Engagement-Ideas.com

Christmas Day 2004 my then boyfriend, myself, and our children from previous marriages had opened our gifts and I was cleaning up all the paper when I found a box with my name on it next to the fireplace. I thought it was a gift that I had overlooked so I opened it.

It was a fishing reel – I thought it was because I had been learning to fish and drive the boat, I said thank you and went back to cleaning. A few minutes later, my now husband ask how I liked the reel and if I looked close at how it is put together. I told him I liked it and would take a closer look at it.

When I took it out of the box I noticed the casing was not tight, I pulled on it and inside was a letter telling me that I had used the right bait and he was hooked, as I turned back to tell him that the letter was sweet he was in front of me on one knee and asked me to marry him.

We have been fishing partners since then.

Just over ten years ago, my husband Rich proposed to me on vacation in Keystone, Colorado a few days after Christmas. We had just flown in with his family for a ski vacation. I was exhausted from the day’s travel, yet Rich and his family insisted he take me ice skating. Not one to make a scene, I finally agreed to go.

When we got there, the setting was beautiful. A lake that had frozen over was surrounded by a ski village adorned with Christmas lights in the darkness. And in the middle was a gigantic tree decorated for the holidays.

In the line to rent skates, Rich was unusually quiet and serious. I asked him if everything was alright and he assured me it was. We put on our skates and proceeded to glide across the ice in silence. Then without warning Rich sat down under the Christmas tree.

As I skated toward him I asked myself, “Why did Rich bring me all the way to Colorado to break up with me?” A family was also sitting on the bench with us. “Are you mad at me or something,” I asked.

“Do you love me,” asked Rich. Great, I thought. Another 6 days with my soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend and his family. What a perfect vacation this will be. “Yes,” I answered cautiously. The family sitting beside us got the clue and left.

“Do you REALLY love me,” he asked again. This time he had a smirk on his face and I started getting the picture. “Yes!” I was smiling now.

“In that case…” he said as he got down on his knee in the middle of the rink. A crowd started to form. He pulled out the ring. “Will you marry me?”

I hugged him and started to cry. “Yes!” I shouted.

From the faces in the rink, cheers followed the puffs of breath up into the cold, clear Colorado night sky.