Lovelands greatest proposals

My wife, Eileen, and I had gone to high school together graduating in 1976.  Although we knew of each other we only had one class together and ran in different circles one of us was a scholar athlete the other was not.  We both had our separate 20-year careers, marriages,families, and subsequent divorces.

Through reunions we became friends and began a long distance relationship, Eileen in Pennsylvania and myself here in Loveland.  As we became more serious, Eileen moved out to Loveland since herchildren were grown and out of the house and mine were still in school. My life was filled with many moves as an Air Force dependent and my own subsequent Air Force career, so once I found Loveland in 1993 I knew this was my last move. I had found my home.

One of the activities we participate in as a couple is to go every year to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. My brother, Wayne, is part of the crew for the Zia balloon and we go down to ABQ during thefestival and guest crew with the team.

During the festival it is oftendifficult to get a ride because there are so many dignitaries that areinvited to fly. In 2011, Eileen and I were both chosen by our pilot, Tom McConnell, to fly for the day and although it was a great ride we had a windy landing where the basket got a bit torn up but everyone was physicallyokay.

So with that background Ill tell you our story.  In the fall of 2012, I decided that it was time to pop the question.  But how to do so and make it special was the question?  When I shared the news of the pending engagement with Wayne and friends they suggested that we tie it in with our ballooningfamily.  After clearing it with Tom, the plan was set in motion.

The day prior to the engagement Wayne and I made up some excuse to get away on our own so that I could put together a banner that would be deployed by the team as we left the balloon field on our flight.  The selection of the people to ride is typically a last minute decision and to ride two years in a row is uncommon at the festival.

The day of the flight our pilot called for Eileen and I to come hop into the basket.  Eileen jumped right in but I acted afraid citing our rough landing the year prior.  As we lifted off, Eileen was taking pictures of the hundreds of balloons filling with air and launching downfield.  When I saw the crew had deployed the proposal banner, I finally persuaded Eileen to pull away from the awesome view of all of those balloons and to look at the ground from where we had just launched.   It took her a few seconds but she finally figured out what was going on and said yes! The banner read, “Marry me, Eileen?” I yelled down “she said yes!” to the crew and a huge cheer erupted.

We had a glorious flight and were immediately met by the greatest balloon team at the festival.  They met us with the case of champagne that I had previously put in place and back at the launch field I got down on my knee for the “traditional” popping of the question in front of friends and family.   I used an old Irish Claddagh ring that Eileens children had given her years ago as a place holder until she could pick out her ring of choice.  She had retired it to a jewelry box thinking the plating had peeled off when all it really needed was a good cleaning so it worked perfectly.   We were married February 8, 2012 and she wears both rings daily.  It was a very special day and a story that most women love and most single men hate because the bar has now been set for their futureproposals.

via – Loveland Reporter-Herald