Patrick and I had been dating for about for 6 years when we decided to go on vacation to Beaver Island. He of course had been there many times with his Biology Sorority and for classes. The last was in 1998 just after my father had passed away, for the end of the year Halloween party. He had said he left something there on the island for me, and in Oct. of 1998 was the last time I put any thought to what it might be.
So the date now is Aug of 2001, it took quite alot of schedule wrestling to arrange our boat and car reservations, and Patrick was unusually crabby about the whole thing. So we spend about a week camping on the island it’s Friday and Patrick suggests a walk on one of his favorite trails, I agree of course. My only request was a short lunch break at the end of the trail. He says he thinks there might be a gazebo at the end, he doesn?t quite remember. (this is funny, you’ll realize later why) The trail is as beautiful as he said, the flowers were all in bloom, and the pines smelled heavenly.
Sure enough, there was a gazebo at the end of the trail, and so we sat down to our lunch of beef jerky, cheese, and gorp. After we had eaten I asked if he was ready to go and he asks me if I remember what he told me 3 years ago when he was here last. I said, "NO!" He reminded me he said that he left something on the island for me, I vaguely remembered and said, "Go on." He then told me I had to go find it. I was completely confused then. I asked him how? He handed me a small shovel and told me I had to dig for it.
The directions were to find the southern most corner of the gazebo and dig at the end of the cement until I found a rock that in no logical way would belong in Michigan, and a really pretty red and black rock. Sure enough about 5 inches down I found a rock made from lava and a pretty red and black rock. He said to keep digging a little more, as I did I started to see a bag. I pulled the bag out of the hole and inside of it were two pop cans that were cut in half and duct taped all around.
He took me back into the gazebo and told me to open one. (There was a specific order to this) I did, and inside was a letter, it was written in the sweetest and kindest words I have ever read. It said how happy he was and if anything ever happened to him he would die a happy man knowing I loved him. (he later informed me that he told only two other people of this letter and if something did happen and he were to die then they were to lead me to this letter) Then he told me to open the second can. Which was not easy mind you, he wrapped it so many times in duct tape so no bugs or animals could dig it up it took me 15 minutes just to get it open.
When I opened it and started reading aloud, this 3 page letter was incomparable to the first one. This one said that he couldn?t imagine his life without me, and continued on to propose in the letter. When I read the words "Will you marry me?" I looked over at him and he was on one knee with a ring box in his hand, I was so nervous I just couldn?t stop reading and ignored my future husband and finished the letter. Then when I did finish he told me that he loved me and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. So I opened the box and inside was a ring he had carved for me out of Sassafras. I thought this ring was better than any diamond. (which was odd because for the past few years I would have nightmares about him giving me the world’s ugliest engagement ring) We both were crying of course and before I could say yes, all my brain thought was "Are you serious?," so instead of saying yes, I said, "Are you serious?" about 20 times. But I finally came to my senses hugged him, and said, "YES!"
Proposal Story By:
Erica McLeod
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
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