God seemed to be orchestrating everything perfectly as Nate moved through a multi-step proposal to me, very early on the morning of July 4th, 1969 –about 4:00 AM.
The words below were taken from a post-proposal write-up I made after getting back to Chicago on July 6. (When I wrote it, I didn’t dream anyone but me would ever read it, so it’s far from a polished piece of writing.)
After ending yesterday’s blog with Nate’s gently whispered question, “Will you marry me?” we’ll pick up the story with my very loud response:
“Ohhhh yessss!”
Then, with kisses and a request for me to close my eyes, Nate brought the ring out of his pocket and slipped it on my finger. My heart was beating double-time! When he hugged me, I threw my arms around him tightly so the ring would land right in front of my eyes when I opened them… and there it was, the most brilliant, dazzling diamond ever to be on a girl’s finger.
Words couldn’t come fast enough for me then as I exclaimed of its beauty, its sparkle, its perfection beyond my every expectation. And most of all, words of its meaning in my now being really and truly committed to Nate!
“But wait,” he said. “There’s more.”
First and most important, we bowed together before the Lord in prayer, thanking Him, dedicating ourselves. Then Nate disap- peared into the motel room bathroom and returned with a bottle of Portuguese champagne packed in the Holiday Inn ice bucket along with two Holiday Inn plastic glasses, a “love bug” corkscrew bought especially for the occasion, two oranges for us to feed each other, and a glass of Maraschino cherries soaking in tiny ice cubes, ready to pop into our mouths.
We toasted our engagement and our future, punctuating everything with smiles and warm laughter. I felt so much love for him. But he wasn’t through even yet. He left for the bathroom again, this time snapping off even the one light he’d left burning. Returning slowly, he reappeared with a big 4th of July cake topped with multiple lit candles flickering in the dark room. The candles were arranged in a circle with a cross stuck into the frosting in the center. “… to represent eternal love,” he said, “governed by Christ.”
Together we blew out the candles, a little late since the top layer of frosting was covered with tallow, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying this sweet treat. “Every engagement party has to have a cake!” he said. We cut it into pieces with the end of my rat-tail comb for lack of anything better.
Even in all the frivolity, which got stronger and stronger, it was neat to realize our decision had been officially made to marry – the first official step toward which was completed at 4:45 AM in Topeka, Kansas, on the 4th of July, 1969.
There was a lot of kissing and hugging, after which Nate went back into the bathroom, emerging with a big beach ball! What’s a proposal without a rousing game of dive-and-catch? And lastly, he gave me a small American flag on a stick to represent his involvement in the military on this special day, a blend of romance and patriotism.
As our celebration was ending, the sun was rising, full of beauty and July 4th enthusiasm, but not nearly as dazzling as my gleaming diamond ring. I told Nate I loved him more and more and more, and promised my gift of a lifetime of love, support, devotion, and loyalty.
“You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.” (Song of Songs 4:9)
