Story Time: Sean

Lindsay’s Version
Sean’s Version

Sean: How We Met

Since Lindsay captures the details of how we met so well, I will focus on the story of How We Came To Be.

 

Few may know this, but everything with Lindsay and me really started 8 months before we met, back when I was looking at potential internships. I came across WaveGroup Sound, and noticed Lindsay was an Ex’pression alum. Of course, my first thought was, “Marry me!”

 

OK, maybe not. BUT, I had considered e-mailing her directly to chat about the possibility of interning there so…that counts for something, right?

 

During my brief stint at WGS, we interacted a handful of times: coffee runs, session prep, and a few other instances. I didn’t really know much about Lindsay at the time, except that she is THE FASTEST PRO TOOLS EDITOR IN THE WORLD, which was the first of many signs of Lindsay’s badassitude far exceeding my own (I’d come to learn about tattoos, motorcycles, and snowboarding soon after).

 

Once Lindsay and I started rock climbing together, we hit it off immediately. We quickly discovered a shared love of music, so I took the logical next step of bombarding her with 50 of my favorite bands. And it worked! My favorite music became her favorite music, and thus, the seed was planted.

 

Following a group vocal session at WaveGroup (December 6, 2008), Lindsay and I saw the midnight showing of Role Models together, just the two of us. The night didn’t start as a date, but a few minutes in to the movie, we each got the sense that it may have become one. By the time the movie ended, we each knew something had silently transpired between us, so our first date was December 7, 2008.

 

Our first date kicked off a whirlwind week of late night chats and concerts. This may not seem like the most romantic song in the world, but it is strangely one of many songs that brought us closer together that week (this one too!). And, as Lindsay says, the rest is history.

Sean: Engagement – The Plan

As Lindsay alludes to, I may have “prematurely shot my wad on what was supposed to be a dry run” for Lindsay’s 24th birthday with my 15-part Geocache (that led to a BONUS 16th cache and ultra-bonus presents around her condo. I know.). I knew I would never top this, so when it came time to propose, I aimed for surprise over splendor.

 

I had long considered proposing to Lindsay on December 7, 2012, since it marked the four-year anniversary of our first date. While it wasn’t our true anniversary, it was always significant to me, since it is really when “Lindsay and I” started to become “us.”

 

Or “Seandsay,“ or whatever.

 

I shared my plan to propose to Lindsay with my parents and grandma during a Thanksgiving trip to San Diego (November 24, 2012), and was met with their enthusiastic approval and excitement. Upon my return (November 26, 2012), I asked Barr and Wendy to dinner under the guise of co-planning a surprise Christmas gift for Lindsay. After exhausting the decoy topic, I finally asked Barr and Wendy for their permission to ask their daughter for her hand in marriage.

 

Barr’s immediate response:

(quickly turns to Wendy, as if he’d won a bet)

“I told you so!“

(then back to me)

“Yes!”

 

Wendy’s response thereafter:

“So when’s the wedding? Are you getting married in Tahoe?”

 

I may not have been able to answer those questions at the time, but after Lindsay accepted my proposal and I shared Wendy’s response with her, I quickly learned the answers :)

Sean: Engagement – The Ring

In the week following my dinner with Lindsay’s parents, Barr and Wendy assisted me in researching the ring. I had a good idea of what Lindsay would like, and convincing my future wife’s parents of my idea proved useful in thwarting disappointment – for her or them!

 

On Sunday (December 2, 2012), I “snuck out” to the Shane Co., and worked with a delightfully insightful young woman who educated me on inclusions and the 4 C’s, and everything else I’d need to know about diamonds. It paid off, because I found my band and diamond that night, and bought them on the spot! Then, all I had to do was wait for the ring to be made and keep it a surprise.

Sean: Engagement – The Proposal

I preceded The Big Night with my second “Dosing Day” at UCSF (December 5, 2012) for a Clinical Research Study I was participating in for my genetic disorder, Ectodermal Dysplasias. That night, I called my two best friends, Ryan and Ahmad, to let them know I would be proposing to Lindsay, and that they would be my co-Best Men at the wedding (they were thrilled on all counts!)

 

At that point, only Barr, Wendy and I knew when I planned to propose. My parents, sister, grandma, and Best Men only knew that I would be proposing, though I suspect they didn’t realize it would be so soon. I picked up the ring on my drive home the next day, and hid it in my home office to keep it a secret.

 

I kept the ring on me the entire day of The Big Night (December 7, 2012), in case the opportunity to be spontaneous presented itself…and could still be considered spontaneous despite carrying a ring box in one’s front pocket for 12 hours. When I got home, I gently asked Lindsay whether she may want to shower before dinner, since she’d just finished running, and to left it at that to avoid raising suspicion.

 

On our way out the door, I decided it was time.

 

I told Lindsay how much I loved her, and reminded her that it was the four-year anniversary of our first date. The day that would change my life forever. The happiest day of my life until the next day we spent together. And the next one. And the one after that.

 

We hugged. I continued.

 

I stealthily moved the ring box from my jacket pocket to my right hand as we began our hug, since I didn’t want to alert Lindsay to its presence. I maintain that at this moment, I did not give away the ring being in my possession. Short-lived as this secret was about to become, my Surprise Attack Proposal Plan™ was working!

 

However, moments later, with the ring box in hand, I decided I may as well open the box so it would be ready for The Big Moment, and not backward or upside down or anything. This may have tipped my hand, but methinks the tone and content of our upcoming conversation is the more likely culprit.

 

After attempting to express just how lucky I am, and how she has given me the best four years of my life, I finally got down on one knee and popped the question:

“Lindsay Bauer, will you marry me?”

 

Naturally, she responded:

“Are you serious?! Are you crazy?!…Yes!”

 

My SAPP™ was a success! Lindsay was surprised, excited, bewildered, and rather speechless. I could see her elation swell up within her and spread to me, washing away the outside world while we shared the simple beauty of that moment together.

 

Though it may not have been as elaborate as Lindsay’s birthday Megacache, I think I finally bested myself with this one. And it’s a good thing too, because it’s hard to keep upping the ante when you’re all in :)