Proposal

(I told you I'd post "the story" eventually!)

A little less than a month ago, I went without Andy all weekend—he was at his parents and I at mine. I celebrated my birthday with my family (having already scored birthday tickets to Bon Jovie from Andy the weekend before), enjoying my day off (oh, the glories of being born on what is perpetually a three-day-weekend!) and then drove to Andy’s house. I waited outside the gate to his apartment for him. He put his water and his jacket in the trunk. Roxie was shifted to the back seat and Andy and Raider and Roxie and I drove to our favorite park for a walk.

When we got to the park, we unloaded from the car. (This is always a process. Roxie likes to make spectacular exits if she can help it…leaping from the car in freedom, only to jerked back by the leash…often this results in my losing my footing, and sometimes, her gaining freedom.)

Andy took Roxie’s leash. She leaped. (He was sure footed.) Andy asked me to get Raider’s leash out of his jacket in the trunk.

“He’s wearing a leash,” I said.

“I don’t like that one,” he said.

I rolled my eyes, went to the trunk, took Raider’s leash out, and turned around to find Andy standing immediately behind me, holding Raider. I noted he seemed a bit flustered.

I clipped the leash onto Raider’s collar.

“Shannah,” Andy said, “did you see which leash I got?”

“Yes,” I said, “it’s the usual one--the Harley Davidson one.”

“Shannah, take his leash.”

I motioned that I was holding Roxie.

Andy took my hand and shoved the end of Raider’s leash into it. There, attached to the end of the leash, was a HUGE purple bow. With sequins. And a little bit of shiny white gold and diamonds. (Who knows how I missed this...!)

I started laughing and fell halfway into the car trunk with surprise as Andy got down on one knee and proposed. I pulled him back up, saying yes and laughing so that my stomach almost hurt. (I’m almost positive that I ruined the moment.) My hands were shaking, so I made him untie the bow and put the ring on my finger.

He did it! He surprised me!

The rest of the walk I barely remember. I smiled until my face was almost numb (as evidenced by the many pictures we took), we walked really far really fast, laughing and smiling and glancing at each other (I'm sure I was blushing a bit). I sent text pictures of the ring and messages to all my friends as we walked. We called our parents and sisters and brothers. It was just glorious.

That evening, we went to dinner at our favorite Indian food restaurant. We sat out on the patio together. I couldn’t stop smiling and I was still breathless.

It was truly a breathtaking day.