Independence Day 2015, Adam and I rounded up our choice beverages and meandered over to our buddy's place to celebrate. As the sun went down, fireworks lit up the sky with a snap, crackle, pop and kissed the sparkling waters below.  With a little nudge, Adam requested I join him at the edge of the deck for a better view. Leaning with my back against his chest, I quickly realized his heart was forcefully pounding inside of his chest. Whispering into his ear, I asked him if he was feeling alright or if he wanted to sit down.  He declined and stated he was fine.  I grabbed his wrist to track his pulse as his heart continued to rattle like a freight train running off the tracks.  In one fluid sweep, Adam executed the proposal twist and stood down on one knee in front of me. The expression of love and commitment that followed left me breathless and I uttered the only word that came to mind, "Really?!" With a chuckle, Adam reinforced his affirmation. "Of course" I goobered with a kiss!! Who knew, I surely didn't have a clue!!  Come to find out, a year of planning went into crafting a one of a kind ring, just for me!  And my family was in on it all!

After 5 wonderful years and our share of trials and tribulations, I decided it was time.  With her parents' blessing and the diamond her grandfather proposed to her grandmother with, I set out on a quest to find the One Ring. Then I hurled it into the fires of Mount Doom, effectively saved all of Middle Earth, and traveled back home with all my riches...but seriously...Under the Fourth of July fireworks, surrounded by our friends here in Corpus Christi, I asked her to spend the rest of our lives together.  The day we first kissed, my heart was racing.  When she said "YES," was the only time my heart ever beat so fast.