One of the life's little joys is talking on the phone with your love, and holding the ring you plan on proposing with in your hand.

She had more then a few hints that it was coming, the most obvious was a comment I made at the Jewels of India exhibit at the Houston art museum.  We were walking along looking at jewel-encrusted daggers and necklaces, and I nonchalantly mentioned something along the lines of "A lot of this jewelry in the exhibit is made gold; platinum seems to be more in style now.  What do you like Jean, Gold or Platinum?"

With that input I found Jean's ring and was ready.  On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Jean was coming down to Houston from Austin and we had planned a little trip to Surfside Beach near Galveston.  A little over a year ago, Jean and I went with TI's other co-ops to a beach house at Surfside.  Out on the pier one night during a long walk on the beach, I told Jean for the first time that I loved her.  It was a special place for us and I thought it would be the perfect place to tell Jean I wanted to love her forever, and to see if she wanted to do the same.

The drive to Surfside takes a little over an hour, we spent the time chatting, and listening to a CD of songs that Jean had given to me for Valentine's Day, each song holding a special meaning for us.  I also fidgeted a bit and was trying very hard to make sure a ring box-shaped bulge in my jacket pocket never developed.

The beach isn't always the prime place to visit in November, but that day it was magical.  The sky was overcast, and gray clouds were hanging over the sky from horizon to horizon.  The clouds were gray but didn't seem to threaten rain.  There were no sounds of thunder, only the sound of the waves mildly beating on the shore.  A breeze was being drawn in over the cold ocean.  It just barely stung my cheeks when it passed, sending an electrifying chill down my spine.  The cold helped disguise my nervousness and I was glad it was there (shaking in the summer heat would be harder to explain.)

We walked along the beach and made our way towards the pier, conversing about the last time we were at this place.  My jacket was open and Jean reached to put her arms around me.  The ring was in my upper jacket pocket, for a second I though she was reaching for it and I almost push her hands away.  But I realized what she was doing and quickly regained my composure.  We continued walking in each other’s arms, and started up the pier.  Jean mentioned to me that this was the place that I first told her I loved her, this made me smile and say “I know.”  We continued up the pier (now surrounded by water that was making the air quite cold.)  About halfway up the pier I mentioned how lots of couples must come out here and proclaim their love.  I said "And you know what the guys do if they are very brazen..."  I stopped, turned to face her, got down on one knee and said “Jean, will you marry me?”  She looked at me with a big smile and said "Of Course!  Of course I'll marry you!" then jumped into my arms.