Carey and Bryan

Posted Thursday, October 15, 2009 11:00 AM

I planned a trip for Bryan's birthday to Newport, Rhode Island, and he bought us tickets for a sunset cruise for the night we arrived. When we got there, it was drizzling but we walked around, had a few drinks, and decided to go take showers and get ready for the cruise. Right as I was about to start getting ready, Bryan's phone rang. The cruise was canceled due to the weather. It was still raining lightly and Bryan looked very disappointed. So I said, “Who cares? We’ll just go tomorrow. Let’s put on casual clothes and walk around Newport.” Bryan packed a backpack and we left. We walked for about 45 minutes and started noticing signs for the Cliff Walk (a three-and-a-half-mile walk along the ocean where you can see all the mansions).

We got to the Cliff Walk and happened to be right in front of the 40 Steps (a staircase that has engraved names on every step leading down to an area overlooking the ocean -- it’s beautiful). We walked down the stairs and took pictures, and found a secluded area where Bryan said he had something for me. He reached in the backpack and pulled out a Precious Moments figurine. On the bottom, it said, “I Love You, Carey.” I looked at Bryan and told him how much I loved it and he said, “That's the first thing with your name on it. I think we should make it official.” In the rain and mud, he got on one knee with the ring and asked me to marry him. It was the greatest moment of my life.