The Proposal

 On September 11, 2009, Kendra and Dan flew to New York City for a small vacation.  Dan was excited to see games at Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium before they were closed forever.  Kendra wanted to go to the games too, but was more excited about the MOMA and just experiencing the Big Apple.  Dan had something else he wanted to do in New York, too, that Kendra didn’t know about.

 Back on June 30, 2009, Dan’s birthday, he bought a ring.  Luckily, Kendra had been talking about what kind of ring she’d like for awhile, but Dan was still worried it might not be to good enough for her.  It was a white gold ring with both Dan and Kendra’s birthstones attached.  Engraved on the ring were Dan and Kendra.

 While Dan packed for New York, he hid the ring in his suitcase.  He wasn’t sure about when he would give it to Kendra, but he had some ideas about doing it on top of the Empire State Building, or maybe on a bridge in Central Park.

 So, the couple enjoyed their time in NYC, visiting Central Park, both stadiums in one day (due to a rain out the day before in the Bronx), seeing Time Square, and the art museum.  On the 14^th, Dan decided it was the day to ask for Kendra’s hand in marriage.  They had plans to visit Central Park again, and to see the Empire State Building, so Dan stuck the ring in his camera case and the two ventured off.  

 They walked from the hotel through Time Square to wind up at the Empire State Building.  You see in movies that people propose on tall building’s observation decks quite often, but it just didn’t seem right to Dan.  The couple, as well as hundreds of others, were herded up through a complex queue, sent to look at the landscape among hundreds of others crowding the fence, and then herded back down.  Kendra had already told Dan not to propose through the use of a ballpark scoreboard, and Dan didn’t really want to make a huge spectacle about it anyways, so he kept the ring in his pocket, knowing they would go to Central Park later.

 New York in the fall can get awfully muggy.  By the time the two returned to the hotel, Kendra was starting to question whether or not they should go to the park or take a nap.  Dan insisted they go to the park (and was getting a little worried at this point.)  So, Kendra grudgingly went along.

 The Park experience wasn’t as Dan expected.  Kendra was a little tired and cranky, and both were feeling the effects of all of their adventures that weekend.  Now, you have to understand that there is a disputed fact here.  Dan remembers while watching one of Kendra’s movies that Kendra said, “When we go to New York, I want to go on a bridge in Central Park.  I always see them in movies.”  Dan tucked that away in his head, and was planning to use that earlier stated goal.  However, Kendra at the time said, “Why do you want to go on a bridge?”  When she was reminded about her earlier statement, she said, “I didn’t say that.  I don’t want to go on a bridge.”  Although Dan tried a couple of times to remind her, it did not work, and Kendra still does not admit that she said that to Dan.

 

So, Dan missed his opportunity at the Park.  The couple did have a better time in the park after coming upon a bunch of people roller skating to disco music on a blacktop.  However, this was more funny than romantic.  Even Dan could see that.

 Walking back to the hotel, Dan decided on one more plan—to propose after dinner at a fancy restaurant, maybe on a horse carriage ride.  If that didn’t work, Dan had decided he would try again at a later date in California.

 Dan and Kendra had a wonderful meal at a place with art on the walls and cloth napkins.  Then, they walked to the carriages waiting at the southern end of Central Park.  They got in, and rode through the darkened streets, looking at the city lights.  Kendra says now that when she tried to hold hands with Dan and Dan moved her hand away from his pocket, she started to suspect something.  This time, Dan could have asked on the carriage ride, but decided to do it immediately after.  As the carriage pulled up to the curb, the couple exited the vehicle.  They started to walk, but Dan was slower and looking around.  Dan walked up to the base of the Simón Bolívar statue.  Kendra said, “What are you doing?”

 Dan beckoned her over and said he had something for her, and he pulled out the ring.  Kendra said, “Really?”  Dan said yes.  Kendra asked, “Well, which finger do I put it on?”  Dan indicated it was the ring finger on the left hand.  Kendra liked that very much.  In the emotions of the moment, it is hard to remember whether or not Dan actually asked Kendra to marry him, but that’s what he wanted to do, and she understood.  

 Soon after arriving at the hotel, families were told, though Dan’s already knew thanks to him telling one sister.  Kendra called home and got one of her sisters, who relayed the information to the rest of the family.

 …and here we are, one day until the wedding day.  The adventure is just beginning.