It all started with the flu. Seriously, we were due to take the ferry out to Catalina Island on Monday, Feb 13, and unbeknownst to me, give Bo the opportunity to set up the most memorable experience of our lives. When Bo got the 24-hr bug, most likely from me, we decided to slide our trip by a day.
Tuesday was Valentines Day, Bo was feeling better, so we got up early and headed to Dana Point, CA to depart on the Catalina Express. Due to the poor weather the previous day, our ride over was more like an hour roller coaster ride. It was incredibly fun. We arrived at the island around 11, and checked in early to our suite…the Catalina Suite…at the Catalina Island Inn. This room was amazing; we had the only room that had a balcony. After checking in, we decided to get some lunch and then hit the arcade for a skee ball competition and for Bo to ‘win’ a Chinese finger trap. We made reservations for dinner at the Steakhouse and while walking around the island I decided we had to attend that evenings ghost walking tour. After spending an hour skipping rocks at the beach club, we went to get ready for dinner. Bo this entire time, is racking his brain on how to propose because he wanted to do it on Valentine’s Day but the day was cut short and coming to an end. We went and had an amazing dinner at Steve’s Steakhouse. Bo said the blessing before dinner, and while he was talking to God he got me giggling. “Lord, thank you for the miracle of healing my sickness quickly so we could get out here. Ooo-Rah.” I about lost it. After saying, ‘amen,’ I looked at him and said, ‘Did you seriously, just Ooo-Rah Jesus, Marine?’ Priceless. I love this man. After dinner, we ran back to the room to change and then headed out for the ghost walk.
During the ghost walk, we stopped in front of our hotel and heard the story of 2 lovers who were engaged that were still walking the halls of our hotel looking for each other. This story would have been the perfect time for Bo to ask, but who brings an engagement ring on a ghost tour? So we moved on to a dessert bar, and went back to our room. In Bo’s mind, he was thinking, if he didn’t ask now at 11pm, I would probably be pissed that I didn’t get a Valentine’s gift. For the record, that is not what I was thinking at all. I was under the impression the trip to Catalina was my Valentine’s Day gift.
So, once back at the suite, Bo told me to turn around and close my eyes. When I opened them, he was standing behind me and was holding the ring box open in front of me. About a million emotions hit me at once. I gasped and asked him, “What is that?!”, all the while beginning to cry and process what is going on. Bo began to slowly go down on one knee, which I immediately tried to help him because he has a very bad knee injury, and got down on the floor with him. He was laughing and trying to talk to me when I blurted out, “Well aren’t you going to ask?!” He said, “Oh yea, will you marry me!?” I started crying again, saying “Oh my god!” and he asked me, “Well aren’t you going to answer.” We started laughing as I said, ‘Yes!’ Then I asked, if he had my Dad’s approval. Which he said he called both my mom and dad, as well as my future in-laws and bro-in law.
I spent the next hour calling my mom and dad. I text/called my brother, sister, and close friends with a picture. I sent one of my best friends who is deployed an email and spend the early morning talking to her, and thankful she was able to share the moment with us. Love you, Cassie! I barely slept that night as I was trying to communicate with the entire awake world. We spent the beginning of our engaged life zip lining in the early morning. We concluded our trip to Catalina at lover’s cove (you can’t make this up) where we promised to each other exactly why we loved each other and wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. It was a beautiful morning that I will never forget.
My ring is one of a kind. Bo has been working on the design himself for 6 months! It a collaboration of some things I have shown him and his own thoughts. I cannot stop looking at it and see his love for me. It is the perfect blend of my Celtic heritage and simple elegance. The rest of the trip to Catalina and San Diego was a whirlwind of love and excitement.
As for the ceremony, we are keeping all details in private for the time being, but we are planning to have the Wedding in early May 2013 in the Outer Banks of NC with our closest family and friends. I will still be deploying and will not be back in the US until late September. We’re hoping most of the details will be out by then. We love you all and thanks for reading our wonderful story.
