A young couple approached us while Steve and I were taking pictures of the two of us on the shores of West Traverse Bay. The young man asked if we would take their picture. I said, sure, but my husband was the photographer and I, the writer. As Steve positioned them by a large rock near Grand Traverse Lighthouse, I made small talk.
“Hi, we’re Steve and Teresa. Where are you two from?” I asked.
“We’re from Bay City–I’m Abbey, and he’s David. We’re celebrating our 5th anniversary,” said Abbey.
“Congratulations—so, you’ve been married 5 years.”
“Well, we’ve been together for 5 years,” Abbey said.
“Oh, we’ve been married for 34 years, and still taking photos of each other!”
As they pose for another picture, I commented, “You must be a very patient gal.”
At that moment, David looked at me, and then asked Steve if he’d take another picture. The thought went through my mind that maybe I should have kept the comment about being patient to myself. Just then, David knelt down in front of Abbey as he reached into his pocket. Out came a beautiful flashy diamond ring while at the same time, he said,
“Abbey, will you marry me?”
Steve and I stood there, mouths open, Abbey teared up, and I said, “Oh, my goodness!”
Together we said, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU TWO! How very exciting! We left them alone to kiss and hug. Later, they tracked us down and David mentioned my “being patient” comment. He confessed they’d been waiting until after he graduated. She was due to graduate in May.
How cool to be in on the ground level of this young couple’s proposal and new life together as husband and wife. David and Abbey: We wish you many joyful years ahead.
