One day in November, 2014, we took a trip to New York City. We explored the entire city and had a great time, leaving one big thing for the last day – The Empire State Building. While walking around the city, we were a bit wishy-washy about whether we had time and whether we should go up, but alas, we decided to go.

Thank goodness we did because as I turned around to take a “selfie” of us, Carlos pulled out an engagement ring and when I turned around Carlos was standing there with a ring box open and the Freedom Tower in the background!

I was so shocked – I had no idea this was coming at that moment, even though we had talked about getting engaged multiple times before. So I said what any girl would say in this situation – “what are you doing?!”

Carlos asked me to be his wife and I, smiling and surprised, of course said “yes!"

We took some newly-engaged photos at the top of the Empire State Building and went on to walk around in Central Park with Carlos’s brother, sister-in-law, and their kids. 

We came home to Seattle the next day filled with wonderful memories of New York, newly engaged, and ready to start planning our wedding!

After a day of walking around New York City and exploring Grand Central Station, Tammy and I were debating whether or not we should visit the Empire State Building. We decided we had time and happily went up to the top.

After an adventure-filled weekend and a busy day so far, I was pretty sure Tammy had no idea I was planning to propose, which played right into my strategy.

We enjoyed the view from the top of the Empire State Building before we started to freeze! As she always does, Tammy declared that we needed a "selfie" with the Freedom Tower in the background, so I knew it was the right time to pull out the ring.

Trying to smile for the picture and take the ring out of my pocket without Tammy knowing what was going on was difficult. When she turned around from taking the picture, I was holding an open ring box and Tammy basically stopped in her tracks and didn't know what to say she was so surprised. The plan worked!

I told her how much I loved her and that I would be honord if she would be my wife and she said "yes"! We had a private moment 86 floors up before going back down to Manhattan and sharing the good news with the world.