<3

In the grand scheme of things, the second wedding anniversary isn't really a big deal. It's the 22nd birthday of anniversaries, if you will. Brad and I hadn't planned to do anything special for it other than go out to dinner last night. We are going on a winery tour in Traverse City this weekend, but that's really because I'm on fall break from school and traveling is close to impossible when classes are going on. It's not really an anniversary trip.

Let me back up for a second and say that I *hate* surprises. I like being surprised, of course (who doesn't?) but I can't stand knowing that there's a surprise coming. For that reason, when we got engaged more than 3 years ago, I knew exactly when it was coming. Cut to the last weekend in September, 2005. I knew he had the ring and I knew he planned to prose, oh, within the next 48 hours. Romantic, eh?

This isn't a story I tell a lot of people, because it's embarrassing. The Friday of "proposal weekend," Brad took me out to dinner at Mac's, an OK seafood restaurant in Saline (near where we were living at the time). Nothing special, but back then, we went out to eat 4-5 times a week, so we tried everything! I knew this had to be "it" so I was squirming with anticipation throughout our meal. After dinner, Brad suggested we go for a walk. It was a beautiful, starry, romantic night...OMG, this was it! It was just a matter of time before he got down on one knee.

Until we walked out of the restaurant and his car was being towed. Talk about a buzzkill! And when we finally talked the tow truck driver into letting us off, I started crying on the way home about something that had happened at work. It turned into a terrible, awkward night. Needless to say, the proposal did not happen until the next day (and it was not, as we both admit, under the most romantic of circumstances). Neither of us ever went to Mac's again, and the whole night was basically forgotten.

Fast-forward three years later. We both got home from loooong, stressful days at work (this after a school-inspired almost all-nighter for me) last night, and Brad told me he was taking me out for dinner, but he wouldn't tell me where we were going. After psyching me out multiple times with his roundabout route, he finally pulled up in front of Mac's. I was...confused. After all, I had completely forgotten about the awkward evening in 2005, and the only thing I could think of was, "we ate here once, and it was just OK. THIS is his big surprise dinner?"

But then, as I was about to get out of the car (I was STARVING), Brad told me to wait a second. He pulled out a black jewelry box from his pocket, gave it to me, and inside was the most beautiful silver heart necklace.

And suddenly, it all made sense. He was re-enacting that night in 2005...and this was the surprise romantic proposal I never had!

Well, I was completely in shock. Not because of the necklace (which is beautiful), but because this damn man of mine had managed to pull the wool over my eyes and catch me off guard, which nobody ever does! (Not to mention it was half-off bottle of wine night at Mac's -- so a nice bottle of Zin made the mediocre seafood taste a lot better! :) It was truly an incredible night that I will definitely remember forever, despite the half-bottle of wine.

I am knee-deep in work and schoolwork this week, but Friday at 6 I am DONE with my class and we're taking off for a whirlwind fall colors and wine-drinking trip up north. Brad's aunt and uncle own a condo that they're gracious enough to let us stay in. I can't wait to spend the weekend with the most amazing husband ever!