*the* Engagement

Mr. Beagle & I had picked out and bought *the* ring together about 3 months prior to our formal engagement, so I knew the proposal was coming, I just didn't know when. I knew he wouldn't propose on our anniversary, because we don't have one :). I thought (*hoped) he might propose on an upcoming trip to the beach we were taking to celebrate a family member's graduation. However, my parents were in the process of moving back to Austin and would not be home until after our return.. and Mr. Beagle, being the gentleman that he is, really wanted to speak with them in person before the proposal satisfy tradition. So I waited. And I waited. And I waited. My birthday was approaching, and I kind of put the proposal out of mind because I knew he wouldn't do it then. When we talked about the proposal shortly after we bought the ring, I casually mentioned I didn't want a proposal on my birthday- I told him I wanted our engagement to be on a day that was uniquely special to both of us, and not one that already had a special meaning to one of us. So naturally, that sneaky Mr. Beagle planned to do it the day before my birthday. To throw me off guard. Which he did.

On the day of the engagement, we started our morning with breakfast at the local cafe we love. While we sat enjoying our coffee, Mr. Beagle mentioned it would be nice to visit a nearby winery later that afternoon. I said that might be nice, but honestly I was really not that interested in going. You see, it was a really hot day (like over 100 hot). And hot afternoons in Texas should only be spent in the comfort of AC. Not outside in the heat, drinking wine. So, after I woke up from my nap in the early afternoon hours (um, exhausted by the heat) I discovered that Mr. Beagle had a new plan: We were going to the Zilker Botanical Gardens so that I could practice my photography by taking photos (I like photography, alot) that we could make into artwork for our house (at the time the walls were looking pretty bare). The gardens are really beautiful, but it took some work to convince me that this was a good idea (did I mention it was HOT?), I think it was only after he mentioned a stop on the way to pick up iced coffee (oh yeah, I also like coffee, alot) that I was finally on board for the trip. We finally arrived at the gardens, coffee and camera in hand ready to start taking photos. We made our way through most of the gardens, stopping frequently to admire the koi fish and flowers.


There were quite a number of people there that day, and we really didn't have a moment where we were really alone. So after we had made it through the entire length of the gardens, Mr. Beagle wanted to go back. What, but we just finished? Yes, he said wanted to take some pictures by a waterfall that we had passed in the beginning. At this point, I started to protest because it was hot, and my iced coffee was gone :(. I also started getting suspicious. Mr. Beagle was acting kind of odd all morning. He had said he wasn't feeling well earlier in the day, and he never gets sick, and he really tried hard to convince me that we HAD to go out today. I quickly scanned his pockets as we made our way back to the waterfall, searching for signs of a ring box, but there was nothing there.


We sat on a bench a few feet away from the waterfall (with butterflies fluttering in my stomach), and with no one else around, he started telling me how much he loved me. At that point I knew what was coming. I teared up realizing that he was on one knee and nervously held out my had while he slipped on *the* ring, sigh. And we hugged. And we kissed. We were engaged.

Did your fiance make your engagement a surprise? Was it a reflection of you or your relationship?