Big News!!!!

Dear friends and family -
As you all know, we lost Grandma Lindsay last Sunday. All our family was able to make it home for the funeral proceedings - we had the funeral home on Thursday night and Grandma looked beautiful and peaceful. Friday morning was the funeral itself, which was very hard, as it was our last goodbye. I did a eulogy, Uncle Steve did a wonderful reading, a family friend sang a cappella "Amazing Grace", and then Aunt Lee did a eulogy. In my eulogy, one tiny thing that I mentioned was that Grandma and Grandpa Lindsay both served in the South Pacific during World War II, but did not meet there. They actually met in Cheboygan, Michigan, walking across the Lincoln Avenue Bridge. Due to the anti-malarial medication they both took while serving, they had a very recognizable orange tint to their skin. They saw each other crossing the bridge, recognized that orange hue, and stopped to talk about where they'd served. They were then married for 48 years.....
That detail was just one detail of many that I shared with my eulogy, but it leads directly into the news that I am about to share with you....(and by the way - I will be posting the eulogy in its entirety on my blog)....

After the funeral was over, and later in the evening, my parents invited anyone over to share drinks and celebrate Grandma's life in true "wake" form. About 50 people came and shared the celebration of her life, and it was wonderful. As you can imagine, Saturday we were all moving a bit slowly and we were quite undecided what to do with the day on Saturday. One of the options was to attend, as an extended family unit, the Band Boosters Dinner/Dance at the Knights of Columbus Hall. Annie Bryers, daughter of Steve and Nancy Lindsay, was performing as part of the jazz band. We all (except brother Mikey) opted to go to that performance. I couldn't find the necklace that I wanted to wear, but luckily my Mom had just that afternoon brought home some jewelry from Grandma's house and one of the necklaces was perfect for what I was wearing, so I wore her necklace out to pick up Steve. This made me late for picking up Steve, and he was a little irritated that I was late...which is unusual, as I am often late, so I didn't know why he seemed annoyed.
Anyway, we got to the K of C Hall and greeted everyone, had dinner, and listened to Annie play. When the choir got up to sing after the jazz band was done, Steve suggested we take a walk because his knee was bothering him and the Dr. told him he needed to take several 10 minute walks a day. We went outside, and he asked if I had brought the keys to the car....I said, "Why I would bring car keys to go for a walk?" but I went in and got the keys.
So we got in the car, and I said, "Well, where are we going?" and he told me to drive toward town. We drove down main street and when we got to Lincoln Avenue he told me to turn right, over the bridge. Mind you, I didn't make ANY connections at this point.....
So we went over the bridge and he told me to park in the boat launch parking lot. So now I was thinking, "What the heck is going on?" But I just went along with it. He then asked me if I had ever walked over the bridge since it had been remodeled. And I said, that actually, I hadn't walked across it since it had been remodeled. So we were walking across and I was telling him that story, and then I told him a story of paddling our boat under the bridge after the motor conked out and that we were with Grandpa and Grandma Lindsay paddling to the Riverside Dock where we were rescued when we were kids. After I finished telling that story, we looked over the water and Steve put his arm around me.
He said, "In your speech yesterday, you talked about how your Grandparents met on this bridge and they were married for 48 years. They had some really hard times, but they had some really good times too, and they loved each other until the day they died." Then he took my hand and said, "I want to love you like that, through good times and bad, until the day I die. "
Then he got down on his bad knee (just a week and a half after having surgery!) and pulled a ring out of his pocket! He said, "Will you marry me?" I yelled "Yes! Now get off that knee!"
He stood up and we kissed and several cars drove by and honked and waved at us....apparently I didn't take the ring right away because I was busy hugging and kissing him and it made him nervous that I wasn't taking the ring so he said, "would you please take the ring!?" So I took it and tried to put it on but I was shaking so badly I didn't know if I was going to get it on or drop it in the river! Thankfully I got it on - and it's a perfect fit!
The ring is beautiful - platinum band with a 14 kt gold core. The diamond is a 1 carat pear-diamond and there are Celtic knot designs on either side of the diamond, and then 4 smaller diamonds on each side of the band. Mom took photos with her camera and I am waiting for those to be sent to me - but if she doesn't manage to upload them in the next 24 hours we'll try taking photos ourselves....

No plans yet - just enjoying the absolute thrill and happiness of being in love and being engaged!!!!

Grandma was smiling down on us on Saturday.....we love you Grandma. The whole family was thrilled and it was a much-needed happiness to share with the whole family and we were able to share it with them in person.

Steve's proposal was perfect and wonderful and romantic and the ring is out-of-this-world and I'm on top the of the world....

The only thing we have discussed so far is a possible proper engagement party up north this summer involving a bonfire and guitar playing and good friends.....

Hopefully we'll come up with a date for next year - we have lots of talking to do....
Will keep you all updated!
lots of love,
Kate