The Engagement

It's hard to believe that this was 5 years ago. The engagement photos that is, the actual proposal came on May 17, 2003.

It was 8am - We were making our way up 17-Mile Drive and enjoying a beautiful Northern California morning. It was hazy and cool and peaceful - I was looking forward to seeing Pebble Beach and having a mimosa on (or near) the 18th green. We stopped at a few of the lookout points along the way - laughed at the tons of sea otter and were awe struck by the the ocean, cliffs and rocks; They were truly were amazing.

What would a drive up 17-Mile Drive be without a stop at the famed Lone Cypress??
So we of course did. Seeing it on television does not do it justice. A jaunt down this wood staircase through the pine trees to this amazing wooden deck overlooking the ocean and these carved out weathered cliffs. The stonework that has been built around the Cypress to keep it from falling into the ocean... The little cove - well, quite large, steep, treacherous but amazing cove where it stands... The age... the stateliness... it's is truly a sight to behold. As I am standing at the railing looking out over the ocean and across to this amazing old tree Brian is pacing around behind me, and then - all of a sudden - he's swearing. I turn to see a bus load of Asian tourists - I kid you not it was comical, it felt like something out of a bad movie mocking/stereotyping Asian tourists they all had - no joke - they-all-had at least one camera hanging from their neck and were flooding the little deck Brian and I had been quietly enjoying. Brian was pissed... I was not sure why, but he was - and by the arm he grabbed me and up the stairs we stormed and back in the car and off to Pescadero Point we went. (The next lookout point on 17 Mile Drive)

It was here at Pescadero Point that I learned why Brian had been so upset by the tour bus invasion. As I leaned out over a raling to look down the side of a cliff to the rocks below, a hand reached out in front of me - On it was my engagement ring! Terrified of heights, afraid he was going to drop my ring into the ocean below and in shock that this might actually be - finally - after 8 years happening... I turned around and found Brian down on one knee.

"I was about to do this back there... ... ... I know I'm a bear, but you love me... Will you marry me?"

These are our engagement photos - Taken in October 2004