On September 21, 2002, Daddy asked Mommy to be his wife. Here is how it all went down (or so I've heard...I wasn't actually around then, you know):

Mommy thought that she and Daddy were meeting another couple at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden for an early evening picnic.  On the way to Fort Worth, though, the other coupled called and 'canceled'.  Mommy's proposal radar went up at that point, but Daddy made up a really good reason for the cancellation...so she tried to put her radar back into sleep mode.

When they arrived at the gardens, Daddy made a beeline for a woodsy, secluded area.  He said he 'remembered the spot from when his senior class took pictures' there.  Radar back up.

The blanket was spread, food was eaten, and college textbooks studied all without a hint of "the question".  Radar back down.

Then, Daddy suggested that he and Mommy take a walk through the gardens.  Radar back up.

They walked around while Daddy snapped pictures of flowers, asked a stranger to take this picture of them,

and then headed back to pick up their picnic paraphernalia when the sun began to set.  Radar back down.

When Mommy and Daddy arrived back at the picnic site, however, there were roses and candles all around the border of their picnic blanket.  In the middle of the blanket was a book Mommy had given Daddy on their first "dating anniversary".  Daddy picked up the book and read it aloud to Mommy, but the story didn't end where she expected it to.  Daddy had added several extra pages that chronicled the years that passed since the day he received the book from Mommy.

At the very end of the book, there was a heart-shaped hole with a beautiful ring placed inside.  Daddy got down on one knee, took the ring out of the book, and asked Mommy to marry him. 

 

As soon as Mommy said "yes", she heard whoops and hollers from the wooded area behind them.  Daddy's brother and five of his best friends had been hiding there the whole time!  They videoed* Mommy and Daddy eating dinner and reading books, staged the proposal area when they went on their walk, and patiently waited to capture the big moment on camera.

Didn't my Daddy do great?!

And the best part is that seven years after they said "I do"...

Mommy and Daddy are still in love, still in learning, and still enjoying life together!

*"Uncle" Dan did a beautiful job of editing the video and interviewing Mommy and Daddy to create a documentary style movie for the wedding reception.  And I would gladly show you the movie...if it weren't still on VHS.  I'll have to ask Daddy to work on that one for me!