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Hi Folks from David and Laurie!

by Laurie Peach and David Toupin
From the May 1998 WrapAround

Click on the photos for larger images

Guess what we did this weekend while you all were watching the Olympics?! Since we both wanted to tell you, we are taking turns...you can go first David...(Laurie: I can’t wait - we’re engaged!)

Laurie Peach and David Toupin on the West River

OK, back to the story. We should first start with how we met. Not everyone has heard, Laurie, and I do tell it better than you do. As I recall, your version is "We met canoeing. End of story."

We really started off on a canoe trip with the New Hampshire AMC. I called you earlier in the week to see if you wanted to go canoeing because I needed a partner. We had been introduced on a previous trip. It was a warm day in May with (as we found out later) very cold water in the river. We were paddling through some large waves in the river when the water came pouring into the boat. The boat didn’t flip over but it did fill with water. The other canoeists saw the two of us from the waist up paddling our submarine down the river, laughing as we went. On the trip home, some of your first words were "Do you know any good place for ice cream?" It may not have been true love then and there but it was very close. I think it was clinched when we agreed on the Disney movie 101 Dalmatians for our first date.

That’s enough, David. Let’s skip ahead a little before people fall asleep!

Eight months later, we decided to visit my parents in Jeannette, PA. Little did I know this was more than a casual weekend visit! David called my parents the week before and asked my father for his blessings on our marriage! He then shipped to my parent’s house via UPS a cabin tent, a card table, candles, wine glasses, sparkling grape juice, and a backpack; as well as flowers. Saturday, Mom whisked me away to go shopping.

While we were gone, David and Lance (my dog) backpacked to the woods where I have hiked all my life and set everything up. After supper, David asked me to go for a walk. When I was just about to settle down and watch the sunset, he asked if I wanted a drink! "What did you say?" I thought he’d gone nuts! I couldn’t figure out what he was talking about. David just gently guided me to this huge cabin tent. "What is this? Where did this come from? This wasn’t in the Subaru!" Now I was confused!

David disappeared into the tent, leaving me speechless outside. (David: Not a common occurrence for her). (Laurie: you bum!) Anyway...when he finally invited me in, there he was in his suit and tie, lit candles surrounding a vase of roses, sparkling grape juice in wine glasses. That scene will be forever embedded in my mind...David then got down on his knees. He handed me a soft, adorable, 101 Dalmatian puppy named Jewel, and said simply, "Will you marry me?" I think...I had to ask him later if he really proposed! As he moved the paws away from the puppy’s collar, there was an engagement ring tied to its neck with a bright purple ribbon. You better pick it from here, Sweetie....

There I was, on my knees, proposing to the woman I love and all she could say was "Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh!" so many times that I started to wonder if I had gone overboard in the setup. She noticed the early look of panic on my face and said "Yes". We both then collapsed on the backpack and spent the next two hours trying to reassure each other that we weren’t dreaming.

So, we’re engaged! We could have just said these three simple words but the two of us are too excited and long-winded. We hope you’ve enjoyed the story!

Love,

[Ed Note: Laurie Peach ‘96 and David Toupin ’97 are both alumni of the Canoe School.]