While on my blog break some wonderful things occurred. At the top of the list was becoming ENGAGED!!
The story goes…
About a month prior, Colin told me that he had a chiropractic conference in Oakbrook the weekend of January 16-17. He sold me on the idea of going with him by offering “date” like things in the evenings during the weekend while shopping during the day. To keep us from driving in and out of the city (or taking the train), he told me that he had found a great deal on a hotel room at the InterContinental on Michigan Ave. We decided to go up to Chicago Friday night so he could be there in time for the conference to start on Saturday morning and to have a fun date Friday night. We checked into the hotel around 8pm and then hopped into a cab to head to Cuatro, an awesome Latin restaurant! While waiting at the bar for our beverages and to be seated, Colin was chatting with an older woman about the restaurant to get recommendations on what to order. After we were seated Colin bought a beverage and sent it her way. She was very grateful and it turned out that she is a very loyal patron of that restaurant. Our waiter also appreciated Colin’s kind gesture and asked us if we were celebrating anything special tonight and if he could get us each a glass of complimentary champagne. (Little did I know that we would later be celebrating with champagne for real!!) We drank up and headed back to the hotel.
About a month prior, Colin told me that he had a chiropractic conference in Oakbrook the weekend of January 16-17. He sold me on the idea of going with him by offering “date” like things in the evenings during the weekend while shopping during the day. To keep us from driving in and out of the city (or taking the train), he told me that he had found a great deal on a hotel room at the InterContinental on Michigan Ave. We decided to go up to Chicago Friday night so he could be there in time for the conference to start on Saturday morning and to have a fun date Friday night. We checked into the hotel around 8pm and then hopped into a cab to head to Cuatro, an awesome Latin restaurant! While waiting at the bar for our beverages and to be seated, Colin was chatting with an older woman about the restaurant to get recommendations on what to order. After we were seated Colin bought a beverage and sent it her way. She was very grateful and it turned out that she is a very loyal patron of that restaurant. Our waiter also appreciated Colin’s kind gesture and asked us if we were celebrating anything special tonight and if he could get us each a glass of complimentary champagne. (Little did I know that we would later be celebrating with champagne for real!!) We drank up and headed back to the hotel.
Upon arriving at our room, at the end of the short hallway there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers, two candles and what I thought were rose pedals on the table. I though the hotel had done that for us. Then as we walked around the corner to the bedroom there were more “rose pedals” and candles and a bottle of champagne with beautiful glasses. I then realized that in fact the rose pedals were not rose pedals at all but Taco Bell hot sauce packets with the quote “Will you marry me?” on them!
(Side note: Over the last year-ish when we ate at Taco Bell, or I found one of these hot sauce packets laying around the house, I would put the hot sauce packets in random places for Colin to find :))
After my squealing, laughing, crying with utter surprise and delight Colin pulled out the ring knelt down to one knee and asked me to marry him!! Of course I said YES!!!
Behind the scenes:
It turns out that Colin had the employees at the local Taco Bell picking through the hot sauce for him well before September 2009. After filling a computer paper box full of sauce, he arranged a weekend where our dear friends Mandy and John could help “decorate” our room while we were having dinner. His elaborate plan was set in motion after I agreed to go with him to the “Chiropractic Conference”. Thursday, January 7 was the date set for Colin to travel to Mandy and John’s house to drop off the decorations. It just so happened that lots of snow had to fall that day making driving less desirable, but he made the trip anyway. Jumping to Friday the 15th, during dinner at Cuatro, Colin acted, well, like Colin. Before heading back, he excused himself to the restroom where he sent text messages back and forth with John making sure that everything was set. Receiving a “thumbs-up” from our friends, we caught a cab to head back to the hotel. Little did either of us know the extent of the decorating at the time, but Mandy and John had fabulous ideas. The bed was arranged in a “Zen Garden” like pattern, a few heart shapes on chairs and tables, M + C on the couch, “Yes” spelled out on a chair and misc. packets dispersed around the room. The bathroom sink…filled to the brim. Packets on the toilet paper roll, in the shower, in the bath tub, in my retainer case, my shoes, pants pockets,…etc. For the next couple days we kept uncovering more and more hiding spots.
That weekend was absolutely wonderful! I became engaged to the most wonderful man I know and then celebrated with wonderful friends! I could not have pictured a more perfect proposal!
