The Engagement: His version

So my original idea for the proposal was to insert the ring into a book and propose at Amanda's favorite bookstore in La Crosse, WI. We were planning a trip back to her parents' place mid-July for a friend's wedding, and so I thought this would be the perfect time.

I knew that I wouldn't be able to plan it all on my own and so I enlisted the help of Phyllis, Amanda's mom, as well as the owner of the bookstore. I e-mailed the owner and asked him to reserve a copy of Jodi Picoult's latest book (this is Amanda's favorite author), and let him know that Phyllis would pick it up for me. Then after I insert the ring in the book, she would return it to the store, and the owner would keep the book behind the counter until I came in and signaled for the book to be set on the display table out front.

I arranged with Phyllis for her to do the leg-work, and we came up with a plan for us to be able to be downtown La Crosse at the right time. We would go to church that morning and go out for breakfast together afterward. Their typical breakfast spot is conveniently across the street from the bookstore. We would then meet up with the rest of the family at Tim's baseball game that afternoon.

Everything went according to plan for the most part. When we arrived late Friday night, the book was waiting with a crafty hole-punch tool in the night stand next to my bed. After saying goodnight to Amanda I went to work, carefully punching the holes and making sure not to cut out any of the words in the process. I fit the ring in and left it where I got it. Amanda and I went to the wedding that Saturday and her dad returned the book to the store.

Sunday morning: we went to church, then out for breakfast as planned. After breakfast I asked if she wanted to go for a walk, so we walked down to the riverside park. We came back to the car, and I picked up the rose (which Phyllis had also picked up for me) from the trunk and told Amanda that I wanted to take her somewhere. By this time she had already clued in to what was going on, and she kept asking me what I was doing. We walked in the book store and I made eye contact with the person behind the counter, but he didn't move. We walked around and I again made eye contact with the guy and he then put the book out. By this time Amanda was freaking out - I think she didn't want to be proposed to in a public place. So I changed plans quickly, took the book from the table and we walked out. Amanda thought it was odd that I just "stole" a book from the store but we kept walking back down to the park. I let her pick a bench to sit down at and I had her open the book. There was a letter I had inserted inside the front cover, and when she picked it up she saw the ring. I read her the letter and got down on one knee, and she said yes!