Operation Garden Proposal

1-15-11   Warning, this is going to be a LONG post, and it's even the condensed version!  About a week ago my sister's boyfriend called and asked if I was doing anything on the 15th.  Right away I knew where the conversation was headed, and was so glad that the day was free.  He went on to explain his plan for proposing to Amanda, and wanted me to come hide somewhere and take pictures without Amanda knowing!  There is a garden on campus at Virginia Tech  (where they are both seniors this year) where he asked Amanda to be his girlfriend, and he wanted to do the proposal there.  My first thought was, "a garden, in the winter, means no where to hide," but I just went along with the plan.  So yesterday I drove to Blacksburg and met Jonathan at the garden.  We went to the exact spot, and as I was looking around I saw a tree maybe 30 feet away that had big branches hanging down to the ground.  I went over and realized I could climb through the branches and be hidden inside; it was perfect!  So, we set up Christmas lights, candles, and a few other decorations and then he left to go pick Amanda up.  As soon as he left I started freaking out!  I was so excited, but nervous that I wouldn't get good pictures or that Amanda would see me.  He texted me when they left her house, and I made a final check of everything and then got in position inside the tree.  That's what the picture above is from!  Eventually, I heard them walking through the garden.  Thankfully, Jonathan had Amanda close her eyes as they walked to the spot, otherwise she probably would have seen me.  They walked right by the tree and Jonathan looked in and gave me a thumbs up.  Almost as soon as they got to the spot Jonathan got down on one knee, I couldn't hear anything he was saying, but I knew he had asked her when I heard her say "Yes!...I love you so much!"  At the point I started crying and the lens on my camera started fogging up.  I was trying to wipe off the lens and hide my sniffles without making too much commotion, so she wouldn't notice me.  After they left to head to dinner, I made a dash to clean things up.  If someone had missed the proposal, but then started looking at that area of the garden, I can only imagine what they were thinking.  All of a sudden a girl comes flying out from a tree with a bag and runs around putting candles in it.  Then back into the tree and out again with another bag.  I'm sure I looked crazy.  After everything was cleaned up I went to CVS to print some of the pictures, and thankfully there were some really good ones! I printed the best one as a 5x7 and put it in a frame and wrapped it.   Then I went to Amanda's apartment.  I didn't want her roommates to hear from me that Amanda was engaged, so I had to act like I didn't know anything.  I just told them that Jonathan had told me I might want to be in town that night, which isn't a total lie.  We hung out for about an hour or so before Amanda called to tell me the news.  Even though I already knew, I had no problem being excited on the phone!  When they finally got back to the apartment she walked in and squealed "I'm engaged!"  We all started squealing and jumping and it took her a few seconds to notice that I was there.  She gave me a huge hug and yelled "Oh my gosh, you're here! You're so sneaky!"  A little while later I told her I had an engagement gift for her and gave her the frame.  As she looked at a picture of Jonathan down on one knee proposing to her, it took a few minutes for it all to register.  I don't remember all that she said about it, but she loved that she had a picture from the proposal, and was so shocked that I had been there most of the day and she had no idea.  The rest of the night consisted of Jonathan, Amanda, and I all telling our versions of the story, driving around to different apartment complexes visiting with friends, looking at the ring (which is GORGEOUS) over and over again, and looking at bridal magazines that her roommates her given her.  The whole entire thing happened better than I could have hoped for and I am so glad that I got to be a part of it!  Once I get to edit them, I'll add a few of the proposal pictures, and unfortunately in the midst of it all, Amanda and I never even took a picture together :(  But we'll make up for it by taking lots at their wedding!