We’re engaged!!!

So I was psyched, we were going on a snorkeling trip I had been looking forward to for a long time- a gift for our anniversary from Donny. When we got to the dive shop they started getting us our snorkel equipment- you know, mask, snorkel, fins and a wet suit, BCD and weights… Donny kept looking at me kind of funny, asking if there was anything strange about all this. I rationalized that it’s cold so you need a wetsuit, the BCD was like a life vest, need weights to be able to free dive a little… As he kept prompting me for the happy, excited response he had been looking forward to, he finally had to come out and say, rather slowly and very enunciated to make sure I still couldn’t be confused, “Brooke, we are going diving.” Donny really outdid himself. Generally (and sadly) diving is usually out of our budget and I would have never signed us up for a trip, but that’s what presents are for I guess, things you would never get for yourself and I was thrilled! We were going diving, and in the Galapagos of all places! He got his happy, surprised look on my face and I couldn’t wipe the smile away for so long my cheeks hurt by the time it came to put the regulator in my mouth.

But the real climax came when we were underwater, about 60 feet down, sharks swimming to both sides of us. The whole group had just stopped to look up at the school of spotted eagle rays and sharks passing overhead, then as they continued on we hung back and Donny called me over to check out something. Turns out that something was a beautiful little clam shell with some gold ribbon coming out of it. Now apparently something along the lines of my gently opening the shell that was so carefully selected was supposed to be what happened. But when I saw the shell and ribbon I got an inkling as to what was going on and in my excitement ripped the shell in half looking to see what was inside (I’ve been waiting 3 years, I was a little anxious!) I saw the ring- a dolphin with a stone, which is just perfect though Donny calls it more of a symbolic ring- not like there’s a whole heap of jewelry store selections when you’re shopping on a small island. According to his story it came free with a purchase of a fish from a guy on the street. But it is beautiful and in true over exaggerated divemaster style he signed what I’ve been waiting to hear, but it’s hard to talk underwater so though I didn’t hear the words the point was certainly gotten across and I’m pretty sure he understood my enthusiastic YESSSSS!!! The rest of the dive I tried to pay attention to the cool sharks and turtles and such we were diving with so as to not miss out on the amazing experience of diving in the Galapagos, but mostly we just were looking at each other and smiling despite having our regulators in, hence letting in some waters and choking a bit…

When we finally rose to the surface he put it all into words and asked again. This was good because I really wanted to make sure there wasn’t any confusion and maybe we just found a dropped ring that happened to fall in a clams mouth with a ribbon and Donny wasn’t asking me to marry him, but just pointing a cool turtle or telling me he was running out of air or something. Once again my answer was an overwhelming YES! Back aboard the boat everyone helped us celebrate with the champagne Donny had bought for the occasion (guess he felt pretty sure of a yes answer).

Definitely the best scuba diving experience of my life. The sharks, turtles, swarms of fish of all shapes colors and sizes, and everything else there was to see were all fantastic, but all I was really looking at was the love of my life.