The engagement

So i'm sure most of the people who are reading this blog at this point know the story. But for the record -

New Year's Eve 2009. Last minute we decided to stay in DC and do something local. Ben found a "Seven Deadly Sins" seven-course tasting menu. Lust was lobster mac and cheese. LOBSTER MAC AND CHEESE?! I was sold. I didn't care what the other six courses were - I was sold.

We get to the restaurant, and the menu had changed. No more Lobster Mac and Cheese. The theme was changed to "Lucky Number Seven," with seven courses based on luck.

1. Oyster, a buckwheat noodle, and a pork spring roll
2. Garlic Curry Lentil Soup
3. Gingerbread donut with liver
4. Salmon, Brussels sprouts and black eye peas in a bacon vinaigrette
   
5. Passion fruit sorbet with beets
6. Venison steak
   
7. Chocolate lava cake

I ate all of it.  Even the liver. Lift your jaw off the ground. 

After dinner, Ben wanted to go to the monuments and the Mall.  Even though it was raining, I happily went along.  We first walked around the Jefferson, my favorite monument.  Even though it was dark and cloudy, the city looked beautiful.

As we walked back to the car, Ben asked me to head over to the George Mason Monument (monument?  memorial? Who knows) because he had something that sparkled.  With that he pulls 32 inch sparklers out of his car and I immediately go, "OMG THEY ARE ILLEGAL.  PUT THEM AWAY!"

Well, Ben did not put them away.  Instead he tried (unsuccessfully, but I GREATLY appreciated the effort) to light the sparklers.  When he finally gave up on getting the duds to light, he asked me if I could see the fireworks from our first kiss.  When I replied yes, he got down on one knee and proposed. 

And i guess the rest is history

:-)