Rachel & Willie – June 14, 2014

W
Our story starts out with love from the start.  We met at our mutual friends’ wedding celebration party that I (Willie) was hosting.  As I opened the door for Rachel’s arrival, our eyes met, sappy music was cued, and something special began.

R
Soon after the party, Willie went on vacation, and he and I (Rachel), started a pen-pal romance via Facebook and then Email.  His adventures took him half way around the world, but even when he was in Thailand we wrote each other, and as often as possible stayed up late / got up early to catch each other in Instant Messages during the few overlapping waking moments.

W
Our dates were never long enough.  At the end of the dinner, or movie, or show, we’d find ourselves walking and talking for miles and hours through the streets of the city that never sleeps.  Some of our biggest bonding moments were on these walks, where we talked about everything under the sun (or moon, rather), until the sun came up again.

R
No matter our busy schedules, while Willie was working his busy work schedule, and I was practicing non-stop for my graduate flute recital, we’d find crafty ways to sneak in a coffee, cookie, or kiss break (sometimes all three).

W
Noticing our non-stop work ethic, it seemed prudent that we have a weekend away from it all.  I told Rachel to pack summer clothes, a bathing suit (despite the NY winter), and her passport, and to be ready for anything.  The next morning, I whisked her away to Cancun where the weather and company was perfect for getting away from it all.  Coming back to the city from our blissful weekend away, we knew our lives were changed forever. 

R
Summer of 2013 took us on many wonderful vacations.  But the first one was the most special.  We flew the furthest I’ve ever been away from home, the west coast of California.  Willie woke me up very early one morning and told me to wear the dress we met in and that we had a big day ahead of us, and I had to make it all the way to the end (ok, at one point I had to take a nap under a tree in a cattle ranch).  He took me to wineries, through caves, on ATVs up hills where we could see as far as the eye would let us, we went mini golfing (where I was a little happy and hit WIllie with a club), and all the while he was taking this video of me at each destination twirling in circles.

W
The last stop on our trip was at the River’s End Inn in Jenner, CA.  I arranged for a table on the water’s edge, just in time for sunset.  It was west coast Salmon season, and we had a meal to remember.  Flowers and champagne awaited us in our room.

R
It was so perfect.  I thought we were going out to watch the stars, but Willie kept telling me I needed to sit down.  I didn’t know why he was asking me to sit, but I finally listened.  And then I saw him reach into his bag, pull something out, and get on one knee.

W “Will you marry me?”

… (silence, and with a look that was a strange combination of both excitement and terror) R

W … (concerned)

… (forgetting to breathe, but starting to nod my head) R

W Then she tackled me, remembered how to breathe, and kept saying “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!”