.:.The Proposal Story.:.

Ben planned a "secret date" for us. This isn't uncommon, so I wasn't expecting anything. He drove us downtown and once he parked showed me the tickets we had for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I was stoked. After the 3 hour concert, we head back to the car and he says,  "Yeah... I'm going to need you to be blindfolded." Again, this wasn't uncommon for him.

After driving about 30 minutes he asks me if I know where we are and I said I had no clue. He allows me to take off my blindfold and we're in the parking lot of Steak'n'Shake, our #2 go-to restaurant. (It was too late for our other, Applebee's.) I was thinking, 'OK, he's being silly. Blindfold and WOOH! Steak'n'Shake.' After we're done eating, we leave and he says,  "Yeahhh... I'm going to need you to put that back on." At this point it is 12:30 and my thoughts are... to drive me home? Really? Silly boy. But I appease him and put the "blindfold" on. (For those who are curious he forgot it... and had me use his sweatshirt... lol)

After driving a couple of minutes, he puts the car in park and says, "OK, you can take the blindfold off but keep your eyes closed." He runs around the car and opens my door and leads me down a sidewalk. After walking a short distance he says, "OK! You can open your eyes!" We were standing in front of the Toy Museum in Zionsville off Main Street. "I wanted you to see the Toy Museum lit up in lights," he says. "This was where our first date was." My interpretation was he was trying to make me less of a Scrooge. Ya know, 3 hours of awesomely-played Christmas music and showing me downtown Zionsville lit up at midnight. (We won't tell him it worked.)

He takes my hand and we turn the corner and start walking toward Lincoln Park, where we met. (Also lit up in Christmas lights.) He begins to talk about how much he loves me and how much I mean to him.

As we walked into the park he asked me if I remembered what this park meant to us. I said that of course I did, and that it was where we met.He smiled his smile and asked if I remembered where we had been standing when he met me. (I had to admit that no, in fact I did not remember this haha!) He then said it was right where we were then standing. He then grabbed my hand and walked me down the brick pathway that led to the beautifully lit gazebo. He continues talking about what a difference I've made in his life and how much he appreciates having me be a part of it. 

Once we got into the gazebo, he finished his little speech and knelt saying, "Marcella Marie Lawson, will you marry me?"

After it clicked, I screamed, "YES YES YES YES!!!" 

I was completely shocked and had no idea it was coming. 

I AM SO LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL MAN TO BE MY FUTURE-HUSBAND!!