25 minutes

You know when time seems to drag on forever? You know that excited feeling you get on Christmas Eve? Multiply those feelings by 100.2, and you'll kinda know how I felt last night.

5:06 Arrive at Lisa's. I parked half a mile down the street to make sure that Lisa wouldn't see my car when she came home. I was on a mission, and I couldn't risk anything. This is also when I first noticed that I was shaking.

5:07 Twist the front doorknob. It was locked. My heart actually dropped into my stomach and stopped beating for a few seconds. In those few seconds, my mind ripped through thousands of alternatives (I've gotten good at this the last two weeks trying to keep secrets and figuring things out). For example: breaking a window, breaking a screen, hiding in the bushes, go down the chimney, ring the doorbell (I actually did this one), try the side door, etc... you get the point. No one came to the door after I rang, and I walked quickly to the side door to try it. I saw a vehicle in the car port and heaved a sigh of relieve. Someone HAD to be home. The side door was open, and I felt my heart crawl back into its proper place albeit exhausted and heaving.

5:07 and 30 seconds. The Navy Seals could learn a thing or two from how quietly and quickly I snuck through the house to Lisa's room so her roommate didn't notice me.

5:08 Connect iPod to speakers. It was difficult. Very difficult. Remember I was shaking, and now I was constantly looking out the window watching for Lisa's arrival. I gave up on the speakers because they put out a constant static noise when the iPod was on pause, and I didn't want that when she came in. Plan B- hook it up to her laptop. I couldn't find the cord as I searched her entire room (with one eye still looking out the window). Plan C- use the portable speakers she got from work. I found them and got it hooked up with no problem.

5:10-5:30 Sit on Lisa's bed cupping a little, velvety, black box in my hands. My entire body was still shaking. I replayed the upcoming meeting thousands of times figuring out responses and reactions and planning my counter-moves.

5:30 Lisa drives up. She texted me to tell her she was home (I had told her I was on my way to her house a few minutes earlier... it's very difficult to press the little buttons on a phone when shaking). She walked in, said hi to her roommate, and then I heard her walking down the hall.

5:31 She sees me sitting on the bed, jumps, and lets out a startled squeak. She said, "You surprised me!" and rushed me for a hug. I stood and hugged her holding the little box behind her back, and she said, "You're shaking." I responded, "Can I give you another surprise?" She nodded, and I pried her away from my body. I got down on my knee and opened the black box to reveal a beautiful, sparkling ring; "Lisa, will you marry me?" She gasped and covered her mouth with both hands. She stood like that starring at the ring for a full 45 seconds. And there I was, on my knee, waiting for an answer. Finally, after an eternity of waiting (my heart was once again passed out in my stomach), she said, "mmmhmmm!" and pulled me up into another hug. I reached over to play the song that we heard on our first date (Unchained Melody) and kissed my beautiful fiancee.

June 4, 2008 at 5:31 pm I proposed to the love of my life and after 25 minutes, finally stopped shaking.