Through His Eyes
The nerves started kicking in that morning (July 28, 2012). My brother Antoine texted me and called me for final pointers and details. I was all set to pick the ring up at 1:00 and wait until she was on the way from Chicago to go to the airport.
The setup was to wait for Amanda to come in from Chicago and for me to pop the question at baggage claim. Knowing this, I had to get reinforcements. I collected a group of paparazzi which included Amanda’s mother Roberta, sister Theresa, aunts Carla and Paula, and Cousin Hunter. Each member had their role as photographer, cameraman and driver.
United Airlines was doing its part in throwing some hurdles in my plan by delaying Amanda’s flight. So the proposal time was moved back about two hours leaving many friends and family awaiting the news in anticipation. With the extra time, the paparazzi and I traveled to two gas stations and Meijer to pick up a key element to the proposal.
Now it was 10:13 and we started our adventure down I-275 towards Metro Airport. Once we arrived to the Airport everyone took their places with Roberta and Aunt P hiding behind a sign for the Coffee Beanery. Theresa dressed gorgeously from the Jimmy Buffet concert wearing a blue dress with flowered bra on the outside ducking behind lockers. Hunter sitting in the waiting chairs hiding behind a magazine. Finally, there was Aunt Carla, “hiding” behind a beam with a very subtle camera to photograph it all.
It seemed like it took forever for Amanda to get to baggage claim and I could feel my heart beating through my chest. Once I saw her, I jumped out of my seat signaling for everyone that the plan was in action. Amanda first noticed Aunt Carla hiding and stunned, wondered why her aunt was hiding with a camera. I walked up to Amanda and stopped her from introducing me to her new friends from Ireland and told her I had something to do. I grabbed a Ring Pop from my pocket and explained to her how I knew she wanted a ring from me so badly that she once proposed to me with a Ring Pop. After handing her the candy I told her that I could do so much better than that and pulled out a beautiful ring from Jared. At that moment I dropped to a knee and gave my declaration of my love for her. She kept interrupting asking “Is this really happening?” She doesn’t remember what I said but it went something like this:
“Amanda, you have loved me and supported me since we started dating almost 3 years ago. Thank you so much for not giving up on me and loving me no matter what. There isn’t a luckier guy in the world and I want to know if you would spend the rest of your life with me? Will you marry me?”
Amanda responded with a very excited, “YES!!!” Followed by a round of applause from a group of strangers waiting for their luggage.
The setup was to wait for Amanda to come in from Chicago and for me to pop the question at baggage claim. Knowing this, I had to get reinforcements. I collected a group of paparazzi which included Amanda’s mother Roberta, sister Theresa, aunts Carla and Paula, and Cousin Hunter. Each member had their role as photographer, cameraman and driver.
United Airlines was doing its part in throwing some hurdles in my plan by delaying Amanda’s flight. So the proposal time was moved back about two hours leaving many friends and family awaiting the news in anticipation. With the extra time, the paparazzi and I traveled to two gas stations and Meijer to pick up a key element to the proposal.
Now it was 10:13 and we started our adventure down I-275 towards Metro Airport. Once we arrived to the Airport everyone took their places with Roberta and Aunt P hiding behind a sign for the Coffee Beanery. Theresa dressed gorgeously from the Jimmy Buffet concert wearing a blue dress with flowered bra on the outside ducking behind lockers. Hunter sitting in the waiting chairs hiding behind a magazine. Finally, there was Aunt Carla, “hiding” behind a beam with a very subtle camera to photograph it all.
It seemed like it took forever for Amanda to get to baggage claim and I could feel my heart beating through my chest. Once I saw her, I jumped out of my seat signaling for everyone that the plan was in action. Amanda first noticed Aunt Carla hiding and stunned, wondered why her aunt was hiding with a camera. I walked up to Amanda and stopped her from introducing me to her new friends from Ireland and told her I had something to do. I grabbed a Ring Pop from my pocket and explained to her how I knew she wanted a ring from me so badly that she once proposed to me with a Ring Pop. After handing her the candy I told her that I could do so much better than that and pulled out a beautiful ring from Jared. At that moment I dropped to a knee and gave my declaration of my love for her. She kept interrupting asking “Is this really happening?” She doesn’t remember what I said but it went something like this:
“Amanda, you have loved me and supported me since we started dating almost 3 years ago. Thank you so much for not giving up on me and loving me no matter what. There isn’t a luckier guy in the world and I want to know if you would spend the rest of your life with me? Will you marry me?”
Amanda responded with a very excited, “YES!!!” Followed by a round of applause from a group of strangers waiting for their luggage.
Through Her's
After spending a month in Ireland, I was so excited to come home. I knew a proposal was coming soon but surprisingly, I wasn't expecting this! On Saturday, July 28, I woke up at 7am Dublin time (2am MI time). Along with my friends Meagan, Melissa, and Amanda, we flew 7 hours from Dublin to Chicago to await a 4 hour layover (once we sorted out our nonexistent flight to Detroit!). Our flight was delayed twice but we finally landed in Detroit around 11pm (yeah, that's going on 21 hours of being awake!).
Amanda was sitting in the last row of the plane so after we waited for her, we decided to stop in the bathroom and freshen up since we hadn't seen our boyfriends in a month. We finally made our way down to baggage claim and it took me about 30 seconds to spot my Aunt Carla "hiding" behind a pole with her camera lens sticking out. I still didn't realize what was happening. That's when Vernon came walking toward me and when I tried to introduce him to Amanda, he said, "babe, that can wait."
He pulled out a ring pop and that's when I started to clue in. After my cousins birthday party last August, I brought home a ring pop to propose to him, which obviously didn't work. He reminded me of that, said he wanted to do one better, and got down on one knee. I don't remember exactly what he said because I think I was in shock. I kept asking him if he was serious and if it was really happening, and then he pulled out the ring. He asked me if I would marry him and an Irish expletive may have slipped out before my very enthusiastic YES!
It took me a while to realize that Aunt P, Aunt Carla, Hunter, my mom, and Theresa were all there too. The shock of the moment continued when I found out that all of my friends knew it was going to happen because my mom messaged Meagan earlier that week to make sure I got my nails done.
Over the last 3 years I have envisioned this moment happening in so many ways, but I can honestly say this trumps them all. I am so in love and so happy to spend the rest of my life with such an amazing man. :)
Amanda was sitting in the last row of the plane so after we waited for her, we decided to stop in the bathroom and freshen up since we hadn't seen our boyfriends in a month. We finally made our way down to baggage claim and it took me about 30 seconds to spot my Aunt Carla "hiding" behind a pole with her camera lens sticking out. I still didn't realize what was happening. That's when Vernon came walking toward me and when I tried to introduce him to Amanda, he said, "babe, that can wait."
He pulled out a ring pop and that's when I started to clue in. After my cousins birthday party last August, I brought home a ring pop to propose to him, which obviously didn't work. He reminded me of that, said he wanted to do one better, and got down on one knee. I don't remember exactly what he said because I think I was in shock. I kept asking him if he was serious and if it was really happening, and then he pulled out the ring. He asked me if I would marry him and an Irish expletive may have slipped out before my very enthusiastic YES!
It took me a while to realize that Aunt P, Aunt Carla, Hunter, my mom, and Theresa were all there too. The shock of the moment continued when I found out that all of my friends knew it was going to happen because my mom messaged Meagan earlier that week to make sure I got my nails done.
Over the last 3 years I have envisioned this moment happening in so many ways, but I can honestly say this trumps them all. I am so in love and so happy to spend the rest of my life with such an amazing man. :)