Happy Anniversary to Us

This is one of those dual anniversaries that you rarely get to experience, where two life-changing events occurred on the same day. Fifteen years ago today, Kara and I officially started dating exclusively, which worked out nice for me because I didn’t have any other prospects that would have suggested that I wasn’t dating Kara exclusively up until then. I don’t know what her situation was, but she was it for me.

Five years later to the day—11 years ago today—appropriately at a wedding and more appropriately for us at Disneyland, I asked Kara to marry me. I was surprised she hadn’t noticed the box in my suit coat pocket and I was surprised that she didn’t question why I wanted to leave the wedding early; however, everyone at my table was behind me.

It didn’t work out exactly as I had planned. I wanted to ask for her hand in the Wine Cellar, a favorite place for us to frequent at the time, and it would have made it more memorable perhaps, but less romantic overall I guess. But, by the time we made it down there, it was after 10pm and the Wine Cellar was closed. Plan B was to ask her under the waterfalls near the South tower of the hotel. Very romantic, but they too were partially closed, so I had to settle on a place by the fence that overlooks all of the falls. If you’ve never been there, go at night so it is all lit up.

But I regret one thing: I didn’t get on my knee. I know, you’re supposed to get on bended knee when you’re asking a woman to marry you, and I didn’t. Partly because I was much more against drawing attention to myself back then (as opposed to now where making a scene is rather fun) and partly because the ground was wet and I didn’t want to get my suit wet.

As it turns out, I guess I shouldn’t have cared about the suit. But for some reason, I did; the funny thing is that I know where my wife is but I don’t have a clue what happened to that suit.

So, happy anniversary Kara.

I oftentimes wonder why you ever said yes.

Sucker.