I was completely caught off guard and thought I was being such a sweet girlfriend by planning a nice dinner out for his birthday. I tried to keep the dinner location a surprise, but he asked me earlier in the week where we were going, so I told him. I was taking him to Fogo de Chao, a fancy and expensive Brazilian steak house in downtown DC. Little did I know that he was making plans to have a friend bring the ring to the restaurant to give to our waiter to surprise us at dessert! I should have known something was up when we went to the bar for a drink before dinner and he only had ONE drink...looking back, I could see he was a little nervous. But anyway, I digress. I didn't suspect anything during dinner. When the waiter came to our table and asked if we wanted dessert, I ordered Clark a mini birthday cake and requested that a candle be placed in it to celebrate his birthday! So when our waiter arrived with the cake AND a present, I didn't suspect anything. Our waiter said it was a present from his work colleagues and that they had dropped off earlier that day. Clark looked at me as if I was somehow "in" on this surprise. I had no idea what was going on. I just assumed his nice work friends wanted to give him something nice. The present was wrapped in a wine bottle bag, so I initially thought it was a bottle of wine. When he pulled out tissue and then a small box, I still didn't suspect ANYTHING. No, instead I thought his colleagues bought him a nice set of cufflinks. Now as the people at the next table over were starting to look, I tried to get them involved by saying outloud "probably a funny gag gift!" He opens the jewelry box and pulls out the ring and before I even knew what was going on, he was down on one knee and said, "I love you with all of my heart and the only birthday present I want is to spend the rest of my life with you. Andrea, will you marry me?" I was absolutely speechless and still in shock. I always thought I would be the type of girl who would start crying or screaming, but neither reaction happened. I was SO completely in shock that I just looked at him and my response was "What are you doing? It's YOUR birthday?" Of course my answer was YES, but only after it all caught up with me. Clark then informed me that he had been planning this surprise for weeks...he hid the engagement ring in his golf bag (the only place he knew I would not find it)...he had his friend, Travis, deliver the ring to our waiter that night! My parents, his parents, his friends, and colleagues all knew about this surprise and managed to keep it a secret! Man was I surprised! But the surprises did not end there! When we got home that night, he gave me a gift certificate to get my nails done the next day so that when I showed off my ring, my nails would be all pretty! I thought that was very thoughtful and sweet. Then when I got to work the next day, there was a beautiful bouquet of roses and lillies with a card from Clark that said "To my beautiful fiance, thanks for the best birthday present ever!" All I have to say is he did REALLY good!
And to think that Clark cannot plan a surprise!
Moments after Clark popped the big question!
The beautiful bouquet of flowers he sent me the day AFTER he proposed!
The beautiful bouquet of flowers he sent me the day AFTER he proposed!
