OUR ENGAGEMENT STORY

As Joanna and I grew closer and closer together, we knew mutually that we wanted to get married. I started feeling an urge to ask her the magic words in the later months of 2001, and was saving to buy a ring. I finally had enough to get her the kind of ring I wanted to (that is, one with a real diamond in it) right before Christmas, and Joanna knew this. Many trips to the mall were accented with "Hey, look -- they have engagement rings!" and we couldn't leave before we looked at what was out there. I asked her if she wanted me to propose to her in the jewelry store: "No, that's tacky," she said. Should I ask her in a restaurant? "No, that would be embarrassing." I thought about asking her at Christmas, but didn't ask her if I should do that. I decided not to, regardless. 

After Christmas, Joanna reminded me with friendly jabs: "Have you bought my engagement ring?" or "Hey, we got this flier from Zales in the mail today!" or "My finger hurts. I think there's something missing from it." So she knew I had the money, knew that I was asking soon, and new that I either already had the ring or was going to get it very soon. So how was I going to make the proposal a surprise? How could I make it special?

I knew that I had to combat one thing: This ring and the proposal was always on her mind! I had to push it to the back of her thoughts so that when I asked it was unexpected. Here's how I did that.

I purchased the ring in mid-January at a jewelry store close to where I worked. I kept it in my car for about a week. I put the ring in my coat pocket once when I took my car in for service. Joanna was there but said later that she never saw me take it from the car. 

A friend of mine named Maria introduced us to each other while I was still in college. Maria now lives in Washington, D.C. We had been discussing the idea of going up there to see Maria for a day or two and also see the sights in DC that I missed when I was there in 1993 with the Boy Scouts. I thought that this would be the best way to get her mind on something else before I proposed. I kept my ring in my coat as we got on the Metro, passed by the Capitol Building, the Union Station, and the Smithsonian. When we went through the Union Station, I made a big deal out of buying a disposable camera. Then, towards the end of the day, or at least when the sun was about go to down, we made it to the Washington monument. 

I said to Joanna, "We should get a picture of us in front of the Washington monument, don't you think?" I gave my camera to Maria and asked her to take the snapshot. Maria was in on the whole thing, and knowing what was going to happen next, she gave me an inquisitive stare. I nodded slightly and she dropped off into the distance to take the picture. I made some passing comment about how the sun was right over the Lincoln Memorial and while she was looking in that direction, I started fumbling in my pocket for the ring. "What are you doing?" Joanna asked, and then watched me get on one knee. It was then that I popped the question, Maria snapped the picture, and Joanna screamed in excitement. "Yes! Yes!" she said. 

Maria came running back to take some close ups, and Joanna called her mother by cell phone to give her the good news. I also called my parents as we walked down the hill towards the White House, and there was much rejoicing. Joanna said that she had no idea I was going to ask her in DC and that it was a complete surprise.