Fools in love

Norman, Okla., is one of my favorite places on the entire planet. I have so many wonderful memories there, and so many things I love came as a result of my time in Norman.

Many of my closest friends -- ER, CG, Jeremy, Danielle, Rebecca -- came from that time. It's where my favorite ice cream place in the world is. It's home to OU and Sooner football, the Pride and everything crimson & cream.

Whenever I'm heading north on I-35, once I pass Purcell and am less than 15 minutes from Norman, I start getting excited. I look over each hill for that first glimpse of campus in the distance off to the east, and I can't wait to get there for whatever reason has brought me to one of my absolute favorite places.

K had only been to Norman once -- for a football game in October 2005 with me, CG and Joe. We had a blast. CG had been in the Pride with me freshman year, so we watched the band warm up before the game in an area of campus called the North Oval. In the Oval is an interesting little structure that looks like a simple, round, concrete bench ... but it's so much more.

The $poonholder has a special legend tied to it, and the history of the sculpture -- legend and all -- is written on a little plaque at its entrance. The legend says that whoever you kiss inside the $poonholder is the person you will marry. CG and I explained this to Joe and K, and ever since then, whenever I'd mentioned to K how I wanted to get him up there to go out on campus corner, he'd say, "Whatever. You just want to get me to the $poonholder!"





(You can click this photo for a larger view to read the legend.)

It's hard to find a weekend where we're both free to get up there, and I try not to subject K to 16 hours in the car in a 55-hour period very often (five to Dallas, three to Norman, then back again). We'd planned on going to my cousin's wedding reception in Oklahoma City, though, which presented the perfect opportunity for a night in Norman.

K and I left Saturday afternoon for the reception. We had planned on stopping in Norman to see Danielle and her fiance, but we were running behind and postponed our plans to a Sunday brunch. Good thing, since K and I made it to the reception just before things started.

K and I were able to see my grandparents, my dad and his girlfriend, and my aunt and uncle and cousins at the reception. When my dad and his girlfriend got ready to leave, I ran out to my car to get their Hawaii souvenirs. They just got a new car, so my dad wanted to show it to K, and they drove around to my car to meet me. We watched my skydiving DVD, and then they left. K and I headed to Norman soon after.

We went out with Rachel and her boyfriend and had a great time. I was so excited to be in Norman with K, and he could tell. He was laughing at how giddy I was to be there with him and with the friends I don't get to see often since I left.

The next day, we met Danielle and her fiance as planned for brunch on campus corner. We had a great meal and a good time. Toward the end, K got up to use the restroom. He was gone for several minutes. I was thinking, "Wow, he must really not feel well." When he finally got back to our table, he said, "Sorry ... work call." I thought that was weird, and I didn't know if he was just joking and saying that sarcastically as a reason he was gone so long, but I didn't think much of it.

I'd already told K we were going to have to take a picture kissing in the $poonholder, so he knew we had that planned. Danielle and her fiance had actually never kissed there either, so I had planned on taking their picture as well. Since we were going to be walking on campus for a bit, I decided to use the restroom before we left. When I got back to the table, I could tell I had interrupted a conversation about K and me. This wasn't abnormal, though -- I figured Danielle had been saying, "So, K, when are you two going to get engaged?" Lucky for them, I was too distracted by two girls making Smores at the table next to us (most awesome item on the menu, and I've never ordered it!) to think much of it.

We left the restaurant and headed toward the North Oval. Still, I thought nothing was going on. K was acting normal, and so were Danielle and her fiance. It had crossed my mind that something could happen, but they were acting way too nonchalant for that to be in the cards.

We got to the Oval, and I took a few pictures. K took off his hat and sunglasses, and I sat my purse down. We stepped into the $poonholder and kissed, and Danielle and her fiance took our picture.

K kissed me again and said, "Well, this is a pretty good way to end the weekend, huh?"

"Yeah," I said. "It is."

He looked me in the eyes and said, "I bet I can top it." With that, he started reaching into the cargo pocket on the right side of his shorts.

I'm pretty sure at this point, I was looking at him confused because I wasn't sure what was coming. There had been times he'd said something that would make my breath catch in my throat and I'd think, "Oh my gosh! Is this it?!" Obviously, those times had turned out to be pretty uneventful. I didn't want to start freaking out, only to see K's right hand emerge with a piece of chocolate or something.

And then he got down on one knee.

At that point, my jaw dropped to the ground, and I was thinking, "Is this really happening?!" He looked up at me, and he didn't say much. He said my full name, and then he said those words I'd waited so long to hear: "Will you marry me?"

I stood frozen for what felt like an eternity, and for a moment I didn't know what I was supposed to do. It was then I realized I hadn't answered him. My eyes were tearing up, but I was surprised that I hadn't started bawling as soon as it happened. I said yes, and he stood up and slid the ring onto my finger. I hugged him again, and we kissed. We were both teary-eyed, and he said to me, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

We stood together for a minute or so, just the two of us, in the $poonholder -- hugging, laughing and enjoying the moment. Danielle and her fiance stayed back patiently and quietly, just taking pictures of us from time to time.

When what had just happened started to hit me, my brain was overflowing with questions. Here's what I found out:

• K's "work" call in the restaurant was really to my mom. He'd called to get her blessing and tell her what he was about to do. He'd gotten her number that morning from my cell phone while I was in the shower.
• He'd asked my dad for permission after the reception the night before, and he'd had the ring in his pocket the whole time. He showed it to my dad, who said he loved it, that he was happy for both of us and that he was glad it was K.
• His buddies at work knew about his plan.
• He'd had the ring in Hawaii (and actually about two weeks before), but he didn't want to propose there because he didn't want to steal the thunder from my cousin and her day. He also wanted to ask my dad for permisson face-to-face.
• He had spent six whole hours in the store in a jewelry store in Houston choosing the band and the diamond for my ring.
• He sold CM's ring in February, and he sold it in Dallas. That news made me think, "Oh, God ... that means her ring was in my apartment." What's funny is I wasn't going to say anything, but immediately, K said, "Don't worry -- it stayed very well-hidden in my truck. It was never anywhere near your apartment."
• The conversation I'd interrupted at the restaurant was K telling Danielle and her fiance his plan. He had said to them, "I need your help," and then showed them the ring. Danielle freaked out and almost started crying. They told her to try to think of the Final Four (she's a huge sports fan) to take her mind off it. She later told us she was thinking, "I love water!" to try to get her mind off it. (Gotta love her -- she's adorable!)
• His dad and his family knew it was coming.
• He didn't have planned exactly when it was going to happen, but he thought Norman would be perfect since I love it so much, and the $poonholder was even better, with my love of all things OU. Everything had come perfectly in line for it to happen that day, since the weather was perfect, he'd seen my dad the night before and he'd been able to call my mom that morning.

After more of the shock wore off, I started calling people -- my dad, my brother, ER, CG, my mom ... My mom was laughing at the fact it was April Fool's Day: "No one's gonna believe you when you tell them!" Luckily, most of my friends know I'd never joke about something so serious. I did have one heck of a time convincing one of my old roommates that I wasn't lying, though.

I think it's perfect that it happened on April Fool's Day. K and I are such a goofy couple that it fit us all too well. Besides, how will we ever be able to forget that one?