They're engaged!

OK, so a few friends and family had their suspicions, especially after the "Summer's home stretch" entry that began this month's blog posts. But, yes, it's official: Jordan and Jamie are engaged to be married!

Lori and I are very, very happy for them. We've seen their four-year relationship evolve from what seemed like puppy love (boy has crush on girl at summer camp) to a healthy bond that's survived periods of separation (she in Denver to complete vet tech school, he in Portland) to a romantic commitment that made it all but inevitable he'd propose to her over the Labor Day weekend.

That was the reason for the trip to Southern Oregon. Lori and I knew he'd propose -- we just didn't know when or where. Like a true gentleman, Jordan arranged to meet beforehand with Jamie's stepdad, Jeff, to tell him of his intentions and ask for hios blessing. That was Friday night, before all six of us went to dinner at Miguel's, a Mexican restaurant on the banks of the Rogue River as it flows through Shady Cove.

The next day we all went on a hike (described in the post "A weekend in Southern Oregon") that ended around 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot of a Forest Service road. The young couple arrived together and Jamie went straight to Jeff to share the news. With cheeks bursting and the engagement ring flashing on her left hand, she embraced him in a long, emotional hug. Turns out Jordan had proposed to her midway through the hike, when they were ahead of us on the trail, overlooking a magnificent meadow and the mountains.

What's next?

Depending on when Jordan can get leave from Fort Bliss, they'll most likely try to get married before the end of the year -- possibly at Thanksgiving, possibly just before Christmas. We're thinking the ceremony probably will be in the Medford area, maybe even on a portion of the horse ranch where Jamie and her sisters grew up.

The thinking is, the sooner they get married, the sooner she can move to El Paso to join him for however many months he'll be there before being deployed overseas -- either Iraq or Afghanistan.

Jordan will turn 22 on Dec. 31 -- the same age Lori and I were when we were married in 1975, a year after we'd graduated college. Jamie is a couple years older. They may seem young by today's standards but they are both mature and responsible and it's plain to see they are truly, deeply in love.