The Proposal

I know many of you are waiting breathlessly for the video, but to tide you over, I have an overdue blog post to write. First off, the proposal was a complete surprise to me. With the exception of a wish and a fantasy, which I mostly kept to myself, I never guessed. To preface though, N loves to surprise me. When planning my graduation and birthday festivities for Memorial Day weekend, I didn't ask questions when N seemed to be planning much more thoroughly than is characteristic of him. I suppose I should start from the beginning though...

May 28th, 2011: A day that will live forever as possibly the most exciting day ever. First off, it was my 24th birthday. However, that sort of got lost under all the planning and excitement for my Masters convocation. The night before, my parents and N's parents had come to San Jose and on Saturday we were waiting for a car from Los Angeles containing my sister, E, friends O, JY and V. N was conveniently to be picked up from the airport by Bjet.

At 230, we traveled to school to attend my convocation ceremony. After this, we met a few more people at a fancy restaurant to eat dinner. We were escorted into a private room, in which we discovered very tasteful personal menus.

As people trickled in, including 3 of my wonderful roommates, 2 friends from undergrad, 3 extended family members and the crew from graduation, we all sat down to a wonderful dinner. After the salad and main course were whisked away, suddenly the door to our private room opened and in walked a giant lobster, lion, jedi and guy in a banana suit. The lobster was playing a wonderful rendition of Happy Birthday on the violin. Now, let me just say: Yes, I was surprised at this part, but some of it did make sense. It made sense to have a lobster because lobsters are one of my most loved creatures. It made sense that there might be a bunch of strange people in costumes because Fanime was happening that same day and basically everyone was dressed up anyway. And it made sense that the lobster was playing Happy Birthday because it did happen to be my birthday.Yes, it made sense that N had somehow found people strange enough and willing enough to crash my birthday dinner in such a way.

But now the lion had an ipad. It would be unusual for just any group of people to use ipads to communicate. As I watched, the lion began to make commands "Obey the kitteh!" and "don't panic" were quickly scrawled and presented. OK, now apparently we were to get involved. We were then ordered to "Follow Us"

So that we did. The entire group got up from the table and began to follow the costumed creatures through the restaurant and down the hallway. We were ushered into a bright room, complete with stage, small tables and chairs. I was instructed to sit on the chair furthest forward and isolated from the pack behind me.

Now strange things begin to occur to me. To my right are a group of people I do not recognize. There are about 10 of them and they are all wearing fake mustaches of some kind. They are cheering and look very happy to be there. Secondly, I notice that there are other people in the room. To my left is a women shrouded behind a hand towel and dark glasses. However, she has hair shockingly similar to my friend Jen. But Jen lives in Austin, which is far away from where I was then. And besides that, it just didn't make any sense.

Now on stage, N has changed out of his dinner wear and is wearing a bright yellow t-shirt. On the front, appropriately on his chest, is a heart. He is standing next to the guy in a banana suit who is holding an ipad. The ipad displays a count down, and is passed to N, who begins to wave it around dramatically.

I know that when that count down hits zero. SOMETHING is going to happen. But before the countdown even ends, I notice something even stranger. The lion has now shed his suit, revealing my friend John. John also lives in Austin, which, like I said, is very far away. But I can see very clearly that it really is him. I look closer at the red-haired woman, now positive it is Jen from before. My head has begun to spin a bit. How is it possible that these people are in this room with me at this moment?

Now more Austin friends are being revealed. I am shocked to find out that the people in the lobster, Jedi and banana suits are all familiar to me. Somehow, Austin has come to San Jose. Now on stage, the countdown is getting closer to zero. Suddenly half the "audience" behind me is on stage too! My sister and 4 friends from my dinner have miraculously changed, wearing shirts with my face, N's face or a post-it note reading "Guess What?" I cannot contain my confusion. The world has suddenly tricked me! What is going on?

Suddenly, everything was happening so fast, I couldn't process it. Thankfully, there were a few technical glitches along the way, which allowed to catch up a bit and come to several conclusions.

1. About 5 people in the room were from Austin. They were not supposed to be here, but yet they very much were.
2. About 5 people on stage had been eating dinner with me just moments before. Now they were in a dance formation wearing coordinating shirts.
3. Some of the shirts had MY face on them.
4. My father looked like he was trying not to cry.
5. There were A LOT of cameras in the room.
6. N and the people on stage were attempting to perform a very choreographed dance and media routine that involved 5 ipads, animation, and possibly juggling clubs and unicycles.
7. Everyone around me was shrieking with joy.
8. N looked delighted and nervous.

Eventually the stereo obeyed and I finally got to see the entire production. Somehow, I had 10 friends that were onstage performing a very rehearsed production. It had incredible animations, ipad fireworks, choreographed and times lyrics, amazing dance moves, frolicking, unicycling, juggling, cane spinning and so much love! At the climax of the song, N stands in front of me, holding an ipad above his head. On the ipad is an animation depicting cartoons of N and I floating in clouds, blooming flowers and pure joy. E, O, V and D frolic around him. As the music ends, the ipad presenters clear the way and N stands in front of me. He reaches into his pocket, searching for something small. He then kneels in front of me, pulls out a ring and asks me if I will marry him. I breathlessly say yes as he puts the ring on my finger. At this point I think I am looking at my mother. I have my mouth wide open for most of this.

Following, I am swept off my feet and into N's arms as he twirls me around and I begin to laugh and cry simultaneously. When he puts me down, I bumble around, hugging everyone in my path, most of whom are crying and laughing as well. After we take a picture with the mustache crew (of whom turn out to be the party previously occupying the room who wanted to watch), we go back to our table for dessert. Needless to say, I am unable to eat.

Our party then continues to Comedy Sports, where my friends and family encourage N and I to participate in the sketches. On my turn, I was barely able to comprehend the directions, yet did earn some points from my team. When the players ask for someone who has had an "interesting day", my family and friends immediately volunteer N. He is ushered on stage to do an interview about his day from morning to night. After being filled in, the CS players act out an impressively accurate and hilarious sketch of the proposal (the video can be found on facebook).

 As it turns out, this epic production has been in the works since October. My family and friends have known about the proposal at various points along the way and many people have been trying really hard to lie well and not expose the secret. N and I have amazing people that love us!

In sum, I am now happily engaged to the love of my life and life has just gotten a little bit crazier. In the next few weeks, I will move away from San Jose, leaving my friends and family behind to join my fiance and friends in Austin where I will start my first internship as an occupational therapy student. Life is full of surprises, change, love and growth right now as I begin the next chapter of my life. See you then!

~J