Paul and I had decided to take a vacation to San Francisco since neither one of us had been there or to the West Coast for that matter. We planned everything together – when to leave, where to stay, what to pack, etc, but then there was some planning going behind the scenes that I had nothing to do with – Paul asking for my hand in marriage.
There was a knock at our hotel door. I figured it had to be Paul because he probably forgot to bring a key. There on the floor was a wrapped gift with a note that read, "Open me now, Press the red button and wait. I love you, Paul." I opened it and it was a cell phone with my name already programmed in. Then it rang! Not knowing all the features, I accidentally turned it off. Then our room phone rang and it was Paul.
I said "What are you doing and where are you?"He said "Listen to me – I need for you to go out and buy a small, black, inexpensive purse." My response was, "Are you coming with me?" Paul said, "Take down this number, but only call if it is an emergency, and do not come back until 3:00." (It was 1:30.) I strolled down to Union Square thinking he was following me and making sure that I was buying a purse and not clothes. I never saw him. I bought the perfect purse, but did not listen to the part about being inexpensive and of course, bought earrings to match, but still not knowing what for.
I just walked around to kill time and wondered when I was going to bump into him. Three o’clock came around and I went back to our hotel and opened the door. The lights were dimmed and there was music playing, but no Paul in sight. I checked the closet and the bathroom and he was not in there either. On the bed was a beautifully wrapped box and on the other end a tinier wrapped box. The note on the big gift said, "Open me now. Do not worry if it does not fit, you’ll be stunning anyway and meet me in the lobby at 5pm sharp. Bring your new purse. I love you."
I opened the box and there was a white satin floor length skirt and a beautiful sequined top, a pair of my shoes and my jewelry. The first thing I thought was – my purse and earrings match perfectly and they came from the same store he bought the outfit. Then I thought – wait a minute – what’s going on and still where is Paul? I now had 2 hours – engagement did not really come to mind. My conclusion was dinner for our three year anniversary, which was 3 days away and he wanted to surprise me!
I got ready and the dress fit perfectly, as if I had picked it out myself. At 4:58 I got on the elevator and there he was in the lobby at 5pm sharp in a brand new black suit – my knight in shining armor! I got a little emotional because I wondered where he had been and why he had gone through all this trouble. I asked where we were heading and he said, "Don’t worry about it."
After a drink at a fancy bar, we walked to Pier 33 and boarded a cruise boat called the "California Hornblower." We were escorted to the front of the boat and our table which was set up very different from the rest. I was thinking to myself, "Nah, he’s not ready!" Then Paul asked, "Want to go outside on the balcony before we leave the dock?"
We went up to the top where we were the only people and Paul said he had three questions for me. He asked me the first, then in the middle of the second question, he started to reach for his pocket and got on one knee and before he even got out, "I would be honored if you would be my wife," I just started bawling. Not saying yes, not looking at the ring, not putting my hand out and he asked, "Is that a yes?"
I said, "Yes, I want to be Lesley Garafola!" We both were so emotional and he just hugged my knees and told me he loved me. We then sat down on a bench and I asked who else knows about this and he reached inside his pocket and pulled a letter that he had written to both of our parents asking for their permission. I, of course, bawled again.
Paul had spent about 4 months planning and designing my engagement ring. He is truly the man of my dreams and I cannot wait to be his wife! I am in awe thinking of what he went through for this proposal. I think of that proposal everyday and would live it over and over and over again if I could.
Lesley Kuhn,
Charlotte, NC
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