94 days...

Who knew this could be so complicated?

No, I'm not talking about the dress, the colors, or pictures.

It has nothing to do with the reception or the cake.

No, none of that. The issue at hand now causing so much complication is honeymoon related - more specifically, hotels.

Annette and I went to dinner last night and then back to her house where I was eager to watch the BYU game. After BYU fell way behind in the first half I switched the game off and we started looking at room rates online. We already know where and when we're going, but the issue of where exactly to stay became the subject tedious research and comparison.

I turned the game back on midway through the second half to find that BYU was making a comeback. All the while Annette was pecking away on the keyboard visiting this website and that analyzing locations and amenities.

I tried to get her to turn the computer off and watch the end game with me, but it was to no avail. Maybe this is one of those things that a man is just not going to understand, but I never would have guessed that this would become such a serious issue in the wedding planning process.

Mercifully, she thinks she has found what she is looking for and I'm hopeful that a final resolution and reservation will be forthcoming soon.

I can only imagine what other facets of wedding planning will be like if this alone requires so much time and attention.

106 days...

I've decided I don't like being engaged.

I love my beautiful fiance, and I'm very excited about moving into this new stage of life. But, the intermediate period is no fun at all. I wish we could just skip right to marriage.

Engagement just seems to bring the expected increase in responsibility, but with ever-limited benefits. I suppose I should take President Monson's advice to just live in the present and enjoy the moment.

But, I will be very happy when I don't have to drive back home to Orem every night.

Engaged

Yes, after many months of dating/courtship, Annette and I are finally engaged - officially.

The truth is we had been talking about marriage for some time, and at one point even had tentative ideas of getting married in March. But, around December we settled on a late spring wedding and started getting serious about it.

We first went ring shopping in November, and Annette found what she thought she wanted. But, as the weeks passed those ideas changed, and we went shopping a couple more times through the holidays and into January.

The ring was finally purchased about a week ago at Sierra West with the help of the famous Bro. Bowen, John and Michelle's former bishop, a current counselor in my bishopric, and VP of the company.

I officially proposed on Thursday, and we made requisite announcements throughout the weekend.

Originally we had planned on June 6, but that has now been bumped back a week to May 30. We will be getting married in California, either in the LA Temple or the Newport Beach Temple. After a honeymoon to Lake Tahoe, we will return to Utah, hold an open-house on June 6, and be done with it.

Of course I will be moving to Saratoga Springs, which will increase general commute times, but is overall something I'm looking forward to.