We got engaged!!
Before the trip, a friend of mine told me that by the end, I'd either be single, engaged, or married. I laughed it off, joking that I hope it's engaged, but didn't really believe any of them. Mike's a man who takes his time. He won't do something until he can do it perfectly, so I wasn't going to hold my breath.
If it did happen on the trip, I thought, it would definitely happen in New Orleans. Knowing him, it would have to be perfect and meaningful, and he knows how much I love it there. There were a few spots that were "our spots," but when we came and went without a hint, I figured that's it, it's definitely not going to happen.
So we leave NOLA for a week in San Francisco. I spend the entire week running around, mostly working, and seeing as many of our friends as possible during the in-between-work moments. Wednesday morning I got breakfast with one of my best friends, Andrea, and we sat around lamenting the fact that I wouldn't be proposed to for probably another year.
Thursday, I was scheduled to meet Tony (who made a cameo in New Orleans) for lunch. Weeks before, he had invited Mike to join, too, which of course, no problem. Tony suggested we get pedicures before lunch, which was one of our go-to activities, and he convinced me to also get a manicure, which I never do, because he was curious to get one, as well. (Mike got one, too. What a trooper.) Fun! Of course, no problem. We went downtown Oakland to get lunch. I had wanted to go to one of our old favorite places in another part of town, but Tony suggested Lake Chalet so Dane could also meet us there. Again, of course, no problem!
After a nice lunch, Dane asked if we could all go down to the beautiful dock out back. They don't have enough pictures of them as a couple, he said. Would we mind taking some pictures of them? Of course, no problem! Hey, while we're at it, let's take pictures, too!
As we start taking cutesy pictures, it starts to sprinkle. I'm done, let's go, it's raining in my face! But while we were taking pictures, Mike was fishing a ring box -- a ring box he rigged out of an Altoids box, with the crafty help of our friends Renata and Jamie, so it would go more easily undetected -- out of his pocket. As I try to walk away, he says "Come back!" And there he is, on his knee. Then, just a lot of crying and hugging and all the other other mushy gushy stuff.
Meanwhile, the entire time we had been taking "pictures," Tony had actually been filming the whole thing:
Mike had been planning it since before the trip even started. He had gotten the ring (he knew I didn't want a diamond, and green is my favorite color) at a vintage jewelry store in New Orleans, so there'd be a piece of New Orleans in the engagement, after all. But he knew a New Orleans proposal was too obvious! Too predictable! Not perfect enough! Lake Chalet in Oakland was right on Lake Merritt, which we walked around on our very first date. Definitely perfect, after all. And all the suggestions that came from Tony and Dane -- Mike being invited to lunch, going to Lake Merritt, picture taking, covert-video-taking -- they were all perfectly crafted and planted by Mike so I wouldn't get suspicious. (Also, huge thanks to Tony for being the man on the ground to help plan and scout the perfect spot while Mike was remote!!)
So now, we get to plan a wedding from the road! And this trip seems even more perfectly timed. We have an entire year to spend with our loved ones, bond with people, and get to know each other's families. The wedding will be that much more fun, because we'll be that much closer to everyone. And in the meantime, I have to get used to calling him my fiancé!
Bonus photo of Mike getting his hair done after I FINALLY convinced him to go to my amazing stylist, who specializes in curly hair (shoutout to Carolina's Hair Heaven!). What a trooper.