Proposal Story

 I'm an old married lady these days, with our first child on the way and all - but I thought I'd share how my dear husband popped the question!

 

John Proposed!!

(Tuesday, April 6, 2010)

John and I knew that we wanted to get married. We had talked about it many times but I wanted to let him propose when he was ready and in the way he wanted to. Minus my occasional peppering of questions about how much longer I would have to wait for the ring - I left him alone to do it in his own time (me being patient is quite an acomplishment!) 

Through our discussions, John had told me that the date he was going to ask was one of great importance to him. The day he proposed (April 6th 2010) was a complete surprise to me. I would have never guessed it would be in the middle of the week like that.

Monday night I had been up almost all night studying for my tests the next day; so when Tuesday came, I was already exhausted. After my first several classes of the day I got a call from John asking me to come over to his house, that he was sick and needed me to come check on him. I didn't have much time between my classes so I hurried off to see to him. When I got there we were sitting on the couch and it didn't take much sitting still for me to fall asleep. When I woke up (and realized I had slept through my class) I found a message from him but he was no where to be found.

The message started with a drawing of a ring and gave me clues as I read along as to what time and where I should be that evening. He ask me to meet him in "our park" at 11 that night (after we both had a chance to get off work). Our park has always been a special place to us. We frequently take walks there together, have had picnics there for some of our first dates. Any time I'm stressed and upset this is where we go together so I can unwind.

That night, I was fairly certain what was going to happen, hoping I wasn't wrong because I would look very silly if I had guessed incorrectly. I got all dressed up. I'm sure the people who saw us there thought we were crazy for what we were wearing. : ) I wore my white floor length formal. The same dress I was trying on when my friend first told me about John. Also the same dress I was wearing the first night I went over to his house for movies after a banquet. Wearing the dress just seemed fitting (plus I like to play dress up!).

As I drove to the park, I was a mess. I was already crying (tears of joy and excitement!) in anticipation of what was going to happen when I got to the park. I couldn't believe the night I had been waiting for was here!! As soon as I pulled up at the foot bridge he ask me to meet him on, I could see him there. Just seeing him there calmed me so much. Just like he always calms me. I met him on the bridge and he ask me to take a walk with him. (I'd like to note that I wasn't the only one who dressed up, he was wearing his suit!) We walked around the park twice while John talked to me about the things that make him so certain that I am the one. That we are ready to get married and are right for each other.

As we came back toward the bridge we had started from, there were some ducks at the edge of the water. Every time we go to the park, I run off after the ducks chasing them, looking like a complete fool I'm sure. Usually John just stands there and pretends to not know me; but this time he followed. When I chased the ducks off into the water he was there waiting for me. He told me that one of the things that he loves most about me is that I am myself around him. That I am willing to do things that could be considered foolish or silly because I am so comfortable with him.

At that point he got onto one knee and ask me to marry him. I was overwhelmed with happiness and got my "YES!" out to him. I didn't turn into a waterwork of tears, which was quite a suprise to me. I was calm, happy that my emotions didn't get the better of me so I have such a clear memory of the moment. Especially when he stood up to give me a hug and a kiss...and my engagement present!!

The ring he gave me as my engagement ring is the ring his father gave his mother. The day he chose to propose was the day that his father proposed to his mother. My engagement present is a second ring. It is the ring his great-grandfather gave his great-grandmother as an engagement ring when they moved to America from Germany and Poland. John's great-grandfather hammered out the ring setting himself!

We walked back to his car to get a blanket and spent the next while laying out watching the stars together. A perfect ending to a perfect night!