A Note to the Reader
This content was written by Andrew. One of these days, I hope to post Dana's side of the story so you can get it from both angles, but for now, you'll only get to hear my account.

When Did it Happen?
One very cold Wednesday afternoon, November 30, 2005.

Where?
On the Norlin Quadrangle of the University of Colorado campus in Boulder, in front of Old Main.

Sloughing Off For the Day
We skipped out of work early to take a much needed break from reality. We had a relaxing lunch at Casa Alvarez and then went ice skating at the University recreation center. Neither of us is very good and the crummy skates made our feet hurt, so we left a short time later. We then spent the next couple of hours at the CU Heritage Center, the museum of the University's history. Our lives are forever intertwined because of the University, so exploring her history seemed a good way to spend a crisp winter afternoon. When we left the museum, it was just nearing sundown and it was getting colder by the minute, so I decided I couldn't wait any longer.

You Have Photos?
While listening to my friends tell stories of their engagements, I've always considered how unfortunate it is that nobody has the ability to photograph them. Sure, you could invite your camera-toting friends along, but as one of mine reminded me, it's such a nerve-racking event that you might regret having witnesses. I decided the next-best thing would be to take pictures myself. Wait, just hear me out! I often take my camera equipment with me when I think there will be a good photo opportunity. So, being that Dana knew we were planning to spend the day tooling around Boulder and the University, it wasn't at all strange for me to have it with me. As we left the heritage center (which is in Old Main), I asked Dana if she'd mind letting me set up to take some photographs. She didn't, so she obligingly sat on a large rock in the middle of the quad and allowed me to set things up. Sure, I took a few pictures of the mountains, but then I turned the camera around and took a few of her there alone, followed by a few of us together, using the remote control. Sure, it may have been a little strange, but I used the opportunity with the camera pointed and ready to pop the question.

The Moment
I was incredibly nervous (that's understandable, isn't it?). Dana noticed my sentimental demeanor and thought it a little strange, so as she recounted the story later, she said the whole time she hoped I'd propose, but was actively talking herself out of it. "No, he's not proposing... He's not proposing. But what do I do if he says he has a promise ring or something? No, he won't do that... If he says he has a promise ring, I'll kill him!" She doesn't remember anything I said, and for the most part, neither do I. I do recall getting a bunch of photos of us sitting there, and I remember the high temperature that day was 42 degrees, which had long since dropped, so the temperature was likely in the twenties, so the whole thing happened pretty quickly.

The First Ring
Long ago, Dana and I were discussing my student loans and I told her I'd never be able to marry her because I wouldn't be able to afford a ring. She said, "That's okay; I'd marry you without one." I responded, "OK, so it just wouldn't be a real ring; maybe just a Life-Saver or a twisty-tie or something." She remarked, "I'd marry you with a twisty-tie." That moment made an impression, at which time I decided If I ever were to propose, it would have to be with a ring made of twisty-ties. So, one night while she was out with the girls, I stayed home and made a ring out of shiny blue and white twisty-ties. I had no idea how big to make it, so when complete, it was way too small, but nonetheless, it was a twisty-tie ring! So, while out there on that rock in Norlin Quad, I proposed to Dana with a ring made of twisty-ties and she accepted. I told her we'd never be rich, but that I'd do what I could to make her happy.

What Next?
So what do you do after you become engaged and it's a Wednesday afternoon at 4:00? The sun was just setting and the wind became fierce, so we retreated to the nearest Starbucks. Then it occurred to us that if it were 4:00 on an autumn Wednesday in college, we would have been at marching band practice. Since it was already a day full of CU memories, we went over to practice and watched the band for an hour. They wouldn't have been there if it weren't for the fact that they were headed to the Big XII Championship the following weekend, because the regular football season was already over. We were pleased with the timing, since it allowed us to see a few familiar faces and to share the news with the band director, who is also an old friend. We were also incredibly thankful to be free of the days we were required to march around in for hours in sub-freezing weather.

Surprise Engagement Dinner
I had really hoped to find a way to involve our closest friends in the event because I knew that such an arrangement would be memorable for Dana, but since it wasn't practical for them to witness the proposal itself, the next-best thing was to meet them afterward for dinner. Two days beforehand, I surreptitiously planned to bring some of our close friends together, but I needed a cover story. I convinced each of them that our friend Matt had asked me to plan the get-together so he could announce some important news. Since he was seeking a new job, they naturally assumed he found one, and since he was in on the secret, he would have gladly played it up if anyone had asked. We couldn't tell Matt's wife to come to dinner expecting big news from him, and we knew she'd call everyone else if she had a hint of anything sneaky, so instead, we left her out-of-the loop entirely. That afternoon after work, Matt simply told her they had to drive up north in a hurry because another friend, Jenny, had big news to announce over dinner. It couldn't have worked any better; due to the way it all came together so quickly, no one had a chance to talk to anyone else about it or discuss whether the story added up. Instead, right on schedule, six of our friends met for dinner expecting to hear big news, which left the door open for our surprise. The best part was that Dana was out of the loop also, because no one had spoken with Dana in the intervening time. I had told her our dinner reservations were for two, and it wasn't until we arrived at the restaurant that she learned our friends would be present to hear the news that evening. Dana began shrieking at the sight of them and suddenly the big news was clear. It was a wonderful day, made so much more special by sharing the excitement with our friends.

Dana's "Real" Ring
Dana's second ring, the platinum one, houses an amazing brilliant round diamond in a classic Tiffany setting. I must have looked at nearly a dozen different stores, never seeing quite what I wanted, but the moment I laid eyes on this ring, I knew it was perfect. I purchased it near the beginning of November, keeping it at my parents' house at first, and then later, hidden away in my basement with the spare boxes I use for shipping.

How Dana Got the Ring
My original plan was to propose to Dana with the twisty-tie ring, but to switch it out for the real thing a few minuts later. On the morning of the big day, I tucked the ring away in a hidden compartment in my camera bag so it would be easily within reach that afternoon. The only problem was, it was so windy when we got there that I feared I would lose the wrapping paper and box. Plus, despite having dressed for the weather, it was colder than I expected, so it was difficult to justify sitting out there any longer. I decided that I would have to find another time to make the switch. The next best opportunity I could think of was that night at dinner, with our friends. Since they came to dinner expecting big news, there were cameras all around, which made for an excellent way to get pictures, without me having to fumble with the remote. While Dana was turned away talking to Nicole, I sprung the package from its hiding place in my camera bag. I then got Dana's attention and said to everyone, "I think you all know me well enough to expect something more than a twisty-tie ring." Turning to Dana and un-wrapping the box, I said, "Since you were willing to marry me with the twisty-tie, it makes me all the more excited to give you this ring instead." I have to admit, I was nervous, so perhaps I could have moved a little faster, but she just about had the ring on her finger all by herself before I could even finish speaking. She actually let me push it the rest of the way on, but all of us had a good laugh about it afterward.

"The Meaning of Life"
Actually, no, I am not really prepared to end this story with any deeply profound advice or clever musings. However, I can tell you that sharing the engagement evening with our friends was incredibly fulfilling and we are very blessed to have them in our lives. After things calmed down, we ate a lot of food, enjoyed some great wine, and lamented together that we had to work the next day.