The Story

This is how the story of the engagement goes.

As I came up with my plan for the proposal, I knew I wanted to do a few specific things: 1) I wanted it to happen during a surprise birthday party so that she'd be surrounded by all her loved ones 2) I wanted to do it on a bridge 3) I wanted to do it at a park the the two of us enjoy.

I didn't realize all the significance to my choices. In the planning and execution, I realized: 1) She's never had a surprise birthday party and always badly wanted one, 2) Her mom and step-dad were engaged on a bridge, 3) For years, she always just knew she'd be proposed to in this very park (and a friend has confirmed this) and 4) I unknowingly chose to propose on the same day my brother did a couple years back: August 6.

At the birthday party, I gave Kate a T-shirt reading "Te He."

I then whisked her away. We left the party and walked through an old wooden bridge and around a long city block to a beautiful bridge in the downtown area. As we made our trek, the party goers moved to a new location--a vantage point on the proposal.

About 100 yards from her friends and our families, I led her to a nice little balcony on the bridge. And got down on my knee.

This next photo may look like I am accusingly pointing at her...but I am actually proposing in sign language.

She says yes.

And then we return to our loved ones with our new team shirts on.

All the guys slapped me on the back and congratulated me. And all the girls went for peeks of the ring...

And all in all, there was much rejoicing. (I love this photo of Kate and my sis...)

(Thanks to Megan and Marc for photos.)