We had been talking about getting married for a few months before things started getting serious. Brian knows me better than anyone, and so he knows how anal I am about a variety of different things. When his mom offered one of her diamonds to us for use in the engagement ring, he suggested I pick it out so that I was 100% happy about it. (Of course I said OK!) In January I found the ring of my dreams! Once we picked it up though, he hid it from me and said I could not see it again until he actually asked... who knew how long that would be, it was torture!
I knew Brian was trying really hard to surprise me with a meaningful proposal. But to be honest, I didn't think he would be able to surprise me, especially since everyone knows how nosy I am with most things and how terrible he is at keeping secrets. Like a gentleman he asked both my father and my mother's permission (which I knew about, again with the nosiness and the terrible secret keeping). Every time we got dressed up to go out to dinner I would always think, will this be the night? It was very hard to try not to over-analyze every situation. Little did I know he had something planned all along...
On Valentine's day my mom planned a family outing to see a Shakespearean version of Pulp Fiction. We picked Brian up straight from work and while driving to Hollywood the topic of the proposal came up (as it did on many occasions). Brian flat out said "Oh my gosh, I would NEVER propose on Valentine's Day, that is sooo cliche!". From that moment on, any thoughts I had of a Valentine's proposal disappeared and I enjoyed a wonderful day with my family! (My whole family later told me they were pretty sure he would propose at the play house). Since we had picked Brian up directly from work, he and I went to a late night dinner at Stacked Restaurant. While at dinner, I put my hand on his knee and felt something hard and square in his pocket! I was so nervous through the rest of dinner... Did I just ruin it! I wasn't even trying to be nosy! It was just a loving gesture! As we left dinner and drove home nothing happened... I was pretty disappointed as we pulled into the garage.
After arriving home I immediately changed into my pajamas like I always did. As I came out of the bathroom I noticed the closet light on and saw Cleo go into the closet and stop and stare at something with giant wide eyes. As I opened the closet door I saw Brian on one knee waiting for me. I will never forget how handsome he looked. He told me he almost proposed so many times that night, but in the end wanted to wait and do it in our house: the house we built together, the house our little family shared, and the house where he wanted our family to grow together. He concluded with a line from Shakespeare, a fitting finale to a wonderful night.
"My heart is ever at your service."