I have had to wait to write this post because apparently there is protocol when announcing engagements. Who knew?? I have now informed everyone I think. Not so easy when you have friends and family across the country!
It comes as not a huge surprise — I am engaged and officially submitted our I-129F form over Easter weekend! Tony proved that he can plan a romantic encounter and succeed. Honestly, it would have been perfect if it weren’t for me. I will tell you the romantic tale more from what I experienced, but will try to give some props to Tony and his original plan (Note: failure is extremely likely when planning surprises with instructions for people with ADD!)
On Friday, I packed and hopped a plane to Minneapolis and as normal, texted “I’m here!!” Tony responded, “meet at the usual spot”. I was so excited, I actually stopped to check myself over in a mirror and bought breath mints.. Sadly, our meeting spot is on the opposite end of the airport and all the walkways were out of order. To add to my frustration, I decided this trip I would cram all my stuff in a shoulder bag instead of a regular backpack or suitcase, so it was sliding off my arm and super heavy.
I finally got to the escalator and I made sure I was smiling (I’m known to be a little expressionless). I got to the bottom and no Tony. Then I saw.. his roommate, dressed in a black suit leaning against the wall…. I think I immediately went into a small panic at this point. It is happening. Something is going on here. His roommate takes my bag, comments how it looks kind of like a diaper bag (It really does. I guess I am old). There is a car waiting and inside is my favourite: Mexican coca cola and a Sidral Mundet, a large bottle opener, an Easter egg and a card all in a cute little east basket. The note read:
Hi Cait,
I hope you had a good flight and are ready to have a great weekend. Relax and enjoy the car ride. Once the car reaches its destination, you will have a little work. I need you to search and find all the eggs (like the example in the car) and read the note inside. I will see you when you’re finished. 🙂
P.S. Please use the basket to collect eggs and notes.
Love, Tony
The message that I actually read was: Sit back and enjoy the ride.
Tony, waiting and looking like he is getting nervous. I don’t know if it’s because I have messed everything up or I am taking too long to get there…
At first I didn’t bother opening the egg, but luckily his roommates suggested I might want open it… I asked if there were more eggs and they said no, just the one in the car.
I asked where we were going, and nothing… Sigh. I hate not knowing everything in advance! How am I supposed to make sure his plans go off without a hitch??
Finally, we get to the sculpture garden. I am trying to think why he would have chose here. It was one of the first places he took me on my first visit… I actually thought we were going to the art gallery. Every time we try to go there, it’s closed.
His roommates then kick me out of the car and tell me I better take my basket with me… I get that I am on some sort of an Easter egg hunt. So off I go, looking, and seeing nothing…. I feel immediately like I am doing something wrong. I am also looking for Tony, I know he is there somewhere. I think I was more fixated on knowing what was coming next than the eggs.
The only egg I found!
I get to the garden and there are two ways to go. I chose left and that was wrong. Finally Tony comes to rescue me. I didn’t see him and he had to yell and wave before I saw where he was. I went off the path to cut across the grass to get to him. Finally we meet in front of the spoon (Kind of the landmark at this place) where he tells me I missed all the eggs. Why am I so bad at things like this??
We walk hand in hand to where the egg hunt was supposed to lead. Tony has set up a huge Easter basket with candy and new shoes and toys. For a second I forgot this was about an engagement…. Until my worst fear, Tony got down on one knee. Inside I was kind of panicking. Apparently Tony was pretty nervous too. He had a whole script planned out and didn’t follow any of it.
Down on one knee! What a gentleman
Honestly, I don’t remember what he said. Something about we have had a lot of happy memories and he wants to spend his life with me. I am so sorry Tony, I know you said it better than that!
Finally he asked, will you marry me? and I laughed and said, “Of course!” He then tells me to turn and someone takes our picture. Again, I am thinking, “He did NOT hire a photographer!!” Turned out, I am just not observant. It was his roommate’s girlfriend.
And…. the ring! It is so pretty I might just wear it 🙂
The next thing I know his roommates are on their way over, Tony is popping a bottle of champagne and I have a beautiful ring on my finger. It was over in a blur. I am happy to report no one cried. It was all smiles and laughter. We took a stroll to collect all the Easter eggs I missed. That was the best part: reading all the messages Tony put in the eggs. He had moments that I had forgotten about. Things that I never knew (like his feelings before we began dating). I am keeping those for me and him, but I can assure you; it was very thoughtful.
Honestly, this is more than I every wanted or expected. It’s tough in our situation. We did not have the luxury of doing things our way because we decided we wanted to live together before we decided that the fiancé visa was how we would make it happen. Even though I never wanted a big deal to be made of this, I am glad he did something. I didn’t need him to do it and I didn’t even really want him to, but I am glad he did. Reminds me that this is more than just paperwork. This is about us and what we want.
1227miles 