Engagement - 2006
I asked Beautiful to marry me. I was 27 and she was 22. She had just graduated with her 4-year degree at the beginning of May, and I’d been planning the day for months and months. I’d known where and the general idea of when for more than a year.
The night before, I’d called to ask her dad for his blessing and called again just to be sure that he knew that “Tomorrow I will be asking her to marry me… and you’re cool with that?” “Yes,” came the reply. She called me for our good night call when she got home and I was so afraid I’d give it up over the phone that I cut the call short.
We have a favorite beach, and had for the 4 years we dated. It’s called Howard Park over in Tarpon Springs. It’s a man-made island with a causeway out to a parking lot with the beach all around it. We’d probably been there 40-50 times over the years because parking is free and there are groups of palm trees to sit under, which is perfect for two people as white as us!
We got sandwiches on the way there, just like normal. Sat under the trees, just like normal.
Then I pulled a bonehead move and said, “let’s go for a walk!” not like normal. She’ll tell you she knew but didn’t know how I’d do it. She’s probably not fibbing a bit.
We walked over to some big rocks that make up one of the corners and sat for about 30 seconds before I pulled the ring out of my pill bottle. I said something about how great the last 4 years had been and how much I wanted to spend the rest of my life growing old with my best friend in the world. Something like that, but I’m not sure anymore because I was so nervous I almost wet my swim trunks. My hands were shaking as I held out a ring with a tiny little diamond on it – all I could afford back then.
She said “yes!”
I would be willing to bet that I asked if she was sure, but maybe I managed to not be that stupid.
We rushed back to our spot and she called her mom and told her the news and said we’d be over in a bit. I called my best friend who was at summer camp 1,000 miles away and informed him that he was going to be my best man. I’m not sure we even ate our sandwiches there or if we ate them in the car heading back, but I’m sure of one thing: it was our shortest trip to the beach ever before and since.
Happy engagement anniversary, Beautiful!
๐ย I couldn’t tell you the date we got engaged, but John and I celebrate our first date anniversary every year.ย June 24th is a big day for me as I celebrate the birth of my firstborn children.ย Congratulations on your 5 year engagement anniversary.ย Cheers to many more celebrations yet to come!
so cute!!!
Where did that lump in myt throat come from? Congratulations, son. You did well. Marrying your mom was the biggest, scariest day of my life. But seeing you get married was the most fulfilling.