Mimi and Luis

Posted Monday, August 04, 2008 11:14 AM

An Almost Proposal

Luis and Mimi decided to rent a boat and spend the day on Shell Island. They were looking forward to a day of grilling, snorkeling, and treasure hunting with their new metal detector. Luis had also planned a proposal. Although they arrived at the rental location a bit late, they were off in no time. As they snorkeled off Shell Island, a piece of untouched Florida paradise, they found beautiful conches, starfish, and a tiny octopus. They were so focused that they didn’t notice the massive thunderstorm approaching. The rental staff had been trying to call them on the boat’s radio, but Luis and Mimi were too busy to hear the warnings. Fortunately, they were thirsty from snorkeling and returned to the boat for something to drink. That’s when they noticed the huge, black cloud overhead and that the other boats were gone. Luis saw missed calls from his mother and the boat rental office. He called them back and was advised to "get out of the water, and ride it out."

They spent the next hour watching the lightning strike all around them, even burning down a nearby home. There was only one other boat stuck near the island, which was there because it had engine problems and couldn’t be towed until after the storm had passed. Luis’s proposal plan had been spoiled by Mother Nature. They rode out the storm and, on the way back, were followed by dolphins, a highlight of the trip. When they returned the boat, they were given a free four-hour voucher for their next visit.

Another Chance

Soon after, the sky cleared up and Luis suggested going to the beach to grill up
dinner. Another chance to propose, he thought. They went to the beach, set up the chairs, lit the charcoal, and the steaks were ready to be placed on the grill. Luis pulled out the metal detector so that Mimi could find her treasure, which he had discretely buried in the sand. However, the storm from earlier had returned. The sky turned a familiar shade of black and the thunder began its warning calls. Once again, Luis’ plan was ruined by Mother Nature. He retrieved the ring and they packed up and headed to the car. Mimi still had no idea about Luis’ proposal plans.

And Finally...the Real Thing

The next morning, the two drove around enjoying the sights before eventually heading back to the beach. Luis decided they would enjoy some more snorkeling. Mimi didn’t want to get her hair wet because they were going to visit Luis' family later that day. However, after much convincing, she was in the water. Luis said he had found a starfish and wanted Mimi to see it. He kept telling her where it was, but she couldn’t see it. He told her to try to grab it from under his foot. Mimi tried several times but still couldn’t find it. Finally, Luis said he would go down and get it for her. She waited patiently for him to come up with the starfish in his hand. When Luis came up, Mimi glanced at his hand and saw a beautiful diamond ring! At first she thought he had found it in the water, but when he knelt down she realized what was happening. Luis said, "Will you marry me, baby?" And she said, “YES!”