New Year's Fireworks

New Year's Eve 2008 marked an exciting beginning for these love birds! Chris and I planned back in October (or maybe even earlier!) that we would be going on a Boston Harbor dinner cruise for New Year's. It would be a treat since we both love boats and the water. Combine it with great food, live music, and dancing and you have a real treat, indeed. I knew it was going to be a memorable night, but little did I know what Chris really had in store.

So, I bought a new dress and we gussied ourselves up and headed to the shore. I had this weird feeling about the weekend. I was nervous that he would be proposing and trying desperately to push it out of my mind in case he didn't. I knew this was a special night and I didn't want it to be a disappointment if it wasn't THE special night. I had a throbbing headache from the stress!

We arrived early and Chris had the idea of going and waiting out the time in Starbucks. This just made me even more tense because we met at Starbucks so I thought maybe he had something planned there!! When we found that the Starbucks in the area was closed, I was quite disappointed because I thought there might be a possibility that his proposal plan was foiled! We found that the Panera Bread that was across the street from the place was in fact open, so we went there.

We eventually finished drinking copious amounts of coffee, and ventured across the street to the wharf. We stopped for a quick picture and then boarded the boat. As we walked in, the host took our name and asked us what we were celebrating. My heart skipped a beat again, but Chris replied that it was New Year's Eve!!

We had a great dinner and danced to several songs. Chris and I struck up a conversation with the Brittish couple next to us and it turned out the woman just finished her PhD in biophysics!

I had another moment of heart attack when the spokesperson for the band announced the people celebrating things other than New Year's. My heart raced and I felt my face getting really hot. I thought that maybe this was his plan! Nope. I quickly started telling myself I was ruining the evening with my anticipation or what wouldn't be. I truly was sure at this point that it wasn't going to happen that night.

At ten minutes to midnight, I suggested that we went upstairs to the top deck to see the fireworks on the harbor when the ball dropped. Since I suggested it, I was sure Chris wasn't intending to propose. We got our jackets and they handed out hot apple cider to everyone as they waited. Chris prompted me to put my gloves on (another sign he wasn't going to use my hand for anything ;-)) so that I would warm up! We cuddled and canoodled as we waited to ring in the new year.

When the fireworks erupted over the harbor, Chris asked me if I knew how much he loved me. I replied, "yes!" He pulled out the ring and asked me if I would join his odyssey and marry him. I replied yes and whipped my glove off. I am still not sure what happened to that apple cider!

The odd thing is I didn't cry during the proposal. Hallmark commercials and movie trailers make me cry, but the proposal did not! It was not until later when I called my mom that everything sinked in and I squirted a few.

We rejoined the party and danced the night away. We vowed that 2008 would be our year!