How we met:
Michael and I officially started dating in October of 2006. We had been friends for almost a year prior and met through our shared interest in gaming. We both visited each other frequently flying to and from Dallas, TX and Charlotte, NC. In November 2006, Michael was offered a programming position in Austin, TX. Mid-January, we decided to move in together and start a new chapter in our relationship. Two happy years later, we have this site!
The engagement story:
The evening of January 14th started as a normal casual night out for us. One of those lazy weekday nights when neither of us felt like cooking dinner at home. Michael picked me up when he got out of work, and we went to the south side to eat at our favorite Italian restaurant Romeos. The entire place was deserted at 5pm aside from gossiping wait-staff and one other couple. Pleased that we arrived before the dinner rush, we were then seated in the empty windowed portion of the restaurant where all the drivers/walkers by could see us. I’ve always called this part of restaurants “the fishbowl” where I imagined beautiful people are seated to advertise for the establishment like the front window box of a department store. We mused about this over dinner and discussed the mundane details of that day. Afterward, we stopped at a cupcake shop we had found online and wanted to visit. Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop was cozy and cute; just the sort of place that Austin is known for. I picked out a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cupcake while Michael opted for a modest “Marilyn Monroe” vanilla one.
On the way home in the car, hyper from frosting consumption, we joked about engagements and marriage. We even came up with some silly ways he might propose to me someday. I warned him that I didn’t want to choke on a ring in a champagne glass or see my name overhead on a blimp. He joked that he was going to have to save for about 3-5 years until he could afford an engagement ring. We laughed the entire way home and I ended the conversation saying: “I’m sure you’ll find your own way to do it, and it will be perfect”.
Shortly after arriving home, I offered to make Michael some espresso. He agreed and I started cleaning and preparing the espresso maker. That was when I froze. On top of the Illy espresso canister, there was a little blue box tied with a white ribbon. I looked up at Michael (who was grinning from ear to ear), then back to the box, then back to him. The only words I could muster were: “No #@*& way!”
From the smile on my face, he knew I was saying that in disbelief of a ring box on our kitchen counter. I started jumping and laughing hysterically because of the conversation we just had not 10 minutes before. I managed to untie the ribbon to see the box underneath (making sure that there really was something under the wrapping). Michael smiled and took the box from my hands and opened it up to reveal the ring to me. He asked if I would marry him, and I said “yes”.
He had definitely found the perfect way to propose. At the end of a quiet evening full of laughter and simply enjoying each others company.