Rosalyn and Tim

Posted Monday, June 22, 2009 3:28 PM

I'd been waiting for the proposal for a while. I knew it was coming, I just didn't know when. I had guessed a few different ways that Tim would propose (and had been right about many of them), so he had to keep changing his plan in order to surprise me. Despite my inquisitive nature, I really did want to be surprised, even about the ring. We had looked at rings shortly after we’d been dating for a year, but it wasn't the right time for us, and ring shopping was never mentioned again. All summer I had responded to questions about our impending engagement with a, "By the end of summer." The end of August was quickly approaching and nothing had happened. An NHL game that he had the privilege of playing in came and went (I thought he might do it from the ice), and an annual cottage weekend with some friends came and went (I thought he might do it in the middle of the lake, in a canoe).

Finally, the last weekend of the summer came -- our friends had organized a citywide scavenger hunt, and I was positive that somehow he'd work the proposal into the game. The game began, we played, and it ended with no knee-bending or tearful "Will you?" I wasn't really disappointed, it was just one of those times when I thought, "Ah, well, maybe next time."

We decided to cap off the day's events by staying at a cottage for the night. It was late when we got there, but we decided to play some games before heading down to the private beach well after midnight. Tim had brought his telescope, and it couldn't have been a more perfect night for it -- not a cloud in the starry sky. Our photo-savvy friend set up his camera to take some night shots of the sky. Soon, he and his wife began posing in front of the camera, creating gorgeous silhouettes. The drawback? They had to remain still for 30 seconds while the camera shutter remained open to capture enough light. I loved how the photos were turning out, so I asked Tim if we could take some shots too. He agreed and we posed a few different ways, none of which looked quite right. Finally, about to give up, he said, "You know what? Can I try just one more?" I said sure, and before I knew it, he was on one knee. "What are you doing?" I asked, trying to figure out how he wanted me to pose. "Well, you know how I keep teasing you about getting married, right?" he said. "Are you SERIOUS?!" I gasped. By this time, he'd pulled out a ring box. He laughed a little bit. "Yes, I'm serious. Will you marry me?" he asked. "Don't move!" yelled our friend, who had snapped the picture the moment Tim pulled out the box. I was visibly shaking, but trying my best to remain still for the camera. When the 30 long seconds had passed, Tim stood up, both of us laughing, and I gave him a huge hug. "Well, will you?" he asked. I had forgotten to respond! "Of course!" I replied, and sealed it with a kiss.

I’d always wanted the proposal to be private, but I was so thrilled that two of our close friends were there with us, and that one of the most exciting moments of our lives had been captured on camera. It's a photo -- and a memory -- that I'll cherish forever. Our engagement date? August 31, 2008. The last day of summer.