Wedding proposals to write home (or Dispatch) about
According to Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, in Leap Year on Feb. 29, there is a quaint tradition that women may make a proposal of marriage to men.
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I don't remember where I heard that but liked the idea enough to do just that.
I think I knew before my husband did that we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. He had this idea he needed to be a certain age before getting married.
Well, that number didn't agree with my plans, so I took things into my own hands.
Close to midnight on Feb. 29, 1996, via a make-your-own-card from Hallmark, I asked Todd to marry me.
After what seemed like forever, he folded up a piece of paper (which is now in our scrapbook) and draped it over a necklace I was wearing. Then sat across from me and grinned.
Jeff and JoAnn Lewis reflected on their first date, which was 50 years ago at a high school Sweetheart Dance in Minneapolis. They each went their own way but later reunited and married in May 2005. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
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By this time, it was after midnight March 1. I was dying inside. I grabbed the piece of paper, unfolded it and read words I didn't quite expect to see.
"Yes, I will, in two years."
In two years? Well, at least he had said yes. I figured I could work on the other part.
Later that year, Todd bought me a ring and did a proposal of his own. We were playing some nickel slots at Grand Casino Mille Lacs. I reached into my coin bucket and pulled out a diamond ring.
Because of all the background noise, I didn't hear him pop the question.
Finally, he asked again, "So, will you?"
Of course, my answer was yes.
We were married the following year on May 24, 1997, and are currently planning a vow renewal ceremony to celebrate our 10th anniversary.
On this romantic holiday, our readers responded in full force. We had numerous submissions.
The following is a sampling of stories describing wedding proposals, from reunited love to fishing lures to Scrabble games and everything in between.
They found love again
It was 50 years ago at West High School in Minneapolis when he asked me to go to the Sweetheart Dance with him. Since I had a crush on him anyhow, how could I resist? From that first date we attended the junior/senior prom and many movies and walks around the city lakes. It was a wonderful spring and summer and I was never so in love.
As fall came and our senior year began, he continued the tradition of senior boys not dating senior girls and I was dumped for a sophomore. We graduated that spring and went our separate ways.
A few years ago, while attending a church function with about 100 other women the photographer who took the group photo was none other than my high school sweetheart.
After introducing myself, we talked and my heart was beating like it did when he asked me to the Sweetheart Dance. Both of us had married and divorced and began dating again.
The "prom" for us in 2005 was the Zuhrah Shrine Potentate's Ball at the Radisson South in Bloomington. I had never been to an event like this and was a bit nervous. He told me that this was something very special and assured me that I'd never forget my first Potentate's Ball. He was one of the officers of the shrine and as a part of the ball, he and all of the other club and unit presidents and their ladies are introduced at the formal grand march.
We had a practice session to ensure that everyone knew where to be and what to do. At the conclusion of the practice, he called me up to the runway to "introduce" me to the 100-plus people there. As a part of his introduction, he told how he thanked God every day for my being a part of his life again, and that he was proud to have me as his date, but next year he wanted me to be introduced as his wife and asked me if I'd say "yes" and make him the happiest man alive.
We were married on May 27, 2005, and not only is he the happiest man alive, I am the happiest woman alive. We thought we were in love in high school, but until now, never knew that love could be so grand and wish that every couple could experience the kind of love that we have for each other. -Jeff and JoAnn Lewis, Brainerd.
A putting proposal
My husband, a local golf professional, took me out to play golf one afternoon. On the green, at hole No. 3, I putted and my ball ended up just inches away from the cup. So, I picked it up and considered it a "gimme." He said, "No, you have to finish out the hole!" Odd behavior for him! I said, "What are you talking about? That was clearly a 'gimme.'" He said, "No, put your ball back and finish out the putt!" I said, "OK, if it means that much to you!" So, I put my ball back, putted it into the hole and found a little velvet box next to my ball in that cup. He picked up the box, opened it up to display a beautiful ring, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. That was over eight years ago. He is still full of surprises! We are happily married with two beautiful children! So, ladies, finish out those putts! -Jennifer Klecatsky, East Gull Lake.
A great $2 investment
Well, my wife (girlfriend at the time) and I were chaperones on a church trip to Valley Fair on June 4, 1994. At the start of the trip I had not intended on popping the question. But as the day went on for some reason it became very clear that this was the girl for me for the rest of my life. Obviously not having a ring with, I took her to the gift shop and "shopped" for souvenirs. She tried on a black plastic ring that fit her perfectly so when she took it off I hid it. Then later I told her that I needed to go to the bathroom and I ran all the way back across the park and bought my future wife's engagement ring - $1.88 plus tax so $2 even. Then back to the music stage where she was and the song "Going to the Chapel" was being sung. I asked and she said yes. We were married on July 15 the following year. This year will be the 12th year of the best years of my life. Thanks for saying yes, Linda! -Kyle Hall, Brainerd.
April Serani and Ryan Damlo of Wadena decided to take a "tropical" vacation to Treasure Island Resort and Casino. What Serani didn't know was that her vacation would include chocolate-covered strawberries, champagne and a wedding proposal.
Wife wouldn't change a thing
My husband of 12 years proposed to me July 3, 1994. We were walking home from the yearly July 3 street dance in Crosby. We arrived home and before we opened the door to go inside, right out of the blue, he dropped down on one knee, and asked, "Will you marry me?" He proposed with a red wire bread twisty thing. He had been carrying it around with him for a week before he got up the courage. He was afraid I would say no because he didn't have a "real" ring yet! I wore the bread twisty on my finger for a couple of months, but it wouldn't have mattered to me. I married my best friend in January 1995 at the "Chapel of Love" at the Mall of America. We had a very small, quiet ceremony. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. I love you, Tim! -Jill Draves, Brainerd.
Olive kisses
How my husband proposed was romantic, yet almost dangerous!
We had been dating only two months (since Valentine's Day 2006) and he decided he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, so he came up with an idea that surprised me and could have killed me!
Several weeks before the proposal, I had made tacos for supper and was getting it all ready to put on the table. I was munching on the black olives and had one in my mouth (unchewed) and I went into the living room and sat down next to my boyfriend. I leaned in to kiss him and I shoved that black olive right into his mouth. He made a horrible face, spit it out and was so shocked that I would do such a thing. He vowed to "get me back somehow."
Several weeks passed and I forgot about the olive kiss. He obviously had not forgotten and was true to his word about getting me back.
He set the mood by making a roaring fire. We were all snuggled up on the couch smooching and talking. He turned his back for a moment to cough, excused himself politely, then turned back around to snuggle with me again.
He gave me a big kiss, and to my surprise, I suddenly had something in my mouth that I almost choked on! It was an engagement ring. He had pushed it into my mouth when he kissed me.
I spit it out (I was unsure what he had shared with me!) and we started to laugh. After we quit laughing, he asked if I would be his bride. I happily accepted. We had a small ceremony at the courthouse and celebrated our honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It was an interesting proposal, one I will never forget! -Lisa Walsh, Brainerd.
'You're the One that I Want'
When the announcement came the movie "Grease" was being re-released in theaters, Mike knew exactly how he wanted to propose.
Early in our relationship I had discovered Mike had never seen the movie "Grease." I thought everyone had seen this movie, but I thought wrong, I guess.
One afternoon I convinced Mike to sit down with me and watch "Grease" on TV. After seeing the movie he decided it wasn't so bad for a musical. I loved the movie and was pleased he at least didn't dislike it.
When "Grease" came to the big screen, Mike knew I would go. He decided to propose on the big screen.
While I had convinced several friends and co-workers we were going to the re-release of "Grease" on opening night, Mike set his plan in motion. Assured I would definitely be there, he began contacting the movie theater and inquiring about the possibility of a proposal. They gave him the necessary information and the process had begun. (He knows all of the details and/or difficulty of this process.)
On the opening night I gathered at Movies 10 with my two young daughters and several friends (they were in on the secret, but were able to keep it from me) for the movie. Mike was unable to attend this exciting event due to his work schedule. While I was disappointed he wasn't able to be there, I was excited I was there.
The lobby quickly filled up with teenage and pre-teen girls and a few other adults.
We entered the theater and took our seats.
As we were waiting for the movie to begin I glanced up at the screen. There were words on the screen. The writing looked familiar.
"Hopelessly devoted to you!"
"We go together!"
"You are the one that I want!"
"Heidi, will you marry me?"
At that moment the exit door opened at the front of the theater and in walked Mike. Everything felt so surreal. The theater packed full of mostly teen and pre-teen girls erupted in cheers and screams.
Mike made his way up the aisle. I made my way out of my row to meet him. He got down on one knee and the theater became silent. He asked me to marry him and I said yes.
Although I must not have said it very loud because a voice rose out of the audience and asked, "What did she say?" Once it was revealed the answer was yes, the cheers went up throughout the whole theater.
I believe I was in shock from the whole experience and it wasn't until the lights went down and the movie began that the tears began to flow. Happy tears.
I was there for the most romantic proposal and the proposal was for me. What a dream.
Every once and awhile my husband gets recognized as "the guy who proposed at the movie theater." He deserves the notoriety. After all, Mike is the most romantic man I know and I am proud to call him my husband. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to re-live this incredible moment of our lives. -Heidi Schmidt, Brainerd.
He pitched her a proposal
I proposed to my wife June 7, 2002, on the pitcher's mound of Mills Field during a Mighty Gulls baseball game. I almost missed my cue because I was talking to a childhood friend, Kevin Allenspach, (sports writer for the St. Cloud Times who covers the River Bats) in the press box. It was even broadcast on our local TV channel.
My mom, who hosted a couple of players, helped me contact the team's owners and they were happy to help. I had even pre-recorded my proposal just in case I got choked up.
They had to practically drag her out to the mound (she's very shy) to play a between-innings game. I could tell she knew what was happening when they started playing our wedding song, "Faith of The Heart," and I saw her face turn even more red. I got down on one knee, opened the ring box and croaked out a small speech about not being able to imagine my life without her and asked her to marry me. She did say yes, but had to repeat it into the microphone for the audience to hear.
I had a good idea what the answer would be as we were already planning the wedding, but I hadn't actually asked her yet.
We were married Feb. 14, 2003, at The Grand Old House of Grand Cayman Island.
If it's true you should only have to do it once, make sure it's good and memorable. -Brian Wetzel, Crosby.
She was 'lured' in
Because my husband, Vince, loves the outdoors (and is making a writing career of it) I have learned to love fishing. During our nine years of courtship, we have traveled to many of the great lakes of Minnesota. Being in love with him and sharing the night skies of bright stars and the northern lights while waiting for the walleye bite might not sound so romantic, but it was.
Learning brought the anxiety of when to "hit" the fish as well as dreams of lighted bobbers slowly being pulled down into the dark, clear waters of Lake Alexander.
I remember being held in his arms dancing on ice in the moonlight to Frank S.
Besides summer fishing, we also fished during the cold winter months.
When he owned a little blue 4x8-foot portable, we used to talk about building on. Christmas brought him a 6x6.
The most important things I learned were to always keep a window in your truck rolled down when on the ice and never keep any walleye under 14 inches.
He taught me to fish both seasons very well and I have many good memories of sharing these times with him.
The one memory I will always cherish is when we fished Gull Lake on June 1. Sitting in the middle of the lake on a warm, sunny day, Vince asked me to look in the tackle box for a lure he needed. I saw a blue box, looked inside and pulled a lure from its contents. It wasn't the right one and he asked for another. I looked again and recognized a lure that we use for ice fishing and wondered if, like other trips, he may have forgotten the secret lure. As serious as I am of fishing and getting it right, I pulled another and he asked me to look again. On the third try or fourth try, I found a very pretty ring and he asked me to marry him.
One year later on another June 1, on our honeymoon, we fished for sea bass by Martha's Vineyard instead of walleyes on Lake Alexander. (If we could limit, we did!)
Happy Valentine's Day, Vince. I love you, my darling. Love, your wife. -Dawn M. Meyer, Little Falls.
Was it a triple word score?
My fiance, Ryan, and I enjoy playing the game Scrabble. How he used the game to propose was memorable.
We decided to go on vacation the week of Thanksgiving to relax and get some Christmas shopping done. Since we couldn't venture south to a more tropical climate, we decided to start our vacation with a tropical feeling - Treasure Island Resort and Casino. ... When we walked into our room I discovered the reason it had taken so long - there were chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne greeting us when we walked in.
I was pleasantly surprised by Ryan's imagination and thought it was a wonderful way to start out our vacation.
After we enjoyed some champagne and strawberries Ryan told me he had forgotten something in the car.
When he came back, he was carrying two large boxes, merely calling them "I love you gifts." The first box contained the bag from our Scrabble game with some of the letters inside and Ryan had me unscramble them. The letters spelled out "I love you." He then handed me the next box. When I opened it, I discovered a Scrabble board with the words cherish, love, honor, unity and "Will you marry me?" glued to the board. I started to cry as soon as I realized what was happening and turned to Ryan in complete surprise. He then got down on one knee, pulled out the ring and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him!
I couldn't imagine a more perfect and memorable proposal. He put a lot of thought into it and it showed. -April Serani and Ryan Damlo, Wadena.
Engaged couple joins country star on stage
I took Sam to a John Michael Montgomery concert at Northern Lights Casino in Walker. I sent Sam to get us something to drink and then told the people next to me what I had planned on doing and asked if they would take some pictures.
When (Montgomery) started to sing the song "I Swear," I took her in front of the stage and got down on one knee and asked her to marry me and the crowd went nuts.
After she said yes we sat back down. The crowd was cheering and our tears were rolling.
When the song was over (Montgomery) brought us onto the stage and said he would like us to have our first dance together on his stage and he sang "I Can Love You Like That" and we got to dance next to him while he sang. It worked out great! -Jed Harting and Samantha Sullivan, Baxter.
I had my cake and ate it, too
My engagement happened 23 years ago this June.
My husband and I had been dating a little more than a year at that time and had seriously discussed getting engaged and married.
I had just completed my second year of college and Hal had just finished his third year.
I was back home in Thief River Falls, working at the Pizza Hut, and Hal was here at Breezy Point working for his sister and brother-in-law.
He had recently told me that his dad felt we should wait to get engaged, so I wasn't that thrilled when he called to say he was coming home that Saturday and we would go out somewhere nice to eat as his way of making me feel better.
Needless to say, I was not in the best mood and Hal was acting strange, which did not help my mood. He wouldn't hold my hand as we made our way into Lon's Restaurant, but instead kept his hand in his pocket. ...
As we were finishing eating, I saw the waitress coming, carrying a cake. I thought, "Oh, they must be celebrating so many years in business."
Instead, she set the cake down in front of me. On the cake it said, "I love you, Tamie. Will you marry me?" And out of his pocket he pulled a ring.
Ryan Damlo certainly scored huge points with girlfriend April Serani when he used their love of Scrabble to propose to her. Damlo glued Scrabble tiles to the board to spell out the big question.
After tears of joy and lots of clapping from the patrons around us, Hal told me that we needed to hurry out to his parents as they were expecting us. He also said that we would need to call my parents since he had been out to their house earlier that day where he gave my mom flowers and asked my parents for permission to ask me to marry him.
Yes, he was a romantic back then and continues to be today. I love you, Hal! -Tamie Swanson, Baxter.
From the lakes of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee
My husband and I met online on Valentine's Day 2000. I lived in Tennessee and he lived in Minnesota. We never imagined a relationship would form since we were so far apart. We became good friends and e-mailed and talked on the phone a lot.
When I lost my job because of company downsizing, he sent me a beautiful rose my last day of work just to let me know he was thinking of me.
In May of 2001, he flew me up here to visit for a weekend and it was like a romance. When I saw him, the rest of the world faded. I spent five days in Minnesota. I met his family, his children and fell in love with Minnesota. When I got back to Tennessee I started making plans to move.
On July 15, 2001, I moved to Wadena and have never regretted for one second my move to Minnesota. I have three children, he has two. Our children didn't blend very well at first and we had lots of ups and downs.
On Feb. 1, 2002, Dan came in from work and handed me a card and told me I had to read it out loud in front of the kids. It was a sweet little card but the poem inside said it all. "Roses are red, violets are blue, how about you let me marry you?" Needless to say I said yes and on Aug. 30, 2002, we were married.
There is not a day that goes by that I regret that decision or the decision to move to Minnesota. I'm blessed with a wonderful husband and five kids. -Tammy R. Murdock, Staples.
Big day at a small expense
My wife and I were married on Jan. 1, 2000, at the Community Alliance Church of Garrison. We had been dating and living together for 12 years when the pastor at the church started riding us about getting married versus living in sin. So after a couple months of deciding where we stood with things, we thought it was a good idea.
One night while driving off to dinner someplace I asked her if she thought we should get married, she said sure. Nothing formal, nothing overly romantic. We just agreed that we should.
Two weeks later we were married on the first day of the new millennium. The wedding was supposed to be a rings and witnesses affair when a number of our friends decided it should be a gala event.
The big day came. We had a beautiful ceremony, a potluck reception and a very well designed and defined inexpensive wedding that was the talk of the town for quite some time. The need for these grossly overpriced weddings, dresses, dance, etc., all for a big show, are unnecessary.
We have been together since and growing in our love for each other. -Rick and Nancy VanGeest, Crosby.
Timing is everything
We had gone to New York City for the weekend. The first night we went to a Broadway musical, "Chicago," and on the way back to the hotel he started telling me how we wouldn't get engaged for a while (his brother was getting married the next weekend) and he felt we should wait a while as not to steal their thunder. I had heard all the other excuses in the book before and so I was sick of it. I told him to forget it. I just wanted to have fun and to stop ruining my night.
We were sitting on the hotel balcony overlooking Times Square and it was a little chilly so we were snuggling. The moment was romantic and I told him I loved him. He began to pull away and got down on one knee and asked, "But, do you love me enough to marry me?" He then pulled a ring out of his pocket. I freaked out. And I was yelling at him for all the excuses earlier that night so he had to ask me again, "Yes or no?"
I yelled, "Yes!"
It was pretty ridiculously amazing! -Jessica A. Gangl, Brainerd.
She had to think about it
We got married on Oct. 26, 1985. So it has been 21 years so far.
I bought a dozen roses. My bride-to-be was going to pick me up after work from Cragun's.
Prior to this day, I had gotten the engagement ring. I had also asked her dad (Ron Huber) if I could have his daughter's hand in marriage.
I had everything hidden in a duffel bag. So I went out to the car with plans to do this all the right way.
I found she had company - her two sisters. Well, that would still work.
I had her drive to the Gull Lake Recreation Area, where I found an oak tree on a little knoll and the full moon was looking down on us. I got down on my knees, gave her the roses, pulled out the ring and asked her to marry me.
She said she had to think about it.
I thought I was going to cry.
Later that week she did say yes and we now have two grown children, a boy and a girl. -Leonard Skillings, Brainerd.
A 65-year old proposal
Will you be my Valentine for life? This question was posed to me Feb. 13, 1942, at 8 a.m., after (David) had worked the night shift as a reservations agent at Detroit City Airport.
We will celebrate 65 years of marriage on May 21, 2007. Six sons, several lovely daughters-in-law, many grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, have made a wonderful life with much gratitude. -Ginna Kneeland, Deerwood.
A shotgun wedding?
My fiance asked me to marry him on our first year anniversary of being a couple. It also happened to be the day we graduated from high school.
He told me he had this new gun he wanted me to check out.
When he pulled the gun out, it had the words "Will you marry me?" etched on the barrel and tied to it was my ring. Then he gave me a bullet and asked me what my answer was going to be.
Well, he is still alive and we are getting married on our two-year anniversary. Most people would call us hick because of it, but I think it's romantic. Besides not only do I get a husband, but I also get a new gun. What more could you ask for? -Connie Anderson, Aitkin.
Netting a proposal
It was about 11 p.m. Carl asked me if I would go with him to catch bugs for a class project. I had gone with him a couple times before that. I told him I didn't really want to go because it was late and cold out. He talked me into it, but I made sure he knew I was staying in the car.
We drove out to this little place in the woods by the river. When we got there, Carl got out with his bug nets and was trying to catch bugs.
He came to the car and asked me if I would help. I didn't really want to but I got out and helped anyway.
After pulling the net through the weeds, Carl told me to go get the flashlight so I could see what I had in my net. When I came back he held the flashlight. There was the ring in the bottom of the net. He asked me to marry him. I said yes! -Shannon Mills, Brainerd.
She overheard
My husband didn't exactly propose to me. I overheard him talking to his mother on the phone, telling her that we were going to get married. It was the first I heard of it! -Paula Straka, Baxter.
What's behind door No. 1?
The day we got engaged there was a horrible snowstorm beginning. My boyfriend and I began talking about dinner plans. He said, "You clean the apartment while I go get something to make for dinner." I thought it was odd that he was telling me to clean the already rather spotless apartment, but realized it was stranger yet that he was taking charge of going to the grocery store.
He drove through the snow to the grocery store while I cleaned the bathrooms.
Looking back, it all seems so strange!
When he arrived home, we began to cook steaks and had a wonderful dinner. After dinner, as I was settling down to watch a movie and he was hunkering down to listen to hockey on the radio, there was a knock at the door. Living in an apartment building, I thought this was rather odd since you need to be buzzed up in order to get to the front doors of the apartment. I decided I was not going to answer the door since I had not buzzed anybody upstairs and they must have the wrong apartment.
Then there was another knock. Curious, I got up and looked through the peephole and could not see anybody outside.
As I was going back to sit down, my boyfriend came out and asked if I was going to open the door. I said that no one was there. He asked me to open the door anyway and gave me a smile.
Puzzled, I reluctantly opened the door, and there on the doormat were two dozen white roses with 12 cards tied to the stems. They read "I love you" and on the following 11 cards, spelled out, "Will you spend the rest of your life with me?"
As I began to open them and tried to piece together the puzzle, he got down on one knee and when I had the puzzle put together he pulled out a beautiful ring and asked me in person! A perfect proposal! -Luke and Emily Johnson, Brainerd.
E-mail forward ruined surprise
The day was like any other November day. I had worked, came home and my boyfriend of five years, Nick, came home shortly after. I sat down to check my e-mail and came across a forward from Nick. Subject line: Christmas Ideas. Attached were Christmas lists from members of his immediate family, forwarded to me so I could help him shop. And down, on the very bottom of the forward, was the original message, written by Nick himself, "Hello all, I am writing to get Christmas lists from everyone. Please think it over carefully and write me back ASAP on this so I can get started early. I need to start early because I'm buying Jessie a ring. Well, talk to you all later. Love, Nick."
Needless to say, my heart skipped about 20 beats. We had discussed marriage but I was still dumbfounded. I really didn't know how to react. My hands were shaking and I was holding back the tears. And then the truth sunk in, the surprise was ruined! I tried to act calm and finally decided that I wouldn't tell Nick that I had found out his little secret. After all, I didn't want to ruin his plan.
It was no use. I burst into tears. Of course, Nick heard me.
"Is everything all right? Did you get a sad e-mail?" he asked.
If you know me at all, you know I will cry at the drop of a hat. ... Do I lie and tell him I just got a sappy e-mail forward from my mom? I couldn't even hold it together long enough to lie. I had no choice but to spoil his plan.
Quite angrily, I said, "You really should be careful what e-mails you forward to me!" and continued crying. He was puzzled.
I spilled the entire story and collapsed in his arms. He was in shock, but at least he wasn't as upset as I had expected he would be.
We felt so many emotions at that moment, happiness, sadness, excitement, but, after talking about it and getting over the initial shock, we decided that at least the proposal itself would still be a surprise.
So, when someone asks us how Nick proposed, the story most told is not the actual proposal - which was a few weeks later at the restaurant where we had our first date - but how Nick had accidentally spoiled his own surprise. -Nick and Jessie Koschmeder, Crosby.
An egg-cellent proposal
I was sent on an Easter egg hunt last year. After all of them were found, we came inside and I started opening the eggs.
In each one, there were goodies along with a folded piece of paper with a letter written on it. When putting all of the letters together to make words, it read, "Happy Easter. I love you. Will you marry me?"
He then handed me one last Easter egg. I opened it and inside was a beautiful diamond ring! He got down on one knee, held my hand and asked me to marry him. I definitely said yes!
It was a fun, romantic, yet memorable way to get proposed to. -Kelly Gerhardt (Chuck Mankowski).
Husband/daughter proposal
My husband proposed to me in the sweetest way possible.
He is in the National Guard and in January 2003, he received orders he was going to Iraq with the 142nd Engineer Battalion out of Camp Ripley.
I was five months pregnant. Although he missed our daughter's birth he got to meet her when he came home on leave in November 2003. It was during that time he purchased a ring and had our daughter help him propose. The ring was in a box on the table. He held our daughter and had her reach down to pick up the box. He got down on his knee with our daughter in his arms and they proposed. Eleven months later we were all officially a family and have since added another little girl. -Staci Headley, Brainerd.
Puppy love
I was working late and Patrick called me to tell me he was going to a friend's house and wouldn't be around when I got off work.
I got home and my bedroom door was closed, which was odd. I opened the door and sitting on my bed was a cute stuffed black Lab with a big red bow tied around his neck. There was a card propped in front of him. I opened the card and it was a sweet card telling me how much he loved me. At the bottom was a handwritten poem continuing to profess his love for me. The last line said, "Pick up the dog and untie the bow." By now I am beginning to get a clue. My hands were shaking as I untied the bow. Tucked behind the bow was the ring wrapped in tissue paper.
As soon as I found it, he popped out of my closet and got down on one knee. He scared me, of course, and then the tears came. He was shaking too as he asked me to marry him and put the ring on my finger. I said yes right away. - Sara Sundberg, Baxter.
She 'took the bait'
It was Jan. 7, 1995. He asked me to go fishing on a little stream that ran through his property. The weather was much like it has been the last few days - frigid! Maybe my memory has exaggerated the conditions, but I'm pretty sure the day's high was well below zero.
To provide a little background, we both knew that we would be married someday. I had joked about my ring requirements but knew that whatever he picked would be perfect. He kept asking what my answer would be if he gave me a spider ring, one from a 25-cent vending machine. My response was always, "You'll have to ask and see."
We headed through the woods to the stream and upon arrival, I found that he had already set up a fire site. He brought along a radio and all the fishing stuff we needed. He lit the fire and got the line set up. We sat around the fire and talked and listened to the tape that he had made with all the songs we had listened to since we started to date.
After we had sat for a while, he said that we should go check the line. He said it was strange that we hadn't caught anything yet, so he said that I should do some jigging. I did, but we still didn't catch any fish.
"That's weird," he said. "Maybe you should check the bait."
In the meantime, "our" song had started to play. I pulled up the line to find that there wasn't any bait. There was a bright orange spider ring tied to the line. I panicked. My mind raced with, "He's proposing but what if I'm reading into this? What do I do? What should I say?"
I just froze and didn't say a thing. After what seemed like forever, he said, "Well, aren't you going to say anything?"
I turned around to find him on one knee with the real ring in his hand. He stuttered, "Will you marry me?"
Through my tears, my goofy response was, "I don't know, I can't see the ring!"
Of course, my answer was yes.
He retrieved a white rose, two glasses and a bottle of champagne out of his duffel bag.
Looking back, I was so gullible to believe the whole fishing story. You could sit for hours at that stream and not see a fish. But, it was a perfectly planned, very romantic day - one that I will never forget. -Tiffany Gustin, Aitkin.
Hit one out of the park
I grew up in Merrifield. Now my husband tells me that I actually grew up nowhere because the city limits only encompass a gas station, a resort, a few houses and a park. Either way, I grew up in the country. My family loves animals: chickens, cats, fish, dogs and an occasional lamb. But what I love the most was that they are also entrepreneurs. I remember my brother selling night crawlers from our driveway, my mom organizing garage sales where we would sell everything (even our furniture we didn't intend to sell!). As for my dad, he sold wood. Now, when I say wood, I mean wood. He cuts so much wood I'm surprised Minnesota still has forests.
Well, there were other great things I remember. Growing up in Minnesota I learned to love the sport of baseball. I remember watching the World Series, cheering for Kirby Puckett, and playing summer and school leagues. My family would watch my brother's and my games (trying to fit in and eat sunflower seeds with just our teeth), and I even went on to coach a team later. At any rate, baseball was just a fun thing to do with family and friends.
I eventually left Merrifield and went off to college. It was there that I met Alex. He was from Utah and the one thing I learned very quickly about people from Utah is that I'm not even sure they've ever heard of baseball. While we dated I would try to play with him, but I couldn't even tell him he was decent at it. In fact, he was horrible! At any rate, during the years that we dated I learned to like basketball and the stock market and he kept trying to like baseball.
When college ended Alex was scheduled to return to Utah to start a new job and I needed to finish student teaching in Minnesota. We went back to Merrifield for one last night. During the night (I went to bed early), Alex went out to the chicken coop with my dad. Apparently he asked my father for permission in our chicken coop! I definitely had nothing to do with that. Fortunately, despite the awkward circumstances of the location, my father said yes. He also offered to help make the proposal special. So late one May evening in the pouring rain, my entire family loaded up my dad's wood pile (one of about a million) into the back of a Ford Escort. They went up to the Merrifield baseball field and helped Alex spell out my proposal across the diamond.
The next morning I woke up to Alex begging me to play one last game before he left. I was shocked because he was horrible but agreed nonetheless. So we got dressed, drove up to the field, and I couldn't believe my eyes! There in my dad's wood and on my hometown field was a simple question: Dayna, will you marry me?
Now, of course I said yes and we went on to play the game. Alex hit one out of the park that day and I have to believe that it was meant to be.
We got married and later moved to Salt Lake City where we now live in a town with 1.5 million people. But every time we go home to "nowhere" we slow down as we pass the park and remember that crazy day when we decided to spend the rest of our lives together. And life has been one big journey ever since. -Dayna Logering, Midvale, Utah.