A Love Like This

Patiently, passionately have I waited.
Carefully, quietly have I longed.
To find my star, the light of my life.
To free my soul, to finally let go.
To give myself away.

Mysteriously, miraculously has she come.
Hopefully, helpfully did she approach.
To see my heart, to know my thoughts.
To pierce my heart, to take me in.
To love all of me.

I have heard of this kind of love, in fairy tales and from aged couples. The kind of love that is so honest and free, so intense and empassioned, so easy and innocent, so crazy and wise. The kind of love for Happily Ever After. The kind of love that makes a couple still gaze into each other's eyes so deeply after the years have gone. The kind of love that burns instantly and explodes brilliantly, like a supernova that shines across millions of years.

I have heard of this love and it's unfathomable but I have found it. No, that's not it. I didn't find this love, this love has found me. I found her and she found me.

On Sunday August twenty-fourth of two thousand and seven, I asked Cam M. N. Tran to marry me. She accepted.

The Saturday beforehand, I began to make preparations. I spoke to my mom and then later to my dad to tell them I was going to ask The Question. As I predicted, my mom's first reaction was to slap me hard in the arm, immediately following that with a big hug and much excitement. My dad responded by saying, "It's about time!" and then offering some sage advice.

On Sunday afternoon at four o'clock in the afternoon, I arrived at Cam's apartment. I had purchased six dozen roses and I placed them with the vase on the floor in front of her door. I knocked and then scurried around the corner. Cam looked through the peephole and saw no one, so she opened the door and was greeted by an abundance of flowers.

I then stepped out from around the corner, we entered her apartment and she stared in amazement at this bouquet. It included five dozen red roses and one dozen white roses, plus baby's breath and green leaves among the petals. The florist said this was the single biggest collection of roses that she had ever prepared and she was surprised that she even managed to fit them all into the vase.


Once we were inside, Cam and I sat down on the couch. She laid in my arms while still focusing on the roses. I then read a long love letter than I had written. I have written her many love letters and a few poems and songs before but this was the first time that I had read one aloud to her. And at the end of the letter, I asked The Question.
"Will you marry me?"
She had suspected that I might ask her soon but she was surprised none the less. "Really? Is this really happening?", she asked. And she immediately answered yes, and then yes again, and then yes again and again...

The previous Friday marked two months since our first date. Initially, she thought that my letter and the roses were intended to celebrate that milestone. However, I had gotten her three roses on that day to mimic the three roses from our first date so this extravagent gesture was fairly unexpected.

After enjoying an hour together by ourselves, it was time to start sharing this crazy news! The remainder of the evening was a whirlwind of phone calls and driving. We informed our parents and our siblings. I even made a direct call to South Korea on my cell phone so that I could speak to my sister. Then we went to St. Thomas so we could each inform Lori, who was the friend that used to work with both of us and had played match maker. After we left Lori and Brooke to finish their bath, Cam and I had dinner in St. Thomas together.

Then we returned to London and we made an impromptu visit with Tara for a bit because she is a good friend to each of us. Many phone calls and other visits ensued for the rest of the evening and over the next two days. It all culminated with changing our official Facebook relationship status and now, this blog. Heh.

There is one more amusing note about this story. I was writing my love letter earlier on that Sunday afternoon. As is my habit, I e-mailed the document to myself so that I could go and print it from the main computer in my house. After sending the file and checking my inbox, I came to a sudden realization: I had accidentally sent the e-mail to Cam instead!

Slightly panicked as I realized my error, I immediately phoned her and asked her not to check her e-mail account. She actually had her e-mail open at the time but she had not received my mistaken missive yet so she complied and closed her browser. Wow, I just barely averted that crisis. The e-mail in question was entitled "The Question" and the document attachment was named "Engagement.doc." Good thing I got away with that one!


Now to answer all of the persistant questions...
No, she does not have a ring yet. She preferred to select one with me but we'll have one on her left hand soon enough. Pictures will be posted at that point, naturally.

No, we do not have a date set yet. We're considering at least one year away, possibly more.

No, we have not decided on any of the million other decisions related to weddings. We are aware of these things, especially since we have several friends that recently became engaged as well, but we'll take our time and enjoy each other for now.


If you're interested in learning more about how we got together, you can read my blog and her blog. To all of my friends and family, thank you so much for the warm wishes and encouragement and excitement and love.

And Cam, I love you so much. The depth of your beauty draws me in, a light that is fully radiant in spirit, soul and body. I am amazed by you, by simply who you are. And I want to be with you, each day and forever.