The Perfect Proposal

Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009

Last night Diego asked me to be his wife!! It was the most beautiful proposal ever! How perfect too—it was exactly one year from the night of our first official date. (Sometimes it pays to keep a journal and track these things )

He picked me up from Carolina’s at 9:30pm where I’d been throwing her a bridal shower. When he arrived he looked so handsome in nice jeans and a suave leather jacket, black shoes, black South-American button-up shirt, gelled hair, great cologne…smooth dark skin, beautiful eyes, big smile…he melts me. I invited him in for a second to say hi to all the girls, and one of the women from Venezuela asked me to sing him a song (since I’d made Kris sing to Carolina earlier). So I sang “Cielito Lindo” for him. I really do love the lunares on his face….and there just so happens to be one “junto a su boca.” He smiled and handled the embarrassment very well…like a man.

We then went out to dinner at Maria Bonita’s Mexican Restaurant. When we got there Maria greeted us both with a kiss and warm hug; calling me “Princesita” and him “Mi Campeón.” The restaurant was closed, but Diego had arranged with them to treat us to a special private dinner. Our table in the corner was beautiful…the only area still lit up by a lantern. We had caldo, Abuelita’s hot chocolate and an enormous elegant seafood platter with corn tortillas, limón, and a large plate of rice and beans on the side. It was an incredible meal! I couldn’t help but wonder if he was going to propose. When we were stuffed to our limit, however, we boxed up all the leftovers, paid, thanked Maria and the wonderful cook, and left—no proposal.


We then headed off to 7 Peaks Ice Arena to “work off our big meal.” There were lots of cars outside, but when we got inside the place looked deserted. The ice rink was freshly cleaned and there were no skaters, no benches with skates scattered around them, nothing. There was a girl around the corner behind the counter, and Diego asked her if we could still skate. She said they were open ‘til midnight, so we rented our skates and went out to the lit-up arena. But before stepping onto the ice I asked Diego if we should try the hockey arena—maybe that’s where everybody was. He said, “Sure, let’s check it out.”

We turned into the narrow hallway that leads into the hockey arena and noticed that everything on that end was pitch black and silent. But our path was dimly lit…lining both sides of the corridor floor were long strings of white lights sprinkled over with colorful rose petals. The lights extended all the way down the hall and out onto the ice. The reality of what was going on didn’t quite sink in until I noticed the rose petals, then I suddenly got a chill down my spine. I could hardly talk as we slowly made our way down the hall, but managed to mutter—as I squeezed his arm to keep balanced—“Oh my goodness, Diego….what are you up to?” It seemed like a long walk to the arena entrance. Before stepping onto the ice Diego reached up and grabbed his cowboy hat that was perched nicely on the corner of the hard plastic door. Another chill went through my body when music started playing right on cue--just as he placed the hat on his head and we stepped onto the ice. It was a slow, romantic banda song-- wouldn’t be any other way with Diego

Wow, I thought my heart would burst out of my chest as we slowly skated across the ice, where the lights and petals led into the center, forming a large heart shape. Inside the heart was a chair and bouquet of a dozen red roses. He sang along to the song softly in my ear with his low, tender voice…”Dame, dame tu mano. Inténtalo mi niña, quiero verte reiiiir. Abrázame fuerte, ven corriendo a mi. Te quiero, te quiero, te quiero y no haaago otra cosa que peeensar en ti...” As he sat me down in the chair and placed the roses in my arms he caressed my face and hair and continued, “Sueño con tu sonrisa. Te beso muy despasio en las mejillas…” He began skating around me slowly, still singing… …”Necesito verte dondequiera que estés…” In a little music break he whispered, “I love you,” to which I replied, “I Love you too.” He paused to smile and said…”No you don’t.” Then he chuckled and skating away for a second. Haha…I was laughing and blushing and shivering and overcome with warmth all at the same time. He continued singing and stood me up to spin around in circles with him as he embraced me. When the next song started, Diego guided me out of the center and as we hummed and sang “Bendita la Luz, Bendita la luz de tu mirada…daram diri, daram diri-riri….Bendito Dios por encontrarnos en el camino. Y de quitarme esta soledad de mi destino..”

Then he guided me back into the center of the heart and told me he had a poem for me. As soon as he pulled the poem out of his pocket to read it, a bright spotlight came on and shone directly on us from the stands! I looked out but couldn’t see anybody; only the light. As the music continued he proceeded to read:

“One year ago today I took, I took you close to heaven (Y Mountain)
We hiked together a steep slope, and ate también, at seven (El Gallo Giro)
While as we sat that late cold night I wrapped you in my arm
I thought that you were cold, my dear, and this could do no harm
A gentlemanly act I thought, but you saw it absurd
Still as I lay in bed that night I knew my prayers were heard!
God sent to me this precious gift, an angel here on earth
More than fourteen karat gold and diamonds is her worth
The love I have for you, Raquel, this love is rare and true
The five small words I long to say are very overdue”

Then he looked up at me and counting on his fingers, said, “I love fish ta-cos.” I laughed out loud, loving his talent for surprising me and making me laugh. “What?! That’s not five words! Haha!” My heart was beating, and I couldn’t stop shaking with excitement and adoration as Diego then got down on one knee, took out a beautiful black ring box and slipped a gorgeous diamond ring on my finger. “Raquel,” he said, smiling up at me, “Will you marry me?”

I couldn’t stop saying “What?!”…”What?!” and gasping with excitement. I said “Yes” and kissed him, wrapping my arms tightly around his shoulders. He got up and led me back to the ice to skate a bit. We fell to the ground and laughed. Then, as he helped me back up, a new up-beat song started playing, “You’re just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you…” and suddenly the lights came on and a crowd of people came rushing out from the dark corridor on ice skates; cheering loudly. Friends from Living Legends, ROC, college, Branda and her roommates…Jessica G…my siblings and mother, Rosie, Melissa, Ademir…so many people came! They ran over to hug and congratulate us; taking pictures, filming us, skating all around...it was a PARTY! Again I couldn’t believe how perfect and exciting it all was. I kept saying “What?!” “You guys…” “Wow!” and hug after hug I thanked everyone for being there. It was so special to have these people I love so much be there for that amazing moment that marked a huge turning point in my life.

I love Diego in a way I could never have imagined. He does so much for me and lights up my life with his charm, energy, humor, goodness, sincerity, support, strength, helpfulness, bright smile, laughter, music, love and affection. I feel so blessed to have him in my life and to be inheriting, through him, a beautiful new family-in-law whom I also have grown to love so much. I know we will be very happy together as we share a life filled with fun, hard work, learning, new adventures, beautiful children and the blessings of the Gospel for eternity.