From the time we landed in Oahu for our Christmas vacation with our closest friends and family, Nick's mom, Cath kept suggesting we go down to the beach on Saturday (December 21st) to do a toast to Nick's dad, Jim and wish him a Merry Christmas and have a glass of champagne with him for the holidays. If you know Cath, this is a very likely request and considering I would do anything for this amazing woman I didn't bat an eye. Saturday rolls around and the weather couldn't be any worse. It is so windy that the rain is coming in sideways! Cath comes around and says "Looks like the rain is supposed to clear up around noon, is everyone still down to go to the beach?" Of course! Noon rolls around and sure enough the rain breaks. 20 plus people hop into rides and head to Kailua beach. We walk to the beach and literally have to stand horizontal to not get blown over by the wind! As we are all standing around talking story, Cath frantically runs up to me..."Meg, I forgot the champagne!!! Can you go grab a couple bottles from Kalapawai (a local market and deli on the beach)?!" Of course! And Darci and I walk to Kalapawai to grab some bubbles for Cath... We walk back to the beach where everyone is gathered, struggling to stand upright due to the wind. "How did we get everyone down here in such awful weather?!" As soon as we walk up, the group parts ways and Nicky walks up and grabs my hand. He leads me through the crowd of our amazing family and closest friends to a swing hanging from the tree...A heart drawn in the sand and Nicky drops down on one knee. Not sure if I even said YES, but i dropped down to the ground with him completely SHOCKED and covered him with hugs and kisses. Guess that means YES!!!

The fact that no one spilled the beans on this was absolutely astonishing! The amount of love and thought that went into making the swing is so special. Aunty Debbie handmade the macrame that the swing hangs from. Uncle Rick and Uncle Kevin made the swing and carved the letters and images into it. They were also the ones who ran to the truck when Darci and I went to go get champagne to grab the ladder and quickly hang the swing. Why is the swing so special you ask? A few years ago, Nicky and I were walking on Kailua beach and came up to a swing. Etched into the back of the swing was N + M. "Look Babe, I made this swing just for you!" (yeah right!!!) I totally did not believe him. "Uncle and I found it on the side of the road and we painted it in the shop last night. We came down at 6am and hung it up for you." This little stink had me believing this story for an entire week and even had the family in on it. Turns out, it was just coincidence! Until December 21st, 2019 when I finally got my swing.