It was one of those scary nights- which any night can be if you're alone in an old house on a 40-acre property in the middle of the sticks. I tried everything- Disney movies to reading, but nothing would calm my mind. It was late. I was tired and still nervous. I couldn't call my parents because their cell didn't work out there.
I hadn't been in a chat room since I was about 14. I decided maybe just talking to someone would bore me enough to fall asleep. Every chat room was really awful, so I didn't want to stick around. I finally saw an Anime chat and I thought that might be fun, but the guy there wouldn't say a word. So, I just kept talking- even though there was no response, because it was something to do.
He began to talk- he'd been out of the room. Everything we talked about was so interesting! He was funny and smart, and the most humble person to whom I'd ever spoken. I had to admit that I was more than interested- I'd never met anyone who was so genuine to me- yet how was I so sure he was who he said? I don't really know, but I knew then.
We kept chatting online for months. I went away to BYU, but we still talked as often as possible. I admired him so much, and our friendship was irreplacable. At BYU I faced many new changes in my life and had difficulties with illness and home-sickness. Eric had been there for me the whole time. We'd talk about everything- though he swore he was shy. I never saw that!
Our friendship grew into love. I can't say exactly how it happened- but I knew I'd loved Eric since the very moment I met him. There was something there- something I knew, something I'd always known, just forgot for a while it seemed.
In April of 2003, Eric came out to visit me at BYU and to see my play, White Nights. I was interested in someone else at the time- and told Eric this. He was so respectful. When that person broke my heart a couple of months later Eric was still there to comfort me. He stood by me and was such a friend!
By June, Eric had moved out to Utah to be with me. His parents didn't think he'd be able to make it- I have to admit, I didn't either, but he surprised us all. Eric and I knew that we were meant to be together. Our friendship had become unbreakable, and our love was strong. We talked of marriage, and knew it was right. We prayed and our hopes were confirmed.
Eric was baptized in October into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after 8 long months of missionary discussions and intense interest in joining the church.
In February, after much discussion of marriage, Eric proposed. We'd had dinner at his home, and he was walking me home. It was cold- I wanted to get home quickly, but Eric stopped for something, so I turned to see what it was. He pointed to the snow, where he'd previously tracked out "Ariel Wambaugh, Will You Marry Me?". By the time I'd turned around he was already on one knee with the ring out. He said it again- verbally this time, "Ariel Brooke Wambaugh- Will You Marry Me?". All I could remember was crying a lot, jumping up and down and then about 5 minutes later I remembered he'd ASKED me a question and said. . .
YES.