Getting down with the Duseks

We met through mutual friends 16 years ago. Always talking and keeping in touch. No matter where life took us we always seemed to find our way back to one another. We always knew what to say to make each other laugh. We were always honest and real. Never knowing how important we truly were to one another. Until the day it all changed in October of 2015.

Chris and I have always told one another everything from day one. When we decided to take our relationship to the next level, a conversation at some point in time came up about marriage. Chris had told me that he had a 3 year rule. That he would never propose to a woman before being with them for a minimum of three years. He felt that was a sufficient amount of time to really get to know someone, and figure out if that was the woman he wanted to marry for sure. We never really discussed marriage too much after that point because I figured it wouldn't be a thought in his mind until around our 3 year mark. About 1 1/2 years into our relationship Chris began to act very strange and closed off....just completely out of his normal self. I began to worry and I would talk to my two sisters about my concern. I was very worried that Chris may found someone new and better and didn't know how to tell me. We had made plans for that coming summer (2017) to go to Cornucopia, Wisconsin, where my grandparents live for a week. Chris had a great idea to get my entire family to go up with us. It had been 14 years since all three of us sisters would have been up there together at the same time. Once we were up there I told both of my sister's again that I was scared that something was going on with Chris and I thought I might lose him. They both told me how silly I was and that he loves me and to let it go. On July 4th, once everyone arrived we decided to take a boat trip to the island in the middle of the lake my grandparents live on (my favorite place). The entire family went. When we got there we walked around for a little bit. Then it happened, he knelt down next to me. I thought he had to tie his shoes, but when I looked down at his bare feet, realized what was happening. My eyes filled with tears as he asked "Toni Elizabeth, will you marry me?" I sobbed, YES! I couldn't believe it, this whole time he was acting funny was because he is terrible about hiding things from me.💚♾💙