EPTOh, and I proposed.
Andrea had told me way in advance that when I did propose to her, she wanted it to be a relatively simple and private thing. Nothing super flashy and public, like those crazy YouTube videos of million dollar proposals with fireworks and dancing everythings. + Show Spoiler +
Although to be fair, this is pretty awesome.
I had a few proposal ideas, but I stuck with something simple and private. After dinner, she and I went outside to walk along the beach. The sun had just set, so there was a brilliant twilight glow along the horizon, as the warm sand massaged our feet. We chatted about sea turtles, the vacation, and our future together. I gave her a somewhat-subtle monologue, took the box out of my pocket, and bent down on one knee. I opened it towards her, said her name, and asked her to marry me.
It was the first time in our entire relationship that I was really able to surprise her, to catch her off guard. Fortunately, her answer didn't surprise me, and now I can call her my fiancee
+ Show Spoiler +Apparently, the woman is the "fiancee" and the man is the "fiance". I'm sure I'll make that mistake more than once during our engagement.
Andrea and I have been dating for over eight years. We met at a tennis clinic in high school, where we both took lessons; we both played for our our respective high school tennis teams.
We were high school sweethearts; we went to each other's proms. I remember sleeping over her friend's house with her, the night after her junior prom in 2006. We were on the couch, laying down and watching a bunch of movies on television (Hitch, The Skulls, some vampire movie). And I remember she fell asleep in my arms, and it was wonderful. It just felt right. When she woke up the next morning, she looked up at me and smiled. And I said to her, "I don't know if we're officially boyfriend and girlfriend yet, but I'd like to be."
Fast forward through graduating from our respective high schools.
Fast forward through graduating from our respective universities in different states.
Now she and I are nearing completion of our respective doctoral programs (my math education PhD at Rutgers, her VDM veterinary degree at UPenn).
I'm 26 and she's 24 (25 in two months), and we are so, so, so ready to move on to spending the rest of our lives together. By the time we get married (after we both graduate), we'll have been dating for a full decade, with nearly 100% of that time being in a long distance relationship (not ideal, but you do what you have to do).
We've been planning things for years. Where we'll live, how many kids, what our house will look like... everything. And we're on the same page with all the big marriage-level decisions. We just couldn't tie the knot any earlier because we need to finish our education and then actually start making money to support ourselves.
So now, the best part: Pictures. Pictures of a goofy couple from eight years ago at our proms, pictures of that same goofy couple over the years, and pictures of a not-so-goofy ring for her
High school proms:
+ Show Spoiler +
Blue attire for my prom; pink for hers.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/k7Jd2mM.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/pe5zsvl.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/IhKOA6y.jpg)
College:
+ Show Spoiler +
She went to Connecticut College; I went to Rutgers. The third picture is of us in Atlantic City.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/GrVoDHA.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/8aN3oGH.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/wr5EdyV.jpg)
Post-graduate:
+ Show Spoiler +
3 pictures of us in Costa Rica two years ago, 1 picture of us in Philly last year, and 2 pictures of us in Cancun this past week.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/EuMB75k.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/QEyk4nX.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/I3Ehwsi.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/K5gDNwW.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/yrbkdN1.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/wiy8e2f.jpg)
The ring:
+ Show Spoiler +
Both of her parents love the ring, all her friends love the ring, and she loves the ring. I can breathe easy.
Pro-tip: Make sure it's shiny
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/AS2lZOT.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/8mqbZD8.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/WLfMZGl.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/m1EHOhd.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/vOrbA3s.jpg)
Pro-tip: Make sure it's shiny
The icing on the cake:
And, of course, under the framework of "She supports what I do and love, and I support what she does and loves", it should be noted that she occasionally plays SC1 and SC2 with me when we have the time, went to IPL3 with me, has brought me to a Philly barcraft, has baked me StarCraft birthday cakes... and she knows all my favorite players and casters, and actually sat through Day[9] Daily #100 with me.
She's a keeper, in every way.
gg no re ♥
~DPB
