JANUARY IS ENGAGING

I knew what was coming when he said on Tuesday, "Don't make any plans for Friday." I tried to push it from my mind. Like the time I saw the Sesame Street record under the desk before my birthday. Only minutes after my brain said, "What album? I didn't see any album." But come date night, the pushing became a giant shoving match in my brain. "Tonight's the night." became much louder than, "What date? I didn't see any date."

He picked me up and he was nervous. Every time he wasn't looking at me a giant grin was plastered on my face. I followed along with the worst lie in history. "We need to go to Henderson Lake and give Ryan a letter from the relatives in Holland. He want's us to meet him by the canons." Really . . . Sounds plausible, let's go.

We wandered down to the canons and nervously talked about the day we first met right there at that spot. He got down on one knee and said, "Patricia Joanne Bogdan, will you marry me?" and I said, "Yes . . . How could I not marry you?" Well, I wish I said yes!, i really said, "Yeah . . . How could I not marry you?" Just like that, up high, then down lo, then up high again. Like a giant stupid U. Well, I had to class up the proposal somehow.

But how could I not marry him? There is a reason I waited 20 years. It's lovely when it feels like fate, destiny and kismett clashing together. I don't care that they all mean the same thing. It's a powerful moment. I'm glad I didn't miss it.

And I'm not going to let the fact that I don't necessarily believe in fate ruin it for me! I'm in love.