Hehe, you asked for it...
My wife and I dated for a long time before marriage. We were best friends in Junior High and started dating after our second year of High School. That summer I worked at our church's bible camp on a lake in Northern Michigan. My family has a condo on the same lake that I lived at through the summer as a kid. We didn't see eachother much that summer, but she was able to make it up to see me a couple of times. When we were together, we would spend time on a bench across the lake which faced Lake Michigan and watch the sunset.
Fast forward to our fourth year of college. We have been dating for the last six or so years and a proposal is about due. It was expected as we had talked about getting married and wanting to wait until after school. I commissioned a client of my father's to make a custom engagement ring. My plan was to go up to the lake for the day and ask her to marry me on the bench that we spent so much time together on as kids.
The day came that we were going to go and I called the ring guy to pick up th ring and it was not done. I couldn't believe it. He assured me many times that he would have it complete on time (we started working on it 2 months in advance.) I broke the news to her that we would not be going up to the condo that morning and she was bummed (she suspected at this time what was going to happen)
I broke down and told her my plans as I can not lie to her. She felt so bad for me that she gave me my Christmas present early to cheer me up. (This was on November 13, so Christmas was right around the corner) She got me a digital camera, which I had been wanting for a long time (and used to take the above pictures.)
A bit later, I went back to my parents house to put some nicer clothes on. While I was home I got a call from the ring guy saying he had the ring finished and i could pick it up if I liked. I said "H*ll yes I will!" But now I needed a way to propose.
After I picked the ring up I told her that I felt bad, but that I would still like to do something nice that day (she had no idea I had gotten the ring.) So I convinced her to let me take her out to dinner. While at dinner I talked her into ice skating at the outdoor rink in Downtown Grand Rapids. This whole time I had the ring in my pocket.
So we get to the rink and it is packed. We waited in line for 45 minutes, and then when we were the 4th in line, it was announced that the rink was full and we would have to come back another time. I did not accept that and went upr to the guy at the counter and explained my plan. When I told my wife we were going to be able to go she was amazed, but remembered I have a way with people.
On the rink we skated for a bit and then I asked if I could take her picture. So I skated ahead of her and took her picture with my new digicam. I then asked her to take mine, but I wanted to have my picture in the center of the rink. Once in the middle of the rink I had to show her how to use the camera. While she was fiddling with it, trying to figure it out, I pulled the ring out of my pocket and got down on one knee. When she finally looked through the viewfinder, there I was, on my knee with a little black box. I went though the motions of asking her (details that I will leave out.)
Needless to say, she said yes, and everyone around us started to applaud. Just then, someone asked if he could take our picture, so I handed him my camera and he took the picture that is atop this post.
And the rest, they say, is history
I told you it was long, and now my fingers are a bit tired, but you asked..
-John
Btw what kind of dog is it? Bernese mountain dog? it looks bit skinny.
