Proposal Night-Part Two.

For part one click here.

So we're driving into Austin and he's messing with his phone (maps) to get us where we're going and we're sitting at a red light. He was in the wrong lane, and I told him that he needed to be in the other lane to turn left. Remember, I'm supposed to have no idea where we are going. He just laughed at me. He knew I already had this part of our night figured out. 

We finally got to dinner. Maggiano's-

We'd only ever been there once before and I remember telling him that it would be a sweet place for a proposal. So we ordered. He got even more quiet-if that's possible. The food came. We ate. I texted my brother (who text-yelled at me to get off of my phone and enjoy my night. I love that boy). Nothing happened. I just new it was coming. We skipped dessert and then I knew it wasn't happening yet. The check came and we paid and left. Who wants to be proposed to over a huge bowl of pasta anyway? 

Ahem.

So we walked back to the car and I asked what else was planned for the night. C acted like he had no plans and he asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I didn't really care (ok, so I was bummed that dinner was a bit uneventful). I was pretty tired and cold and I just wanted to go home and get comfy in my pajamas. 

Then he insisted that we drive to a park. I was like, okay, that's fine (nothing too unusual). But he insisted on driving to a park that we never go to. A big one. In the dark. It was 50 degrees out. I was in uncomfortable shoes. I was also tired. During the week I go to bed around 9 because I wake up so early for work. It was past 9 at this point. Old lady right here.

Yeah, this was getting interesting. 

After 30 minutes of googling maps of trails in the park and finding nothing, plus it was too dark in this particular park, he said, "I guess I didn't really have this all planned out too well."

And then I knew. 

It was happening that night. So I changed my attitude and forgot about my achy feet and cold hands. I finally talked him into just taking me to the park that we always go to. It's closer to our house anyway. 

But first I needed something warm to keep me awake and alert. We stopped at Starbucks, I grabbed a drink and went into the bathroom to give myself a quick pep talk. I knew it was close. 

We got into the car, he snapped a pic of me with my first red cup of the season and we headed to the park.

As soon as we got there and parked, I was sitting there putting this photo on Instagram-

As I was sitting there looking at the creepy chick in the background of this photo playing on my phone, C jumped out of the car and went to the trunk. He opened my door for me and had these in his hand-

You guys. Six years, ten months and two days later the man bought me flowers. Again, another first. I always gave him grief about never buying me flowers.  Also, I knew this is where he had gone* earlier when he told me he was going to 'put gas in the car'. He went to get me these! Then left them in the trunk all evening! So, dinner reservations and flowers in the same night? Big things were happening!

He opened the door and handed me the flowers and I almost started crying right then and there. Thank goodness I didn't though because he wasn't ready to pop the question just yet. 

C grabbed his jacket (apparently my ring was wrapped up in it) and we started walking down the trail a bit. It was dark and chilly (I kept telling him to put his jacket on but he wouldn't), but so...us. 

We found a bench not far from a light post so we weren't in complete darkness (the light was all behind us). The river was right in front of us and we sat there for a while. Just talking. 

This is when C got nervous. He started fidgeting on the bench, and breathing hard. It was so cute. At this point I'm just thinking to myself, 'COME ON C! GET ON YOUR KNEE!'

And then he got on his knee. He talked to me about commitment and a few other things (man how I wish I could have recorded everything he said), said he had something to ask me, then he said it. 

'Will you marry me?'

And what did I do? 

I started laughing at him. LAUGHING. For. The. Love. 

Then I burst out crying and said, 'Of course I'll marry you, YES!' 

I cried for a while. I think it was shock. I'm not sure. I was always ready for him to ask me, and I knew it was coming, I just couldn't believe it! 

He pulled out a white box, which he had wrapped his jacket around (like he thought I would pat him down looking for a box or something, no wonder he wouldn't wear his jacket!) popped it open and all I saw was a sparkle.

Honestly. 

It was so dark that I couldn't see the ring. He slipped it on my finger and he came back up and sat on the bench next to me for a while. Finally, I said, 'Let's go walk over under that street lamp.' I needed a good look at the ring after all.

We stood there for forever just hugging. I said to him,  'This is one of those moments that we'll look back on in 50 years and remember vividly.' 

The night was perfect. And nothing I expected. 

I only told five people that night. One of which was my brother who lives with us. The others were my best co-worker E (she gave me her bouquet at her September wedding), my friend Kim, my dad, and my oldest younger brother. 

I sat on this big fat secret for over 14 hours...when we finally told my family. Over a week later and I think they are still in shock as well!

*If you read part one, you might remember that he took off like a lightning bolt when he left to go 'put gas in the car' buy me the most gorgeous flowers in central Texas. Literally ran out of the room-he had the RING BOX IN HIS HAND. I was standing in the bathroom fixing my hair. How did I miss that?