We started the night off with a romantic dinner date at Bob's Steak House. We talked about family and our future together. We had been talking about marriage for over a year now and it seemed a little weird to not talk about it at dinner. As we ended our 2nd  course and ordered dessert I thought for sure "Tonight was the BIG NIGHT"! The one I had been waiting for and dreaming about since I was a little girl. The fairy tale "proposal" where he gets down on his knee in front of a million strangers and says something sweet and then pops "The BIG question". I was anxiously waiting for my dessert and as the waiter approached the table, he seemed un-phased and un-aware of any special moments about to take place. The dessert was placed on the table and by this point I would typically dive right in, but not tonight... tonight was special. I hesitated and looked back at Gabriel with an anxious smile. Nothing... I got nothing from him. So I took my first bite, still hoping that maybe he hid the ring in my dessert. I took several more bites realizing that this was not the night for the proposal. My heart sank into my already stuffed stomach and I started to tear up. We had been talking about this moment for so long now that I just couldn't understand why he wouldn't be ready. The rest of the meal was very awkward. He paid the check as I tried to keep it together as much as I could. We slowly left the restaurant both of us knowing I was upset. We stood at the valet stand waiting on his car and then he received a text message. Typically it wouldn't be an issue however in this instance he immediately turned his back to me and started to reply to the text. ANY Girl in this moment would start to feel insecure and exchange aggressive words with her boyfriend, but i knew he was my ride home.

I interrogated him the entire ride home... nothing he said made sense and I knew in my heart he was lying to me. Somehow he changed subjects back to marriage and why I seemed so upset at dinner. Before I could even respond he asked me the one question that I have been preaching to him since we met. "Would you want me to ask your Father for permission?" I couldn't believe it! All this time he knows how important my father is to me and the importance of asking him that question. When we arrived home I was so anxious to get inside and just be done with the night. As we walked up to our un-lite porch I noticed a bunch of leaves on the sidewalk (which turned out later to be rose petals). He opened the door to our dark home and as I turned on the lights I was startled by a bunch of people (none of which I made eye contact with). I slowly yet eagerly turned around towards Gabriel to find him getting down on one knee. He started sharing sweet words that I didn't even hear because I was crying so hard and asked for my hand in marriage. Of course a I said YES!!! My daughter came running up to share in the excitement. I slowly scanned the room again and realized my family and close friends were all "in" on this marriage proposal and he got me! HE GOT ME GOOD!