The proposal.... On March 5th, 2025 we got up at 5:30am to get ready to go on our hike. I went in the kitchen and made us some Mimosas. We went to our place where we go hiking, and we searched for a spot to watch the sunrise. I had a specific spot where we sit on a rock, but, I couldn't remember where it was. After walking around on many trails just getting lost in the moment like we like to do, Amanda said "I know a spot where we can get a good view." I followed her and you wouldn't believe it, it was the spot I was thinking about and looking for. I knew it was a sign and the right moment, and the right day. So, after the Sun came up, I stood her up, I got down on one knee, held her hand, and asked her to Marry me. Guess what, She said "YES". God had answered my prayers and dreams. All I had to do was hand it all over to God and he made the way. I knew right then and there, that I have my second chance with the love of my life. Our relationship and connection is at its strongest. I can't stand being away from her and can't wait to see her every night after work. When I am holding Amanda, I know I am home. Our wedding date is July 11th, 2025 in Maui Hawaii, and I'm going to marry the love of my life, my true love, my Amanda Lynn
Our Story In March of 2024 we reconnected. It was like we never skipped a beat, and it all started with a "Hey" But, before the story begins, we need to start from the beginning. Little did we know, our story actually starts back in 1993 when we were in the 6th grade. The annual 6th grade Sonora trip.
Amanda went to Red Bank Elementary and Jason went to Dry Creek Elementary. Our two schools were the only Clovis schools their during that week. One day we were reminiscing about the trip talking about all the different events we remembered while there. These events included: The silent walk, camp fires, heart attack hill, the high ropes courses and of course the cabin shenanigens. During some of the reminiscing we realized there was a kid that went missing and everyone was looking for him. Turns out this was a friend of Jason, his name was Brian. This was the moment Jason and Amanda realized they were at Sonora together this was such a highlight of the trip. The two schools spent the whole day yelling his name,"BRIAN!" and later he was eventually found but he did delay a lot of the activities for the trip. This brings us to the cabin shenanigans. Jason's cabin was the rowdy cabin from Dry Creek they everyone heard about and was talking about. Amanda remembers her cabin and the friends that were there. Amanda’s was more relaxed and the cabin was more about girl talk and every girl French braiding one another’s hair.
Fast forward to Sophomore year, Spanish class, with Ms. Delateur. We didn't remember each other, but something was pulling the two of us together, a sort of magnetic pull. It was the start of Spanish class and Jason and Amanda locked eyes. Amanda's thought, "I don't normally go up to people and start talking to them but something was different in Jason's eyes." Amanda walked over to Jason with a smile on her face, locked eyes and said, 'Hey, I'm Amanda." During this first interaction Jason's thought, "Here she comes, straight to me and says, "Hey!" ( which ends up being her way of getting my attention, lol only person to say hey to me instead of my name, which will come up again later) Jason then smiled and said, "Hey, I'm Jason." Jason thought to himself, " I'm gonna marry her." That little "Hey!" Was the start of a great friendship that would last years. From that point on, Jason and Amanda became the best of friends. Jason walked Amanda to her classes almost everyday for 3 years. For amanda this was a time to be able to talk and really feel heard. Even though Amanda had a boyfriend Jason had a girlfriend, the friendship continued to blossom. Jason and Amanda talked about everything and anything, Amanda did more of the talking and Jason more of the listening but the two always felt safe around one another.
Through out the next few years the friendship continued to grow. Communicating, listening,growing....There was always a strong connection felt from day one. Fast forward to June 8 1999, Senior year of high school, more specifically graduation night, the night we walk. Right before we walked, we were put in classrooms to wait unitil it was time to walk to the stadium and get our diplomas. Each classroom was set up for where you were to sit in the stadium it was a specific order. Unknown to Jason and Amanda they would be placed in the same room. When Jason and Amanda spotted each other they both smiled and walked up to one another. They were both excited to be graduating. Jason and Amanda had grown close and it seemed just like another interaction both saying "Hey" and hugging. As jason and Amanda pulled back from the hug and looked at one another, this hug felt different, so they hugged again and yes, definitely different. We pulled back again and looked at one-another and it seemed like something was going to be said, but Jason and Amanda just looked into each other’s eyes,not knowing what to say. There was definiatly a strong connection happening for both and almost instinctively they hugged again as they were pulling away this time the teacher yelled for everyone to line up to go walk. They pulled away looked at each other one last time and were on the way to the stadium walking. Jason later stated, "I felt a strong tug from deep down inside like she was being ripped away. It was an awful feeling, So after our graduation, I hurried to where we turn our gowns in for our diplomas and I searched for her all over and couldn't find her. As Jason was searching for Amanda everywhere but one place,as she was on the wall taking pictures. Jason thought she was gone for good.
In that room God had placed paths in front of Jason and Amanda, but emotions high and other paths already layed out the two would take a detour. A detour the was rocky, winding, and had ups and downs that would be filled with happy and difficult lessons…… After Graduation, Amanda left to UNLV, and Jason stayed behind working in construction. As the days went by, and turned into weeks, months then years..... She said..... Amanda often wondered what happened to Jason as she was always greatful for their friendship. Amanda would often look him up to just be able to say ,"Hey" Amanda had no luck and Jason wasn't on any social media. December 2023 Amanda decided to go on Classmates and see if there was a chance Jason would be on it. Amanda saw Jason's picture and sent a message, "Hey Jason, it's Amanda. Do you remember me?" No response. In February 2024 Amanda sent another message, this time, just a simple "Hey!" In March Jason finally responded to that message. He said..... Jason would often think about Amanda but he honestly thought he would never see her again. Jason would wonder where Amanda was, how she was and he often thought about how much he missed her. He thought how easy the communication and the connection was between the two.
25 years later, in March Jason received a message from a site called classmates, which he never heard of and it says, someone wants to say, "Hi". Well, he was in a really rough spot in life and figured, what the hell, if it's a scam, oh well, so he clicked on the message. Jason thought, "OMG it's Amanda Lynn Cryer, there's no way this is her, has to be a scam. So, he thought to himself, "If this really is her, I'll know how she greets me." He opens the message, and it says, "HEY" it's Amanda, do you remember me? OMG, I fell to my knees and broke out in tears of joy ( again, she's the only person who ever greeted me like that) "It's Amanda, do you remember me?"Jason replied and gave Amanda his number. She texted him back almost immediately. Amanda had told Jason that she had been looking for him for years on social media and reached out to him in Dec on Classmates and again in February, but Jason only got the message in March. We started texting like we never stopped talking. In April we started talking on the phone and we would talk for hours on end. To the point where, we would fall asleep together on the phone and wake up still on the phone.
On July 25th, 2024 Jason flew out to see Amanda in Texas. when they saw each other in the airport, they both stated it was the most amazing feeling. Jason and Amanda spent seven days together having an amazing time never an awkward or dull moment. They would laugh for hours, even doing something as simple as going to living spaces. Jason even met Amanda's kids. When you're with the right person everything just seems so much better. It was the hardest thing for Jason to leave but he would be back in a month. August 23rd, Jason drove his son down to Cal Lutheran University. After getting him moved into his dorm, he left at 10:30 am and drove straight to Amanda in Pflugerville, TX. and arrived on August 24th....
We spend our time, hiking, taking long walks, going to hockey games, working out or going to hotworkz for hot yoga, having margaritas and enjoying our life together. At night, we stay up for hours and hours just laughing and talking, getting minimal sleep, but it's all worth it, to have someone you truly love and cherish right next to you. We have found a true soul connection in one another. We are a team, we constantly encourage each other, always positive, have each other's backs, we flow together never tugging and pulling against each other, we also have the same goals and drive.
A little back story..... We grew up in Clovis and both went to Clovis schools. Amanda ( Red Bank) and Jason (Dry Creek ). Amanda lived on Bullard and Jason lived 5 miles at his mom's and 5 miles in the other direction at his dad's. Jason remembered driving down Bullard a lot. But stated, “I never knew this, but I used to drive down Bullard and always saw peacocks all over the place and those ended up being hers.” We were always in close proximity to each other but never ran into each other. Before Red Bank opened, Jason worked on the school over the summer plastering it. Both Jason and Amanda had many visits to Pismo beach, Shaver Lake, The Clovis feed store and many other places and we never came across one another. We both have a love hate relationship with Raiders however, "Win,lose, or tie,it's Raiders till I die" If you know you know. We always joke about things and say things that only if you were from Clovis, you'd understand. Our sarcasm is Clovis, our math, is Clovis. We are both Buchanan Alumni and proud to be Bears.
Amanda was always my highlight in school. When we first met, we both had this instant connection that couldn't be explained at the time. We have always been drawn to each other. We have always been able to be open and always felt safe just being around each other. Now, I am the luckiest man alive. I have the honor of waking up to her every morning and falling asleep, next to her being the last thing I see. Jason always asked how I was and he was always there for me when I needed to talk, without any judgment. We always had this special connection that couldn't be explained, but it was so special. I searched for Jason on social media for years and was never successful. I am so happy that I found him and our connection is stronger than ever. We can never stay apart from each other for more than a few hours before we start missing each other. I can't wait to come home to him every night. I am the happiest I have ever been. I feel safe and like I am home when he is holding me.