Tyler’s Relationship Has Changed to Being Engaged.

As I am sure a lot of you already know (those who are on Facebook anyway) that Robyn and I are now Engaged. Yup, it is official when you change your Facebook status right?

Robyn and I have been together for what seems like forever, but in a good way of course. One of the first questions that people have typically asked us is: ‘How did you two meet?’ We met on PoF, or Plenty of Fish. Yes, that Vancouver-based online dating website. If it wasn’t for my good friend Kimay introducing me to PoF, I would have probably never met Robyn as our paths would have probably have never crossed. We come from pretty different lines of work, mine primarily being computer related whereas hers is within the medical field.

Us at the Railway Club in Vancouver – January 2008

We dated a few times and things just fell into place. For me they clicked pretty much right off the bat. Do you know the feeling when something is just right, so right it seems natural? Well it was like that for me on our first date actually, something just ‘clicked’ for me. I wasn’t sure what was in store for the future, but I was definitely looking forward to it.

There are many things that are great about our relationship, one great thing I do like is that we have shared many great first time experiences together, more for me actually but without her I wouldn’t have probably experienced them in the first place.

Skiing & Snowboarding

Us on Cypress Mountain – My First day back in 2008

One thing I have always wanted to was learn to snowboard and with the help of Robyn (and one of her good friends) I did just that. Now, it is our favourite hobby to do together. I also learned that Robyn would have been uninterested in me if I didn’t have a desire to learn a winter activity as she is big into skiing. Let’s just say I was a very good ROI for her. Many of you know we love the winter time and spending much of it as possible up on the slopes of our local mountains or at Whistler, BC.

Travel, both Domestic and International

Us in the Dominican Republic 2008 – First time for me being outside North America

Granted, Robyn is a pretty seasoned traveller, I on the other hard am not. One of the first things I remember talking to Robyn about was that I had a desire to travel to Cuba. Little did I know a few months later we would be on our way to the Dominican Republic for a 7 night stay at an all-inclusive hotel in Punta Cana. We have been on many adventures since then and we have many more plans for travelling adventures in the future.

On the note of travelling, it brings me to our latest and most special travelling experience. As I am sure many of you have previously read here, Robyn and I have recently had a little getaway to Hornby Island here in BC. Hornby Island has been a place that Robyn and her family have been going to since the late 1980s and is very special to her. It is now a place we try to get to at least once a year and has become special for us. This is the place I committed my love for Robyn for the rest of our lives and beyond. This is the place I recently proposed to her and asked her to be my wife.

People of course ask her how did I propose, well if the photos below don’t really give you a sense of how I did it, I will try and explain.

We planned on doing a walk in Helliwell Provincial Park at least one evening during our stay on Hornby, though I was hoping we would be able to do it sooner than later. Robyn wanted to watch the sunset while sitting on the bluffs over looking the water and the mountains of Vancouver Island.

The weather was a bit cloudy and threatening to rain on Tuesday, August 10th 2010 but we were committed on heading out for our walk. Eventually during the afternoon, the clouds parted and the sun came out, it was go time for me!

We decide to walk opposite of how we normally walk to we would get to the bluffs as the sun set in the West. Along the way we saw a Steller Sea Lion beached on a small spit, we also came across an adult Bald Eagle perched fairly low in a nearby tree. It was a pretty fun walk, though in my head all I could think of is how am I going to propose, what am I going to say, will I mumble my way through it.

We found a place to sit and enjoy the sunset. It was magical, the colours of the sky were awesome, the breeze was gentle and warm. It was quite and perfect. While we were sitting I manoeuvred over in front of Robyn and asked her to stand up (at this point I too was standing). She did find it to be an odd request, though at that point I think she realized what I was about to do.

I got down on one knee, I awkwardly mumbled out my feelings for her as well as how much I love her. How the time spent with her has been the best time of my life, how happy I am to be with her. I’m sure I said some other mushy things though I do know I stumbled my way though it. I brought out the ring from it’s hiding place and asked her to make me the happiest person in the world and for her to be my wife.

She said yes.

Of course since I had my camera gear with me, I set it up before the sun was completely down. I took a dozen test shots and glad a couple of them turned out. Trying not to look as if we’re being totally photographed is one thing, but trying to capture the scenery around you properly is another thing. Trying to run around the camera and sit down without slipping off the bluffs (mind you the water was at high tide, though the bluffs are like 50 feet off the water still) was a fun feat to accomplish.

Our family is excited, our close friends are excited and we are very excited. No date to when the wedding will be though it will probably be next summer as I will still be in school.

I am the luckiest guy in the world. I am the happiest guy in the world. I am excited for our future together.

Robyn, I love you more than anything in this world and the next!