We're getting married!

We had our first date at Cafe Ole in Midtown. We both got to the restaurant pretty early (I'm pretty sure we were the first customers to arrive for the night). That first date was so remarkable that neither one of us wanted the night to end. It went so well that we were the first to get there and the last to leave, well after closing. We talked for hours and never once had a dull conversation. Everything just felt so natural and so easy. Before I even made it back home, I got a text from Rob saying how much fun he had and he would love to take me out again. I quickly responded (at a red light, of course!) and said I would love to! He replied, "good because I already cancelled another date I had later on in the week because I knew that I wanted to take you out on a second date." I knew he was the one!

Around mid-June I started to think about proposing to Catherine. I mulled it over a few weeks and then decided it was time to talk to my parents, hers, and her brother. I was beyond nervous to talk to Frances and Mike, but I treated them to lunch and we discussed our future, intentions, and life. Our moms and I started to plan how I'd propose, how we'd throw a surprise engagement party and how we could keep it a secret from Catherine for well over a month. After settling on a date and planning everything, we invited all our family and friends and then prayed no one would ruin the surprise. On the morning of August 28th, it all became very real to me. Catherine was getting antsy to leave because she had been looking forward to eating at Flight all week with our parents (mean trick we played on her to throw her off). The whole drive over, I began to get quiet and very nervous. Before we left, I hid the ring in the back seat of the car. When we arrived at my parent’s house, I had an excuse to dig through the backseat because I brought a picture book of our pictures to show our parents. Catherine, anxiously wanting a glass of wine, quickly fled up the driveway without me. I noticed, grabbed the book and ring and rushed behind her- quickly thinking of a way to slow her down before she walked into my parent’s house. (Ah ha! I'll say something about Flight!) "Would you be mad if we didn't go to Flight?" The look on her face when she found out we wouldn't be going meant I had to act quickly. I asked her if she would rather stay home and have an engagement party. Her face looked puzzled at first because she was processing what I just said. The next 2 minutes were such a blur to us but I definitely remember the shock and awe on her face and that beautiful smile when I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. In that moment, I knew she was happy. Thankfully I hid a photographer in the yard so he could capture every moment for us. I can’t wait to marry my best friend!