We're getting married!

On a sunny Thursday morning, Isaac turned to her in their garden and said, "you'd better pack your bags; we're going somewhere." Settled in the car, Isaac passed V a note that said "my friend --" and gave a clue as to where they were going. Unknown to V, Isaac had saved a photo of her bucket list for at least three years. This first clue was a hint at her bucketlist item "go to goodwill in Beverly Hills," and Isaac took her to the coolest goodwill store she's ever been in. Successive notes came, starting with "my dear" "my lover" "my partner" . . . Each coinciding with our next stop to check off one of Veronica's bucketlist items (the beach to send a note in a bottle, etc). At dinner, Isaac passed Veronica a little ring box, and she panicked for a brief moment-- all for nothing. It wasn't the ring, but adorable handmade stone frogs to reference a moment early in their relationship (prior to dating). Years ago, at speech and debate nationals, Veronica was dribbling a basketball outside the group's airbnb for hours because she was stressed. Isaac sat at the door for over an hour holding a frog and waiting for V to take a break and realize Isaac was there with an amphibian. We still joke about Isaac sitting, cupping a frog in hand, waiting forever while V was hyperfixating on the basketball. So a frog, not a ring. After a night in Temecula, Isaac woke V up early to tick off one last bucket list item: a hot air balloon at dawn. The California hills stretched out below, and we watched coyotes chase each other and play. Shortly before it was over, Isaac pulled out a copy of Veronica's favorite book (East of Eden) with a wedding ring tied to it-- and she said yes. Later we learned that one of the hot air balloon crew members had gotten sick that morning, so the other couple scheduled for a ride had their ride cancelled. Let's just say we got SUPER lucky, and are very glad Isaac told them it was a wedding proposal in advance!