The Friday night before our anniversary, we spent a quiet night at home. I was surprised with a dozen red roses -- the first time anyone had bought me roses! -- and a bottle of what one of our friends calls "adult Juicy Juice" to have with our dinner. That's my favorite way to spend an evening with Johnny, cooking, snuggling, and just lounging around the house.
I knew that the next day, Johnny had prepared a game for me. He gave me the first clue that night, and I realized that it was a scavenger hunt. So, the next morning, I set out on the first part of my quest.
My clue took me to my Mom's house, and the letter I found there reminded me of how much my Mom has supported both of us and mentioned how Johnny hoped we'd be good parents someday like she's been to me. I found another clue in the basement, on the couch where we used to curl up and watch movies, staying warm together through the winter. The couch was the first place where we shared the words "I love you."
Then it was on to the newspaper where we both worked, where I found a letter filled with those memories. On the way to his Mom's house (where I thought I'd find the next clue), I thought "this is the most romantic thing that's ever happened to me." I thought it would make the perfect proposal, but I had no idea that that's what it would turn into! I was expecting something more along the lines of a stuffed penguin...
My clues took me back to Johnny's house, where we packed up a picnic lunch. We drove up to Grandfather Mountain and were faced with a HUGE line of cars, people wanting to go up on the mountain to see the leaves. I kept saying "we can just picnic here at the roadside," but Johnny said "let's just drive up and see how crowded it is -- if it's too bad, we'll come back down." Now I'm so glad that that's what we did!
We drove up to a picnic area almost at the very top of the mountain, with a beautiful view. We ate our lunch of sausage, crackers, cheese, and apples, and I snapped some photos to remember the beautiful afternoon by. It was really windy, and we got in the car for me to receive my last clue.
Johnny pulled out a heavy book. I looked at the spine -- it was a 50th Anniversary Edition of The Lord of the Rings. His clues had started mentioning bits and pieces from the epic fantasy tale. He knew that my Mom and I had shared some of my most special memories when she read the story aloud to me when I was in fifth grade, and he knew how much I loved it, how it shaped me. The letter said that now we could continue sharing that story together.
The final letter was inside the book's case. I pulled it out, opened it, and felt my heart almost stop when I started reading about the meaning of rings, and what rings could mean to us. The letter said that Johnny had one question left to ask me, once I looked to see what was taped to the top of the pages...
... and I answered yes.
I couldn't and still can't imagine a proposal that would be more romantic and perfect for the two of us. I felt so happy that Johnny asked me in a place and in a way that was so meaningful and special to me. It was absolutely perfect and beautiful, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with a man who is so kind, handsome, loving, and wonderful.
