I can't believe that I just posted that title. But yes - it's true, Richard and I are engaged to be married.
Richard proposed on our recent vacation away to Samana. We always celebrate the anniversary of our first date - which was seven years ago. This year we were on vacation at the beautiful Bhia Prinicipe Cayo Levantado (more about the resort
HERE) on our anniversary.
When we arrived late on Wednesday evening the hotel staff greeted us in the lobby with glasses of champagne as a welcome. We were barely in the door when one of the concierge asked
'are you Mr *****'. My immediate thought was that he knows someone wherever we go. Richard had told me the day before that he had contacted the hotel about our request for a specific room/view, so it made sense.
When we arrived in our room there was a large bouquet of flowers, champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and a note that said
Je t'aime Katherine. So the concierge speaking to him made sense - or so I thought.
There have been many times that Richard has arranged flowers in our room with the same love note to me. It's never expected and it is always a wonderful surprise for me.
Over the next four days we found our way around the resort, made friends with a wonderful couple from the UK, we bask in the sun, begin to breath at a normal pace and relax. Well, maybe I was relaxed - I'm not sure now if Richard was breathing at a normal rate or not. Sunday was a special day - our seventh anniversary together. We share cards with love notes at breakfast and the day at the beach with our new friends. In the evening we head out to dinner.
When we arrived at the Mediterraneo restaurant on the resort they seem to understand that it's our anniversary and there is something special on the menu. I anticipate a dinner table laden with flower petals and maybe the napkins morphed into the shape of a swan (island resorts love to do this origami thing), champagne and hand holding over dinner.
We are escorted to the beach for a 'gala dinner'. The pathway to our table is lit by red candle lanterns. Richard and I love dining al'fresco, especially when we are away in the warm evening air and this is the ultimate. From our table at the beach we can see the sun setting, hear the waves singing against the shore and it is pure romance. It is the perfect anniversary dinner together and once again he is spoiling me.
The waiter served five delicious courses and kept the wine flowing. One of the dinner features at the resort restaurants is to present the dinner course under a dome - then take off the dome for both dinner guests at the same time. And so - at the end of the meal our dessert arrives under a dome. When dessert is revealed I thought 'wow, chocolate something' - but I wasn't sure what it was (it was dimly lit via candlelight). I looked at Richards plate then back at mine and realized that the chocolate something was a brown leather ring box....... with a diamond engagement ring inside.
It seemed to me that Richard was so calm, and I was not. In a very serious manner Richard said,
'will you marry me. Will you be my wife'. I said yes.
The entire time a server from the restaurant was singing acapella and our waiter was standing by waiting to pour champagne. Then it all became a blur - maybe because my heart was brimming and the tears were flowing. It was a beautiful night together.
Making things even sweeter is the fact that Richard met with my thirty-three year old son ahead of time, and asked for his permission to marry me. Yes - he is so incredibly thoughtful to everyone.
And here he is - my fiancee, sitting on the veranda at the resort as we wait for the airport transfer to go home and start our new journey together.
