Weddingbee Blog

After many subtle (and not-so-subtle) hints, I was beginning to think that a proposal was never going to happen. A little background about me: I lack the very important virtue of patience. And it’s not only that my ability to be patient is lacking; I am blatantly, over-the-top IMPATIENT. I can’t stand waiting; it’s pointless to try to surprise me because even hearing a whisper in the wind about a surprise, I am on a full-fledged mission to find out what it is. When it comes to proposals, this definitely has a tendency to put a flaw in Mr. Buffalo’s plans. It’s not just that my constant hints made it difficult to pull off a surprise, but my constant discussion of wedding ideas made it nearly impossible.

At the same time, I was becoming frantic that he would “never propose,” the MOH was going through a similar, yet less stressed version of life. She has always been a more “it’ll happen when it happens” to my constant desire to be ahead of the curve. So the Sunday afternoon before our annual Catalina excursion when my phone rang, I saw it was her, and knew exactly what she was calling to tell me. I answered the phone and, sure enough, my hunch was right. She was engaged!!! I was a ball of emotion: both joy for her impending nuptials and sadness that I, myself, was not yet engaged. She was so excited it was difficult to come to terms with the stress this had put on me. How can you be so completely happy and excited for someone, and yet be so disappointed at the same time?

I know what you’re thinking: Poor Mr. B. He must’ve definitely had a horrible night. But to be honest maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. Fortunately for him, I was dog sitting at my dads, and he was at home, perfectly safe from any emotion that may have come over me. The next day we visited MOH and her FI at her parents’, and I quickly decided to throw myself into my MOH duties, as it was now clear that I was not getting engaged ANYtime soon. You see, Mr. B is avidly against stealing someone else’s “thunder.” Hopefully, you’re picturing the same chaotic episode of Friends that I think of when I say that. You know, the one where Monica gets engaged and Rachel “miraculously” gets caught kissing Ross in the hallway and 30 minutes of drama ensues. THAT episode. Any dreams I had of getting a proposal in Catalina had slipped from my mind; Mr. B would never do that to someone we were both so close to. Two days later we were on our way to Catalina for the family vacation we go on every year, two non-engaged people.

Since we go every year, we’re always doing the same outdoorsy things: mostly hiking, hiking, and usually more hiking. I know that most people go to Catalina to enjoy the beaches and snorkeling, but I am incredibly paranoid about fish and have an unnatural fear of going in the water. But that’s a story for another post. But this year, FI had other plans; he really wanted to go Avalon, the bigger of the two harbors on the island, where we hadn’t been in two years. I hastily agreed, and we planned to go the second day of the trip. My dad was surprisingly on board with the idea, and we embarked on the two-hour bus ride through the island.

The drive was surprisingly easy, and we saw many parts of the island we’d never seen before, including lots and LOTS of buffalo! We enjoyed a nice lunch and then decided that we should rent a golf cart to drive around, something we had never done together. He insisted on stopping at every lookout point, and for someone always on the lookout for a proposal, I was incredibly clueless as to why. After turning in the golf cart, we decided to walk around to Lover’s Cove, a popular diving area off the main harbor. We walked until a sign stating “No Further Pedestrian Traffic” prevented us from going to the point. He pleaded we go anyway, but ever the rules-follower I insisted that we shouldn’t. So we turned around and headed back to the main harbor.

After a couple minutes, I realized as usual, I was many steps ahead of him and decided to turn around and wait. Much to my surprise there he was, down on one knee asking me to marry him. I couldn’t believe it! How could he steal someone’s “thunder”?? That was so unlike him! After my initial shock wore off and the ring was on my finger, he quickly informed me that he had called the MOH to ask her permission to still ask as he had planned, and being the best friend that she is, she quickly agreed! A flurry of phone calls quickly took place as we called everyone we knew. My dad and stepmom, who we were on vacation with, knew about the surprise, and as my dad put it, “We are so happy he didn’t wait until Friday because I don’t think your stepmom could have kept the secret any longer.” His parents both already knew as well. Apparently, my mom was the only one who wasn’t filled in for fear of her spilling the beans. I was so impressed at everyone’s involvement in making sure our special day went so smoothly.

Were any of your friends or family involved in keeping your proposal a surprise?