I insert the ring in the book, she would return it to the store, and the owner would keep the book behind the counter until I came in and signaled for the book to be set on the display table out front.
I arranged with Phyllis for her to do the leg-work, and we came up with a plan for us to be able to be downtown La Crosse at the right time. We would go to church that morning and go out for breakfast together afterward. Their typical breakfast spot is conveniently across the street from the bookstore. We would then meet up with the rest of the family at Tim's baseball game that afternoon.
Everything went according to plan for the most part. When we arrived late Friday night, the book was waiting with a crafty hole-punch tool in the night stand next to my bed. After saying goodnight to Amanda I went to work, carefully punching the holes and making sure not to cut out any of the words in the process. I fit the ring in and left it where I got it. Amanda and I went to the wedding that Saturday and her dad returned the book to the store.
Sunday morning: we went to church, then out for breakfast as planned. After breakfast I asked if she wanted to go for a walk, so we walked down to the riverside park. We came back to the car, and I picked up the rose (which Phyllis had also picked up for me) from the trunk and told Amanda that I wanted to take her somewhere. By this time she had already clued in to what was going on, and she kept asking me what I was doing. We walked in the book store and I made eye contact with the person behind the counter, but he didn't move. We walked around and I again made eye contact with the guy and he then put the book out. By this time Amanda was freaking out - I think she didn't want to be proposed to in a public place. So I changed plans quickly, took the book from the table and we walked out. Amanda thought it was odd that I just "stole" a book from the store but we kept walking back down to the park. I let her pick a bench to sit down at and I had her open the book. There was a letter I had inserted inside the front cover, and when she picked it up she saw the ring. I read her the letter and got down on one knee, and she said yes!
Our love story
I should preface the description of our love story by giving credit where credit is due... let's be honest, we never would have met if it weren't for craigslist (If this doesn't make sense, don't worry!).
Part I
We first met at a "holiday" party hosted by several of our mutual friends in Portland. I (Reuben) am positive that it was a Christmas pary - I mean seriously, Amanda was wearing a red shirt, it had to have been Christmas! However, Amanda claims that this was a Thanksgiving party - Caruthers brothers, can you shed some light on this? Whatever the festive occasion was, I guess I must have made an impression on Amanda that night despite my apparent lack of fashion sense!
Next came the blizzard of 07 - Portland received a record breaking 3-4 inches of snow which closed down the entire city for about two days. A bunch of us went sledding (using a wind surfing board) up on Mount Tabor. This was a special time, and it was becoming clear that something was brewing. One Sunday after church we started talking and found out that we both had class at PSU around the same time, and so I casually asked if she wanted to meet up and go out for dinner after class (talk about smooth!). She agreed, and I suppose this could be called our first date - although there was no hand-holding at this point! After dinner I asked her (not expecting that she would say yes) if she wanted to come to the Bible study I was leading that night through Intervarsity. She did say yes, and that was quite possibly the most nerve-racking evening - I think she could tell too!
Well, for the several months to follow we spent a lot of time together. I grew to appreciate the Golden Girls, and even started to eat more soluble fiber. Amanda left for Iowa in June to pursue her Masters in Public Health, and while we tried the long distance thing for a while it just didn't quite work out. We kept in touch regularly though, strengthening our friendship during our time apart. This was truly a blessing in disguise as both of us were able to grow individually during this year, causing us to be more ready the second time around.
Part II
This is the part where I come riding in on my trusty steed to sweep Amanada off her feet for good. You might laugh, but it's true... I was riding in the Sea-to-Sea bike tour that summer, riding from Seattle, WA to Jersey City, NJ in nine weeks. Our route conveniently lead us through parts of Iowa, and so I asked Amanda to come out and visit as we camped near Omaha one weekend. We spent an evening and a day together, walking and talking and enjoying each other's company. While the sparks didn't fly immediately, the seed was planted, and the following weekend Amanda came up to Madison to visit again. When she arrived with a bag full of home-made cookies I knew it was for real this time. Something clicked inside both of us around this time and we continued to grow closer even though we were still separated by thousands of miles. I became attached to my phone and couldn't wait until the end of the bike tour so that I could visit her in Iowa. For the next four months I kept Amanda up late almost nightly talking on the phone. We visited each other about once a month, first in September when I went with her to WI to meet the parents. Then in October we met each other in Denver to check out the city as a potential location to move to. And in November we went to California to visit my brother, sister-in-law and little neice.
After spending Christmas and New Years together in WI at Amanda's parents' place, we drove out to Denver together as Amanda was about to begin her internship at the Health Department. I returned to Portland to tie up loose ends, say my goodbyes, and I packed my car to the brim and headed east. It was great to finally be in the same city again and to do normal dating activities as a couple. While our work schedules haven't always allowed us to spend as much time together as we would like, we've been fortunate to take several trips together.
Part III - The Engagement... to be continued
Part I
We first met at a "holiday" party hosted by several of our mutual friends in Portland. I (Reuben) am positive that it was a Christmas pary - I mean seriously, Amanda was wearing a red shirt, it had to have been Christmas! However, Amanda claims that this was a Thanksgiving party - Caruthers brothers, can you shed some light on this? Whatever the festive occasion was, I guess I must have made an impression on Amanda that night despite my apparent lack of fashion sense!
Next came the blizzard of 07 - Portland received a record breaking 3-4 inches of snow which closed down the entire city for about two days. A bunch of us went sledding (using a wind surfing board) up on Mount Tabor. This was a special time, and it was becoming clear that something was brewing. One Sunday after church we started talking and found out that we both had class at PSU around the same time, and so I casually asked if she wanted to meet up and go out for dinner after class (talk about smooth!). She agreed, and I suppose this could be called our first date - although there was no hand-holding at this point! After dinner I asked her (not expecting that she would say yes) if she wanted to come to the Bible study I was leading that night through Intervarsity. She did say yes, and that was quite possibly the most nerve-racking evening - I think she could tell too!
Well, for the several months to follow we spent a lot of time together. I grew to appreciate the Golden Girls, and even started to eat more soluble fiber. Amanda left for Iowa in June to pursue her Masters in Public Health, and while we tried the long distance thing for a while it just didn't quite work out. We kept in touch regularly though, strengthening our friendship during our time apart. This was truly a blessing in disguise as both of us were able to grow individually during this year, causing us to be more ready the second time around.
Part II
This is the part where I come riding in on my trusty steed to sweep Amanada off her feet for good. You might laugh, but it's true... I was riding in the Sea-to-Sea bike tour that summer, riding from Seattle, WA to Jersey City, NJ in nine weeks. Our route conveniently lead us through parts of Iowa, and so I asked Amanda to come out and visit as we camped near Omaha one weekend. We spent an evening and a day together, walking and talking and enjoying each other's company. While the sparks didn't fly immediately, the seed was planted, and the following weekend Amanda came up to Madison to visit again. When she arrived with a bag full of home-made cookies I knew it was for real this time. Something clicked inside both of us around this time and we continued to grow closer even though we were still separated by thousands of miles. I became attached to my phone and couldn't wait until the end of the bike tour so that I could visit her in Iowa. For the next four months I kept Amanda up late almost nightly talking on the phone. We visited each other about once a month, first in September when I went with her to WI to meet the parents. Then in October we met each other in Denver to check out the city as a potential location to move to. And in November we went to California to visit my brother, sister-in-law and little neice.
After spending Christmas and New Years together in WI at Amanda's parents' place, we drove out to Denver together as Amanda was about to begin her internship at the Health Department. I returned to Portland to tie up loose ends, say my goodbyes, and I packed my car to the brim and headed east. It was great to finally be in the same city again and to do normal dating activities as a couple. While our work schedules haven't always allowed us to spend as much time together as we would like, we've been fortunate to take several trips together.
Part III - The Engagement... to be continued
My beautiful Sconnie
I think we can all agree that Amanda's life was instantly more complete the moment she first laid eyes on me.. and since she doesn't deem herself creative enough to write her own bio I get to make up whatever sounds best to me! She may insert comments periodically, either in areement or vehement disapproval...
Amanda is a Sconnie first and foremost (for those of you not familiar with the term "Sconnie", it refers to anything/anyone of or relating to Wisconsin) - she loves a good brat followed by a local micro-brew, oh and don't forget the squeeky cheese or a Friday night fish fry! Food is very important to her - she loves to cook... which is convenient because I love to eat. She actually focused in nutrition as well as physical activity in her Masters of Public Health program which she just recently completed. She is very conscious about eating healthy and staying active, and loves to inform others about healthy options. For example, she convinced me as well as several other of our Portland friends about the importance of eating soluble fiber - most commonly found in beans! To this day, we still credit her for our, ummm... regularity ;)
Amanda is well on her way to an illustrious career in health care. She began as a CNA as a wee teenager, caring for a rather colorful group of Catholic nuns. She went to nursing school and even travelled to India on a medical missions trip for a month. After graduating from nursing school and attending the Focus Institute in Colorado Springs that summer, she moved to Portland, Oregon to work on a contract position as a research assistant for a medical study. It was here that she met the love of her life, and although she ran away to grad school in Iowa, she knew in her heart that we'd get back together some day :) For her last semester in the MPH program she was accepted to do an internship at the Colorado State Health Department. Since her internship was only part time, she gratefully found a position working with her favorite population - you guessed it, geriatrics! Let's face it, she has a lot in common with these folks (other than her obvious young body and exceptionally good health!). She loves playing cards, particularly Cribbage and Canasta. She prefers going to bed before 9pm, although this doesn't happen nearly often enough according to her standards! And the Golden Girls is her favorite television show - she's even somehow converted me into a fan.
Anyway, since graduating from the MPH program she has most recently been hired by the University of Colorado as a Clinical Research Nurse in the oncology department. She can explain in much greater detail and with terms that mean little to the lay-person, but from what I gather thus far, she is coordinating research studies on the effects of new pharmaceutical drugs that are being used as treatment for certain cancer patients that come to the university hospital. She is learning a lot every day and is truly enjoying her new job.
Well, I'm sure I could go on for several more paragraphs, but for those of you who want more info on this woman who has brought me great joy - maybe you should first e-mail her to verify that everything said herein is true, and then get to know her a little more yourself. Her e-mail address is amanda.n.schneider@gmail.com.
Amanda is a Sconnie first and foremost (for those of you not familiar with the term "Sconnie", it refers to anything/anyone of or relating to Wisconsin) - she loves a good brat followed by a local micro-brew, oh and don't forget the squeeky cheese or a Friday night fish fry! Food is very important to her - she loves to cook... which is convenient because I love to eat. She actually focused in nutrition as well as physical activity in her Masters of Public Health program which she just recently completed. She is very conscious about eating healthy and staying active, and loves to inform others about healthy options. For example, she convinced me as well as several other of our Portland friends about the importance of eating soluble fiber - most commonly found in beans! To this day, we still credit her for our, ummm... regularity ;)
Amanda is well on her way to an illustrious career in health care. She began as a CNA as a wee teenager, caring for a rather colorful group of Catholic nuns. She went to nursing school and even travelled to India on a medical missions trip for a month. After graduating from nursing school and attending the Focus Institute in Colorado Springs that summer, she moved to Portland, Oregon to work on a contract position as a research assistant for a medical study. It was here that she met the love of her life, and although she ran away to grad school in Iowa, she knew in her heart that we'd get back together some day :) For her last semester in the MPH program she was accepted to do an internship at the Colorado State Health Department. Since her internship was only part time, she gratefully found a position working with her favorite population - you guessed it, geriatrics! Let's face it, she has a lot in common with these folks (other than her obvious young body and exceptionally good health!). She loves playing cards, particularly Cribbage and Canasta. She prefers going to bed before 9pm, although this doesn't happen nearly often enough according to her standards! And the Golden Girls is her favorite television show - she's even somehow converted me into a fan.
Anyway, since graduating from the MPH program she has most recently been hired by the University of Colorado as a Clinical Research Nurse in the oncology department. She can explain in much greater detail and with terms that mean little to the lay-person, but from what I gather thus far, she is coordinating research studies on the effects of new pharmaceutical drugs that are being used as treatment for certain cancer patients that come to the university hospital. She is learning a lot every day and is truly enjoying her new job.
Well, I'm sure I could go on for several more paragraphs, but for those of you who want more info on this woman who has brought me great joy - maybe you should first e-mail her to verify that everything said herein is true, and then get to know her a little more yourself. Her e-mail address is amanda.n.schneider@gmail.com.
No longer a "foreigner"
Ever since the age of sixteen when I moved with my parents from Ontario, Canada, to the grand state of Indiana, I've been comfortable as a foreigner in various places. After graduating high school I attended Calvin College in Michigan, studying French and Criminal Justice. My grand ideas of entering the field of criminology were laid to rest after a brief internship in the court system, and I decided to further develop my skills in French. I moved to a small town in Southeast France for a year and taught English to elementary school kids. It was during this time that I realized how much I enjoyed teaching.
It wasn't until a year after I returned to the US that I continued my studies, moving to Portland, OR, to pursue my Masters in French. My decision to move out west was inspired by several factors (the mountains, great cycling, proximity to the ocean, oh and the French program at PSU!), and I was ultimately rewarded with great friendships, a refined taste for both coffee and micro-brews, as most importantly - a lasting love that has lead me to where I am today (more on this story in another post).
Since moving to Denver at the beginning of the year, I found a job at a country club frequented by the likes of John Elway, John Lynch and several of Denver's most wealthy individuals. At the age of 26 I finally worked my first food-service job - I’ve heard everyone should have this experience at least once in their lives! At any rate, I am happy now to begin my teaching career this fall as a 4th grade French Immersion teacher at an international school in Colorado Springs. I'm sure to have my hands full, although everyone keeps telling me this is the best grade level to teach... I hope they're right :)
Well, this was a very, very brief synopsis of my life thus far. I know I didn't get much into my upbringing on the farm in Ontario - I think we all knew I wasn't headed for a career in agriculture anyway! Nonetheless, I am grateful for the opportunities I have had as a child, adolescent and dare I say... now as an adult? And while I still cling strongly to my heritage as a Canuck, I can no longer be labeled as a "foreigner" in this land - I became a citizen of the US last year.
It wasn't until a year after I returned to the US that I continued my studies, moving to Portland, OR, to pursue my Masters in French. My decision to move out west was inspired by several factors (the mountains, great cycling, proximity to the ocean, oh and the French program at PSU!), and I was ultimately rewarded with great friendships, a refined taste for both coffee and micro-brews, as most importantly - a lasting love that has lead me to where I am today (more on this story in another post).
Since moving to Denver at the beginning of the year, I found a job at a country club frequented by the likes of John Elway, John Lynch and several of Denver's most wealthy individuals. At the age of 26 I finally worked my first food-service job - I’ve heard everyone should have this experience at least once in their lives! At any rate, I am happy now to begin my teaching career this fall as a 4th grade French Immersion teacher at an international school in Colorado Springs. I'm sure to have my hands full, although everyone keeps telling me this is the best grade level to teach... I hope they're right :)
Well, this was a very, very brief synopsis of my life thus far. I know I didn't get much into my upbringing on the farm in Ontario - I think we all knew I wasn't headed for a career in agriculture anyway! Nonetheless, I am grateful for the opportunities I have had as a child, adolescent and dare I say... now as an adult? And while I still cling strongly to my heritage as a Canuck, I can no longer be labeled as a "foreigner" in this land - I became a citizen of the US last year.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Intro
As we recently got engaged we thought it would be nice to use a blog in order to update you on a few recent events as well as post information leading up to our wedding some time next summer (still trying to pick a date). For those of you who don't know either Amanda or Reuben, we'll start with a brief bio of each of us as well as a history of our relationship. Thanks for checking our site!
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