Yes we did!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 is a date that Bryan and I will not soon forget. Yes, we just finished watching President-Elect Barack Obama's acceptance speech; this is a memorable event.

However, that's not the reason we will most likely remember today. We will remember today because it is the day that Bryan proposed marriage to me and I said yes.

One year ago Bryan and I had our first date. It was supposed to be a post concert beer (the youth symphony had a concert earlier that afternoon. We were going to meet for a chat before I was to head on to a faculty recital at WT. I didn't make it to the recital that evening and the rest is history. We began as friends, but soon realized that our bond was more than just friendship. We have learned that we are an incredible team and that we are stronger together than we are apart. We have faced our challenges, and will most likely encounter more obstacles, but we know and trust that we will find solutions together.

For some time we have talked about the possibility of marriage. In fact, Bryan has asked me to marry him on more than one occassion - but none were the official proposal as it were.

To say that I was not expecting anything today would be an understatement. We had both talked about how busy our schedules would be on this day. Bryan had numerous work obligations (or so I thought) related to the election results and I had a busy day ending with an orchestra committee meeting.

I was ecstatic to arrive at my office this morning and find a dozen long stem red roses on my desk with a card from my sweetie. There were many oo's and ah's in the office as many commented on the romantic act of my sweetie.

Why would I think there would be any other surprises today? Apparently that was the thought, the flowers were sent as a decoy so I would not suspect anything else.

Ahhh, how wrong I would be...

Here's the story from my perspective...hopefully y'all can convince Bryan to write in with his proposal story.

Around 4:45 p.m. this afternoon Kelly (she works with me at the symphony) told me that Bryan had called me and it was important that I return his call. I returned to my office and was also alerted by Chip that my cell phone had been ringing and I would please call Bryan back. I had missed a call from Bryan, so I checked my voicemail message. I listened to what sounded like a panicked Bryan pleading for me to return his call. I grabbed my purse and called him as I walked out the door because I knew he needed something soon.

Bryan told me that he was stranded on the side of the road. According to his phone tale, his Explorer had a flat while he was towing his trailer full of dirt on the way back from Bushland. He was stranded and desperately needed me to bring him an hydraulic floor jack so that he could change his flat. The jack was at the house so I would need to make a stop before rescuing him on the side of the road near Cadillac Ranch.

I made the trek to find a stranded Bryan. A stranded Bryan is not exactly what I found. I pulled up on the frontage road near Cadillac Ranch to find a Ford Explorer that was not suffering from a flat tire.

Bryan's friend Steve met me at the gate to the ranch and asked me to walk with him. As I stepped on to the path I heard the faint sounds of Joe Cocker and I immediately knew this was something more. As I made the final approach to the Cadillacs I heard the familiar strains of Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful" and noticed that four of the cars had been painted white. Next I saw Joe Hendrick armed with a video camera behind the row of cars. It was then that it was hard for me to keep it all together. I looked for Bryan but could not immediately see him. I passed behind one of the cars and finally saw Bryan.

Bryan was down on one knee wearing his tuxedo with a ring in hand. He asked the question he didn't have to ask, because I already knew the answer. Bryan asked me to be his wife.

Of course, I said yes!

There was a rapid explanation of the tale of how the proposal came to be. (I'll let Bryan fill in the details!) He had painted 4 of the cars at the ranch white. He had also stenciled lettering on each of the cars.

Car 1
Susan
Marie
Buelow

Car 2
Will you

Car 3
Marry Me?

Car 4
Dare to Love Completely

The final car is of special significance to us. We originally found the phrase on a Dove Chocolate wrapper. Often we can be caught exchanging this phrase.

Bryan had also brought a portion of his sound rig (a powered speaker, aka an Eon) and a generator to provide the power for the event.

I'm amazed at Bryan's creativity and sincerity. I'm delighted to be engaged to this wonderful man and looking forward to our future adventures together. When is the wedding you ask? Hopefully next summer. Stay tuned for further details.

There is video from the event that hopefully I will be able to post soonish.

Bryan, thank you for making this amazing memory for us. I love you, completely.

(The picture is of the engagement ring in one of the roses that Bryan sent me)