Jocelyn & Caleb from Redmond
Caleb said…
Jocelyn and I met at work! There was a company holiday party at Tech City Bowl in Kirkland. We were randomly selected to be on the same bowling team and the icing on the cake – our team won the tournament so we left with a trophy and became friends immediately. Shortly after, we began running together and training for a half marathon (Caleb’s first & Jocelyn’s third). A few more months after that, we realized we were more than just friends, and now it is nearly three years later the rest is HISTORY!
I had been shopping around and kept finding that the service at most of other places was less than stellar. Then I walked into EE Robbins with my sister and was greeted by Tony, who immediately put me at ease. He allowed me to browse the store selection and take my time until I came across a ring from Simon G and knew immediately that this was the setting for the diamond I would eventually pick out. Tony was great helping me pick out the diamond, explaining to me how to find the right cut, clarity, carat and color. Eventually, I landed on a unique cut called the EE Robbins Cushion Cut which is only available at EE Robbins. I really liked knowing that my diamond would be one of a kind. At first I didn’t buy the ring and waited a bit before returning to make the purchase. There was no pressure to buy at any time which I also liked. Tony was great and made me feel at home, he really wanted me to be comfortable and confident with my decision.
We were engaged on August 6th, 2011 at Second Beach in La Push on the Washington coast. Getting there was not easy. There were multiple bumps in the road starting with the ferry terminal from Kingston to Edmonds. We arrived to the docks and there was a line over a mile long! Trying to avoid the line chaos, we attempted to squeeze into a vacant spot near the front. Now for those who have ridden a ferry in WA State know that line cutting has harsh repercussions should you get caught. Minutes later, we were stopped by a local police officer who politely gave use the opportunity to try it again from the back of the line. We immediately obliged, turned our vehicle around, and were grateful for barely escaping a hefty ticket from the officer. Three ferry departures later we were headed to the coast and I was driving with a lead foot to make it to the beach before sunset.
Jocelyn and I frequently will fill the Jeep up with our camping gear and head out to a general area with no idea where we will land for the night, part of the fun is not knowing where our adventure will take us. This time was special because I had the perfect engagement ring in my pocket and had a secret that was soon to be revealed at sunset. With the traffic delay and the clock ticking to sun-down I raced to the coast while trying to seem calm but determined to make it on time. Meanwhile, we had been in the car for nearly five hours, and Jocelyn was getting hungry. I know full well that when she gets very hungry, she has what I call a “fooditude” if it’s not satisfied quickly. She wanted to stop at one of our favorite restaurants in Port Angeles which would have surely meant catching a sunset wouldn’t happen. Thank goodness she is easy going because I was able to convince her it was better to grab some fast food and keep driving to our destination… “the sunset will be worth it babe, we have already made it so close it would be a shame to miss it.”
We arrive at the trailhead to the beach which was full of cars. Forget a private romantic beach for the proposal I thought, but I looked over at Jocelyn and she was in good spirits. I was bursting at the seams with excitement as I secretly grabbed the diamond engagement ring I had hidden underneath the seat of the car (thanks for the great tip mom!). Walking down the trail to the beach was magical, the forest life at Second Beach is a kaleidoscope of twisted tree trunks covered in moss uniquely shaped from years of ocean wind. We make it to the beach and walk a mile in the sand till we found a perfect place to set up camp. The clouds were beginning to cover up the sun but there were still bursts of light poking through which created a romantic setting for the evening. It’s time I thought to myself, now or never…
I suggested to Jocelyn that we take a walk along the beach to enjoy the sunset that we have been racing to see all day. We kicked off our shoes and started talking about our relationship, my hands were sweating, my stomach was in my throat! I asked her how she felt about “us” and making our relationship last till we grew old and had wrinkles on our faces. She calmed my nerves with smiles and confirmations that she has never been happier and would be thrilled to spend her life with me. Go time Caleb, DO IT!! I paused on the beach, looked up at the sun…it was setting and looked perfect. I told her that everything I had planned for this day has happened except for one thing, and that was… “I wanted to ask you to marry me.” I got down on one knee, I pulled out the perfect diamond that Tony helped me find and put it on her finger. Jocelyn was smiling and crying all at the same time, and she said, “Yes” and we kissed. To this date that was the most amazing feeling I have ever felt in my life.
Well, the proposal was a success and we returned to our camping site to settle into the evening. I pulled out the champagne that Tony gave me to celebrate the moment. That night was special for two reasons; first the most amazing woman in the world had just accepted my proposal, and second we were able to watch an amazing display of the Northern Lights which were visible to us because we were so far out on the tip of Washington. In the morning, we were greeted by strangers who congratulated us on the engagement. They let us know that they were camping nearby when I proposed to Jocelyn and they captured the entire event with a digital camera and offered to send us the pictures. We couldn’t believe that strangers had caught the whole thing on camera!
On the way home Jocelyn was calling her family and friends to let them know the news, while unbeknownst to her I was carefully coordinating a surprise engagement party at our house. When we got home we were exhausted from all the excitement and driving. Jocelyn and I were reminiscing about how awesome the night before was and I told her “yep, couldn’t get any better” loud enough for everyone hiding in my house to hear. Just as she turned the corner to walk into the kitchen she was greeted with a big “SURPRISE!” by her close friends and family who were waiting with champagne, strawberries, streamers, and cake to celebrate. That weekend couldn’t have been any better.
The entire proposal meant something to us both because the beach is where we fell in love, got engaged, and now plan to get married. The advice I give to any man planning to ask the special woman in your life to marry you is simple. Stay true to yourself and to your relationship when deciding how and when you want to ask your life partner to spend forever with you. If you do that, your day will be just as special as ours was.
And don’t forget to stop in and talk to our friend Tony about how he can help make your day special by helping you find the perfect ring. Thank you EE Robbins for helping me pull off a perfect proposal.
