7 years ago...

*This should have been posted yesterday, May 5th*

7 years ago, I woke up, relieved the day was finally here.  I was graduating from college.  My graduation ceremony was in the late morning/early afternoon.  My parents of course were there, along with my little brother, Jeremy and his parents.  Everyone was so excited that day and at that moment, I thought it was because I was getting ready to receive my diploma....

After the ceremony, we all went to the Olive Garden for lunch.  I remember sitting at the table, surrounded by my family and feeling accomplished.  Just before he left, Jeremy handed me a note that told me to meet him at our "special spot" at 7:00 that night.

Let's back up just a bit.....

The two weeks prior to my graduation, I was working hard, late nights trying to finish several projects and papers (one was a group project I pretty much did by myself).  During this time, I was becoming a little suspicious of Jeremy.  We had been dating a year and half and things were great.  We really enjoyed each other, had fun together, grew together.  But, those two weeks before I graduated were different.  I didn't see him much and it bothered me.  I remember two times specifically .

One time I called him and he was at a co-worker's house with a bunch of other people.  I heard lots of noise in the background, and I knew this coworker was not a reputable kind of guy.  I couldn't believe Jeremy was hanging out with him....and he didn't ask me to come along.  I remember feeling hurt and disappointed.

The second time, a few days before graduating, I called him and he was at Wal-Mart with his parents.  Not a big deal, I know...but I hadn't seen or talked to him all day, and he was real brief on the phone.  At that point, I pretty much figured something bad was going to happen and quickly assumed that his parents hated me and wouldn't let me hang out with their son anymore.  Why would he not let me come hang out (at stupid Wal-Mart, which I hate!)

OK, fast forward again to graduation day.  Things were still awkward, but he kept telling me how proud he was of me, and he couldn't wait to celebrate with me that night.  I wasn't sure what was going on....it was so odd.

So, Jeremy, disappeared for the rest of the afternoon.  I went home (probably took a nap), and then got dressed in a cute outfit he bought for me the weekend before.  I remember my mom taking a picture of me before I left to meet him....again, I just thought everyone was so proud of me for graduating college.

I drove to the beach to meet Jeremy (which I thought was weird too...he Always would pick me up, why was I meeting him?  He must be breaking up with me and wants to be in separate cars so he doesn't have to take me home too...right?  Yep...it was there, in the back of my mind)

I walked down the pathway and boardwalk to the beach.  At the end of the boarwalk, I stopped and looked to the left, then I looked over to the right.  When I looked to the right, I saw Jeremy, standing at a fully dressed table with rose petals leading to my seat.  He came and took me by the arm, walked me to my chair and served me dinner.  He had a table cloth, flowers, his "mama's fine china", and music.

So...what was I thinking?  Well, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, I thought...."How sweet, he is so proud of me for graduating college.  He really went all out.....Hmmmm...why isn't he eating?" We I finished dinner and Jeremy asked if I wanted to go for a walk.  It was the fastest (and shortest) beach walk I had ever been on.  His excuse was that he wanted to keep the table in his sight.  Yep....still not catching on yet by the way. 

After our brief walk, Jeremy pointed over to some rocks on shore that we walked over and *gasp*, Look!  Here's a rock that looks just like a seat.  Why don't you sit on it Michele?  So, I sat down on the rock and we chatted for a moment, and Jeremy nervously played with the sand.  In hindsite, I think he was trying to get my attention to the sand, but I think I was looking at him and trying to carry on a very one sided (me) conversation.  After a moment Jeremy motioned to the sand and said, "What's that?"  We looked together and it was a bottle. 

Again, not even close to catching on I said, "*gasp* It must be a secret note from China!  I've always wanted to find a message in a bottle and read it."  I guess I played right into that one:-)

Jeremy opened the bottled and pulled the very worn looking note out.  He handed it to me and I read it out loud.  As I was reading the note, I began to realize it wasn't actually from China, but really was from him (How did he plant that here? I thought) At the end of the story it said And then... and I stopped reading and looked up at him and he said, "And then I found you." (Awe....)

And that's when the moment came.  I was sitting on the rock, he was kneeling next to me and he asked me to marry him.  My response?

"Are you kidding me?"

His response...A very nervous "No"

And finally (what probably seemed like an eternity to him) I said, "Yes"

We got up, hugged, laughed and smiled and yes..kissed.  Then, all of  a sudden, Jeremy was back.  That's why he wasn't eating, That's why he didn't really take a walk, and I began to learn That was why he was so mysterious the previous two weeks.  We danced to some music he had arranged specifically for this night. 

One funny little story.  While we were eating, several people came up to us and offered to take a picture for us.  Jeremy politely said no each time.  He said he wanted this moment to be etched in our memories.  Honestly, I wanted a picture....but I trusted him.  Well, then, while I was eating and in the middle of a story, Jeremy jumped out of his seat and said, "Hey....I see a customer, I'll be right back!"  Weird....he wouldn't let someone take a picture of us and send it to us, but he would go talk to a customer.  I don't get it...he's acting very odd.  Well, later I found out that a kid had found the bottle and was throwing it up in the air.  Jeremy ran over to rescue the bottle and keep his engagement plans from being reuined:-)

Now....back up two weeks again.  Why was Jeremy at that party without telling me or inviting me?  He wasn't...not really.  He had stopped by to have someone write the note out so it was not in anyone's handwritting I would have recognized. 

And...why was Jeremy at Wal-Mart with his mom and dad?  They were helping him shop for the dinner.  They bought a table, linens and a few other things.  I couldn't be there with them, because I probably would have questioned what they were buying this stuff for.

Another funny thing.  As I was driving to the beach, I passed Jeremy's mom.  I thought it was incredibly weird that she was coming from the direction I was going...and she was waving at me like crazy.  Odd...but by the time I got to the beach, I had forgotten. 

Jeremy even had it arranged for someone to come pick up our dinner table and things.  We just left the beach, those memories and that moment, right there.

So...that's our engagement story.  I don't think it could have been any better!  It was a beautiful moment and memory.  I was touched by Jeremy's thoughtfulness (he had been planning it for months) and he had been preparing me all the while.  Several months before we got engaged, he started calling me his princess...and that was the word that clued me in that the note was meant for me.  I'm quite sure it was the best engagement night ever.