During my time in the service, there were a number of different goals I set for myself to meet before I could ask her. Unfortunately, due to circumstances outside of my control, I was nearing the end of my enlistment without meeting a single one of those goals. So, I figured I would tap into my personal life experiences in the last five years and do it how we professionals in the business do things best: ‘I’m just gonna send it.’ She was coming the week before I was going home. I had the ring, I had the special lyrics I wrote in the notepad on my phone memorized...kinda...and the schedule with her all planned out. All I needed was to pick a time to do it. But I wasn’t going to let the moment slip away into our memories, no. I needed a way to get somebody to record it, and I knew just who I was going to trick into doing it. Chelsey, my darling, my lovely assistant. You are the Vanna White to my Pat Sajak, the Rapunzel to my Flynn Rider; the-uh dog to that...other dog in Lady and the Tramp-you get the point! I had set her up on a bench outside of the admin office on base while I went in to sign my discharge papers. Fed her some BS like ‘record me flipping them all off while I leave’ or something. It was all ready. So, I came down the second floor steps with my papers, got to the door, and...stood there trembling as I desperately tried to make sure I had memorized the lyrics I was going to sing...for an extra 15 minutes. After resolving myself to it and steadying my heart, I bit the bullet and came out. ‘For the Dancing and the Dreaming’ from the ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ movies. It was one of her favorites and a loving piece of two people declaring the lengths they would go for each other in marriage, and I made it a solo with lyrics written especially for her. And...despite the knot I had been carrying in my stomach that day since the moment I woke up...it was perfect, and despite the shakiness of my voice when I finally was able to ask her… ...She said yes.