Peter I would say the story of our engagement started when I was on an extended trip to Australia and New Zealand with my family in June 2008. Three weeks of being apart after almost four years together got my wheels turning and I started thinking about when I would ask Suzie to marry me.

Nobody’s ever accused me of rushing into things: it took six months for me to ask for her parents blessing over the Christmas holidays and even then, I knew I wasn’t going to ask her right away. I picked up her ring in mid-February and tucked it in the back of a dresser drawer…and peeked on it every so often.

I made plans for a nice dinner on Saturday March 7, 2009, a date significant because it was all odd digits and it was the night before we were leaving for a little R&R in Lancaster, PA. A few days before, I called Suzie’s mom to let her know she should expect a call on Saturday night from Suzie.

Suzie Peter told me that he wanted to take me out to dinner to celebrate my surviving two weeks of mid-terms prior to spring break. I’m sure that I was in my own little world all week. Saturday was a beautiful day—I was so excited to relax and be able to enjoy time with Peter. It was warm enough in the afternoon that I decided to wear a new dress to dinner.

We had been to the Georgetowne Inn before and I knew its location on top of Mt. Washington overlooking downtown and next to the Duquesne Incline was the perfect place, but I didn’t want to give it away by heading directly there. So I took a rather roundabout route.

I had absolutely no idea where we were going.

I think we were on a few different highways, one or two tunnels and half a dozen bridges before finally arriving at the foot of the Duquesne Incline—

One of my most favorite places in Pittsburgh. Peter and I had visited the incline on our very first trip to Pittsburgh, when he was looking at Carnegie Mellon for grad school. I always get excited when we ride the incline, or even drive past it!

We went inside the station and waited for the car to arrive. When it did, we went to get on, but there were three people who wanted to stay on and ride back up Mount Washington. Peter decided that we had some time, and that we should wait for the next car. I thought this was a little strange, but didn’t care—I was just happy to relax and enjoy the evening. There were many people waiting for the next car, so again, we waited.

I was trying to get a car alone, but it didn’t work out. So I went to plan B. We took the next car up with another family and headed next door for dinner. It was still fairly warm outside when we were done, so we stopped at an overlook next to the incline and gazed across the river at downtown Pittsburgh. There were a handful of other people around, but I was in the zone and didn’t pay attention to them.

Peter was standing behind me with his arms wrapped around me. He whispered in my ear about how he loved me and how he loved the idea of growing old together and that he had one simple question for me. He turned me around to face him and I began to wonder: is he proposing?!

Peter took my hands in his, got down on one knee and asked, “Suzie, will you marry me?”

I’ll never forget the look on her face—she was so excited and so surprised. She said yes immediately and started to cry, as I pretty much expected. And I felt overjoyed and relieved.

We stood out on the platform for a bit and I asked Peter to place the beautiful engagement ring on my finger. After the wind got to be too much, we went inside and rode the incline back down to the car. I was so surprised and so happy.

After spreading the news to our families, we went to Gullifty’s in Squirrel Hill to celebrate with dessert. What a wonderful ending to a perfect night!

After church the next day, we left for the Bedford Springs Resort for a night and Pennsylvania Dutch country for two more nights. What was originally spun as a relaxing few days turned into an engagement celebration trip—even more exciting.

And more than a year later, here we are today!