NAT: It all started with a lie. I wanted to get away for a Saturday morning so I could buy Salena an engagement ring but didn't want her to know what I was up to so I told Salena I was working work for half the day with Mark. I didn't really need to work but Mark did need to do a short job in the morning so I went for breakfast with my good friend Matt who flew in the day before to visit awhile. When Mark finished the job the three of us headed out to go ring shopping. It was getting close to noon and we were running out of time. Knowing Salena would be expecting me to be home I needed to come up with something fast. Matt decided to call Salena and make it sound like he wanted to take me out after work to catch up. She fell for it..hook, line and sinker. We were cleared for the rest of the afternoon. Since Mark is a pilot, we schemed on ways we could take Salena flying and have her read " marry me?" down on the earth below. After ruling out spray paint, digging up the earth, and aligning rocks I finally came up with an idea I was more than happy with. Christmas lights lit up at night would be the perfect way to pop the question. Now i just needed to purchase the lights and find a field big enough to do the job. Once I had the lights I headed over to the farm I grew up to ask if I could use their field. They were more than willing so I set to work with the help of my brother Nadon and Mark.
Not having any idea if it was going to be visible from the plane I took a step of faith and Mark, his wife, Salena and I took of in the plane a few hours later. When we were finally soring over the farm I was amazed to see how clear each letter was!
To make sure she was registering that those words writen in the dark of the night were for her. I asked her to tell me what the words said.........i will let her continue the story.
SALENA: as you know already i was totally oblivious to what was going on behind the scenes as Nat was was purchasing all the props for our engagement. Nat told me later that he was terribly nervous as we prepared to take off in Marks plane, which only tells me that his acting skills are exceptionally good because to me his composer was no different than any other day. we were just going for a plane ride with his good friends since Mark was so-o excited to fly...ya right! i think there was someone else who was a little more excited. we took off and had a little tour of the towns surrounding us. Nat kept commenting to everyone how well you could see the Christmas lights on the houses and i had to agree; the scene was breath taking. Nat then asked mark if they could fly over the old farm. since mark and Nat grew up together on that farm it didn't seem too strange that they would want to see it; although, i did wonder how they were going to see anything with it being so dark. when Mark saw the lights they set up for me he pointed out the window and said "look at those lights". I clearly remembering reading the words carefully and thinking...."oh, someone is being proposed to tonight" I looked away for a short moment and then focused again on the lights that spelled "MARRY ME". (someone here is still a little clueless) Nat, wanting to make sure it was registering, leaned over my shoulder and asked "what does it say! what does it say!" the neurons in my brain must have jolted awake as I tried to conclude why Nat would want me to read out what he could see for himself. (shes starting to get it now folks!) as the words rolled off my lips reality had truly sunk in. I whirled around to see Nat on one knee....yes, in the plane..... with a dozen roses and a ring! I was FLOORED!!!! after circling the farm a few times to get a good look at Nat, Mark, and Nadon's master piece we headed back to the airport and stopped right in front of the restaurant Nat had made reservations for. the wonderful meal was hardly touched as this teary eyed bride-to-be called her family to share the good news.
