We traveled to Ireland for what was supposed to be my 50th Birthday celebration.  Well...Crystal had a big surprise planned all along, and on the day that we traveled to THE most beautiful and romantic spot in all of Ireland, Crystal asked me to marry her.

We were at the Cliffs of Moher and, unknown to me, Crystal had been itching to get that ring out of her possession and on to my finger (she was afraid that she was going to lose it before she popped the question).  We had been walking and taking in the beauty of the Cliffs for quite some time, when I finally suggested that we take a rest for a few minutes.  That was when Crystal got up the nerve to reach in her pocket and take out "the rock".  Literally, she opened her hand and there was a small pebble sitting there.  She looked at me and said, "do you know what this means?"  I looked at her like she was crazy and said, "uh....NO." Crystal's response was...."I don't EITHER!!!!"  So she went on to explain that we had been watching something on TV about when you find the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with, you give them a pebble.  And then she reached for the REAL "rock" and she opened the ring box and said, "Kristy, will you marry me?"  Of course, I said yes...and then we laughed and laughed about the story that neither of us could remember about the pebble!

I told Kristy I was taking her to Ireland for her 50th birthday, which was a fact, but I also had other intentions such as asking her to marry me! I decided that April 16th would be the perfect day because that was also the day of our first official date, though we had met many years previous but that obviously was not our "right time". We were to be at the Cliffs of Moher on that particular day which would be perfect. I had snuck the ring into my backpack that I never let leave my side from the moment we got on the plane, as I was a nervous wreck and wanted to get that ring on her finger before something happened.

We had previously watched a show where a penguin will spit out a pebble at the feet of the mate they choose for life which we both thought was really cool. So as we walked the Cliffs with the ring in my pocket I picked up a pebble also,as I decided surely if I hand her the pebble she will know what I'm asking (forgot about the spitting of it!!lol) I was so nervous and there were so many people milling about. Kristy began taking pictures and decided she wanted to sit down, perfect!! I asked her to put her hand out and I put the pebble in it, she looked and I said, "remember what that signifies?", she looked at me puzzled and said, "no". At that moment, I couldn't remember either but we sat and tried to recollect the story. I decided it was just time to ask so I brought out the ring and said, "Kristy will you marry me?" She said "yes" and it became an emotional moment. We just sat there awhile and took in the beauty of our surroundings and the beauty of our love!

It was the perfect place and we spent hours there before going to our bed and breakfast. In fact the owner of the bed and breakfast thought we had decided not to come. We spent the evening in the pub down the street celebrating. It was definitely a memorable day and the penguin story is now embedded in my mind, guess I should have spit the pebble!!