Engagement Day

Valentines Day, 2008 will make Valentines Day one of the most special days of the year for the rest of my life.

When I returned from breakfast with my mom (which I learned later was just a grand ploy to get me out of the house), I pulled into my driveway to see a teddy bear as big as me sitting in a lawn chair holding a rose, a huge chocolate bar and a note which read: “Follow the roses, Love.” I looked up to see a trail of roses leading down the hill in my backyard to right in front of the big azalea bush.
When I reached the end of the trail, there was a treasure chest on a bed of roses and red tulle. Upon opening the box, I saw that there was a card sitting on several inches of sand. The card was hand written in tiny print and completely full. It ended with these words: “If you ever wanto to know the depth of my love or how many ways I love you, count this sand.” I ran my fingers through the sand and shook my head, amazed at the love I had been blessed with. I was reminded again that I was the luckiest girl in the world.
I stood up and turned around and there he was, at the top of the hill :-)

We got everything ready to take to Windsor Ruins for our previously planned picnic, dropped Sam off with my mom and went on our way. Little did I know, the letter in the sand wasn’t going to be the highlight of the day. It was only beginning.

A tree blocked the entrance to the Ruins, so we continued on foot - in our formal attire – over the barbed wire fence and down the road. When I saw Windsor Ruins, I drew a quick breath. It was even more beautiful than I’d imagined. We down our picnic things and Cole asked me to walk with him. When I took his hand, I noted that he was shaking. Something big was about to happen. “Do you remember when we were in Ecuador, what I said to you? What I said I wasn’t doing?” “What do you mean?” “In the supermarket. Do you remember what I told you I wasn’t doing at that moment?” “Oh yes, that you weren’t falling down on your knees confessing undying love or anything?” I responded with a laugh. “Yeah.” He fell down to one knee, pulled a ring out of his pocket and said: “Well, now this is me falling down on my knees proclaiming undying love for you. Robin, will you make me the happiest man on earth? Will you share your life with me? Will you raise a family with me? Will you grow old with me? Robin, will you marry me?” With a voice quivering from excitement, I responded : “I always said I’d know I was in love when the prospect of being with someone forever went from seeming like an eternity to not nearly long enough. That’s exactly how I feel about you. Yes, I will marry you.”

He moved my purity ring to my right hand, placed his ring on my left and sprung to his feet. Then, the kiss we had saved our whole lives for each other. Well worth the twenty year wait :-)

Our day concluded with dinner at The Castle, where we had our first date. It was a perfect ending to the happiest day of my life up to then. But I have to say, as wonderful of day as it was, every day just gets better.