The day I said yes.

Ten years ago today, Russell and I were literally days into officially living together.  I carefully zipped myself into my new black dress, assuring that my hair and makeup were just right, as Russell dressed himself in his Marine dress uniform.  You see, I was told that we were going to a retirement party for a fellow Marine, but I had a sneaking suspicion that this day just might be THE day - the day he slipped that engagement ring onto my finger.  I looked down at my my hands and noticed my chipped nail polish.  I knew that I couldn't have that if people were going to be ogling the rock that was about to be slipped on my finger.  I could not find any nail polish remover in the apartment into which we had just moved.  So, on our way to dinner, I made Russell make a quick stop at Target.

Once my nails are appropriately unpolished, we are on our way to dinner.  We head to Mr. C's, a local italian restaurant, which has since sadly closed.  While at the restaurant, Russell says "Oh, I forgot to give you your graduation gift."  (Sidenote: I had graduated from ISU that May and Russell missed my graduation because he had drill with the Marine reserves and couldn't get out of it.)  My heart skipped a beat as he reached into his pocket to retrieve my gift.  My heart sank as I noticed that the gift box was much longer than a ring box.  And I tried my very best to hide my disappointment as I opened the box to reveal a necklace with a heart-shaped pendant (the very one that I still wear to this day).  We finish dinner and head to (what I am now coming to terms with might actually be) the retirement party.

So, we make the drive from Mr. C's in North Omaha to West Omaha.  During this time, another Marine calls looking for directions.  My heart sank a little more.At the time, it annoyed Russell, but it made me start to actually believe that we were, in fact, going to a Marine function.  But, rather than going to Skyline, as I was told, we end up at Zorinsky lake.  Zorinsky has some history for Russell and I.  It was where we ended up on our first date and where we went when Russell broke up with me the summer after our senior year (his reasoning was because I wasn't "the one" - something I still tease him about.  Haha!).  There are 4 entrances to Zorinsky lake off of 156th street, the above 2 events occurred at separate areas.  So, imagine my surprise when he whipped into a 3rd entrance.

Once we are parked, he tells me to hang on a second as he unloads items that I had no idea were stashed in the car - namely a blanket and his acoustic guitar.  He runs back to the car and leads me to the area where he has laid out the blanket.  And despite the people on the trail, he proceeds to serenade me the song Everything by Lifehouse while playing his guitar.  This is a very special treat because he very rarely sings in front of me.  Unfortunately, I don't have a video of the actual event, but this is *almost* as good:

Once he finished singing, he tells me that he has gotten my father's approval and asks for my hand in marriage, while holding a much smaller box than the one he had given me at dinner (which is now referred to as "distraction necklace"), with the most beautiful ring that I have ever seen in it.  I (of course) say yes and we awkwardly get the ring on my finger.  This was followed by a lot of crying, laughing, hugging, and kissing.

But, this was not the end of the surprises for the night.  Our next stop was his parents' house, which I noticed as we pulled up, was surrounded by cars.  I first meet my Dad and Step-Mom on the front porch.  They try to be nonchalant "so, what's new?"  "Russell asked me to marry him!!" I say in a voice that sounded far too whiny in my opinion (due to the crying).  "So, what'd you say??"   This was the question of the night.  :-)  As I walk into Russell's parents' house, I realize that I am surrounded by many of our family and friends.  He not only surprised me with the proposal, he then planned a surprise engagement party!

Still 10 years later, I can't imagine a more perfect day.  And later I realized just how much work went into  the whole thing.  At one point he went down to KC to take my dad out to dinner to ask for my hand.  He went to the jeweler and actually helped design my ring, based on what I had told him that I wanted.  He planned the whole night - including making a special CD for the event.  And he arranged for the surprise engagement party (because we had previously talked about what we had thought about as far as our dream proposals - I wanted something public, like on the screen of a baseball game, but he wanted something more intimate - and he managed to get both elements in on the same night!).

Have things been 100% perfect?  Nope.  But, life is a rollercoaster and nothing makes you appreciate the highs like successfully navigating the lows.  Is there anyone else on this planet that I'd rather have next to me on this crazy ride?  Nope.  I mean, for one, look what I've gained: