THE PROPOSAL --

So, we get to the roof deck -- it's on the third floor, our suite is on the second -- and, as I expected, the sunset is pretty much over. It's still early twilight, and we enjoy the view of the island, the water and the clouds. James turns to me and looks down at me with a smile. I am not thinking that this is "the moment," just another wonderful moment in a trip filled with many romantic, sweet moments. So when I notice that his breath is a little stinky, I ask him if he brushed his teeth today.

"Yes," he replies, "but I'll brush them again."

... pause ...

He smiles down at me. "I want to marry you."

I gasp. I laugh and hug him. "I want to marry you, too! You know that." Ohmigod I can't believe I just told him his breath stinks. What a moment!

"Marnie, will you marry me?"

"Yes, yes, yes, of course!" Etc etc -- many kisses and giggles and a blur of emotions. I couldn't stop smiling and clinging to him. I was so, so happy -- even though it was understood, even though it was expected, I felt like the luckiest, happiest woman in the world. Just to hear the words and to know for sure that we will be together.... It's indescribable.

So, after basking in love on the roof deck for a while, we went downstairs. I suggested having a beer (we had a couple in the mini fridge). We were both a little shell-shocked and kinda feeling "now what?" Eventually we headed out to meet Molly and Sally. They were at Herbal Tribe (restaurant/bar) munching on some chips & salsa. James told them "she said yes," because of course they knew that he was going to be proposing.

Quick aside -- he had told my parents when we were skiing in February -- that story made me tear up a bit. He hadn't been able to get them alone all weekend, so on Monday at lunch he grabbed a chance while I went to the bathroom. As soon as I left, my dad was about to get up and go to the men's room, but James asked him to sit. He told them, "I want to marry your daughter." One of them (Dad?) said "welcome to the family." Aww, so sweet. Then he asked (can you believe it) when the date was. Um, hello? Usually the bride has some say in that? James also told Denise over email, he wanted her to get my opinion(s) on rings. He had done all this research on diamonds, talking to jewelers and his family, learning all about clarity, cut, etc. Then, when we were in Portland (or maybe before), Denise asked me about it and I said I didn't want a diamond -- they're evil, deBeers is evil, the gold industry (it turns out) is horribly destructive to the earth... So when he found this out, he decided that he would make me a temporary ring while we were in Belize and we would find something when we got back home. He brought a candle and a needle and string to make the ring with, and he was going to find some native plants -- grasses, flowers, etc -- to make the ring with. Well, that plan didn't work out so well, so finally he gave up and decided to buy a ring. While I thought he was out getting the laundry taken care of, he was running around from store to store looking for a ring.

So, Molly and Sally were very excited and happy for us. I remember Molly saying, "Oh, look at you, Marnie, you're so happy!" And Sally saying in that crazy voice "Happy!" a couple times. It turned out that "Happy!" was a quote from Zoolander -- when the Will Farrell character is brainwashing Zoolander... so when I realized that, the "Happy!" thing made more sense. I thought it was just Sally being weird. Sally and Molly are the queens of movie quotes -- esp from "Princess Bride." Many PB references were made that week. And Molly Shannon SNL skits...

We ate dinner -- burrito for me -- and decided that we were too exhausted to go out that night. So we all turned in early, going to bed around 9.