I said, “Of Course!”

One of the most important days of my life was a crazy day in itself!

To start, I live on Nantucket, an island out to sea in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The morning of November 20th, I was supposed to pick my twin sister, Kristy, up at the ferry, and I accidentally slept in. As the ferry was arriving to the island she called and asked if I had left already. My crawling out of bed turned into sprinting around the house getting myself out the door. As she called me for a third time, I had my dog Maverick on the leash, coffee in hand telling her I was on my way. As I shut the door behind me, I got into my car and realized I didn’t have my car keys. I had locked myself out of the house!

As Maverick played with the next door neighbors, I scavenged around for a house key in my car and around the house to open the door, which I knew wasn’t anywhere but inside. I called my boyfriend (ah, the last time I have to say boyfriend), Kevin, with no answer. I sent a text sharing with him I locked myself out, pulled Maverick on his leash from the cute children and jogged over to the airport where he was working. As I approached the airport, there was an Osprey helicopter landing. I was mind blown to see such a large helicopter land at the airport. It was a one of a kind experience to watch it land and quite the sight, the first of many to happen that day. Kevin received my message and got me the keys so I could take his car and pick up Kristy. She had practically walked all the way to my house from the ferry which she was not thrilled about, and I don’t blame her. Oops.

Together, we did our rounds around the island while catching up on life. First, got her car which she had brought on island over the summer to use and left until she was ready to bring off island again. Second, dropped Kevin’s car back off at the airport, and third, took the dog for a walk. Then finally back home to get ready for our friend, Lindsey’s baby Bailey’s first birthday. Kristy left in her car to arrive early and help set up. Once Kevin got home at 1pm, he drove me to the party. It was precious seeing baby Bailey’s first birthday and caught up with family and friends of theirs. As we got to the cake cutting, Kristy shared we had to go to catch the sunset. In the rush, I waved my goodbye and we headed home to change.

It is traditional for Kristy and I to indulge a beautiful Nantucket sunset. We always get dressed up, do a little photo shoot then enjoy wine and a delicious charcuterie board together. For the proper send off and to close out the summer season we had to catch the sunset before she left. However, little did I know there was more in the making than just making it about Kristy. As we got into Kristy’s car to leave the party, we talked about what we had do with the limited time we had before sunset. I had to shower because my hair was greasy, planned on whitening our teeth, putting on make up and picking out our outfits. Kristy added, we will do our nails. I cut her off and sharply said “No. I’m not doing my nails. Clearly you do not understand that everything takes so much time, especially nails. It will take too much time to dry.” That’s when we broke into a fight and Kristy within a second ended up bawling her eyes. Stating that “this is the last time we are going to be together so please just do what I ask.” Caught off guard with her reaction and seeing her fragile state, I then surrendered and agreed upon doing it in the car to the sunset. As we got home we said hello to Kevin who was on the couch watching TV and we were in a whirlwind. As we rushed out the door, I grabbed the best champagne we had in the fridge, Veuve Clicquot and said, “we have to for Kristy’s last hoorah on island.”

On the way to Cisco Beach we had fun singing along with the music and applying our nail polish. Kevins Eminem song came on and I was blasting it singing it as loud as I could, “You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime. ” Foreshadowing what was ahead, however I did not know… did I make him more nervous?

As we arrived at the beach, it was the same ole set up the blanket and get ready to enjoy the sunset. As I laid out the blanket and took a seat, Kristy started to record. This is when the story now switches to the man who was waiting patiently letting his whole master plan come together. Kevin reached for my hand asking me to take a family photo with Maverick. I was more than delighted to do so with a gorgeous sunset behind us. As he pulled me up from the blanket, we embraced in a tight hug. That is when the sweet nothings came with sweet kisses in-between. Maverick was running around us Kevin said, “you know what my favorite day was?” and shared it was when we met because of baby Maverick. He brought me back to the memory of the past when we first met the last night I was on island my first summer. We happened to cross paths to say hello at the brewery nearby. I took his puppy in my arms and that is when our connection truly started. Kevin then spoke of the future, “I look forward to many more sunsets” and as I looked at him I was curious of why he was talking of the past and then of the future. In that moment his voice broke, he reached into his breast pocket and he said ” I have to ask you something…”

As I pondered what his question may be, I caught a glimpse of him reaching into his pocket. For a second, I thought it was a note he was going to read because he is a thoughtful note giver but instead he brought out a sparkly ring. Everything started to swirl around me as he got down to one knee. As he asked the beautiful words, “Kara, may I have your hand? Will you marry me?” with my mind racing… this is the moment! This is the moment a human awaits for in their lifetime and this is MY moment. My beautiful, wonderful, incredible moment with the very person I have always imagined spending the rest of my life with now down on his knee. In this split second of the moment, I quickly and confidently replied “Of Course!” and with that, Maverick jumped down the 5 foot dune onto the beach and Kevin placed the ring on my right hand.

As we watched Maverick run around the beach below, he placed the ring on my right hand and I started to giggle. I said he had placed it on the wrong hand. With us both looking at my sister for assistance, I switched it over to my left hand. I was getting all the butterflies and I could only imagine the relief Kevin had having that behind him. As we jumped down the dune to get Maverick, he brought up the Office, a show we like to watch. He said you know the Office when Jim met Pam. He bought the ring after a week of them dating, I always knew with you. Soaking in this very moment it was surreal. When he placed the ring on my finger I thought of how it is just a ring but when it comes from the very person I love and care for, it means the world.

From there we went on with a blur of photos, Kristy directing. We were on cloud nine with Kevin picking me up and swinging me around, kisses nonstop. After a long walk down the beach to get to the staircase that leads us up to the parking lot. Kristy stayed behind to let it just be Kevin and I with Maverick. I gazed down and admired how gorgeous my ring was. He picked a pear diamond similar to the one my mother received as her engagement ring. I have admired my parent’s beautiful marriage and wanted to commemorate them with the same shape. Then gorgeous diamonds leading down the side of the band. It sparkled and shined, looking like ice freezing my eyes from looking away.

As we came back, Kevin lifted Kristy from the 5 ft dune. We sat down in the chill of the aftermath of the sunset where the air started to crisp up. We popped the Veuve Clicquot and took a few sips cheering in celebration. The chill of the night started to set in and since we were at Cisco we decided to head to the brewery. I texted our whole immediate family on the way over and sent them some photos. I went to call my mom and Kristy said to be in the moment and call her later, she will understand.

As we were getting out of the car I was nervous to go to Cisco Brewers because how do I explain something so significant in my life to random people around me? Do I walk in with guns blazing telling everyone I come across or be shy and only if someone notices… Well I didn’t need to worry, because as we walked in the band stopped and announced we got engaged! I thought how weird…. how does the band know! Then as soon as I looked back at Kevin with a quizzical look I turned towards the liquor bar and first saw my mother then to follow my entire family and Kevin’s came storming! What a beautiful sight to see. I was taken in with all the love and all the excitement of the evening. Everyone I love and adore surrounded us. As the night progressed so did everyone’s happiness. Kevin had proposed!! We hugged all who were around and enjoyed being with our second family – the brewery staff! Once we closed down the brewery with our ending round of shots we went back to our home. We continued the celebration and ordered Thai house for dinner. Once our bellies were full, we wound down and called it a night.

At 3am I woke up and couldn’t sleep till Kevin left for work at 5:45am – early morning for him. In those twilight hours every moment was replaying in my mind. It felt all so surreal and truly remarkable with how Kevin had thought out every detail and included all our close ones to be there, coming from close and far. When Kevin left for work, I went back into a deep sleep and when I woke up in the morning at 9am everything felt surreal again. I have a ring on my hand! When I got out of bed, my family was moving slowly, so while they got ready for breakfast I took Maverick for a walk. On the walk, I gave my best friend who is a sister to me, Joanna and her husband, Sean a call and shared the whole experience. I was engaged! They were so thrilled and it was so fun to say it out loud for the first time to them. It was the first and not the last time, I was able to share the incredible day. I got back and joined my family for breakfast at Island Kitchen. We were having breakfast and my mom shared with our waitress I got engaged. I told her, “ unfortunately, my boyfriend is working right now” where my brother, Eric, corrected me and said “fiancé” we all laughed that’s when I was like wow…. I have so much to look forward to!

Later that day, we dropped my brother and his girlfriend, Paola off at the ferry. My mother and sister joined Kevin and I to Kevin’s family’s home in Madaket to do their annual Turkey plunge. We all geared up for the cold and took the plunge, it was a mind numbing exciting event that I was so happy my family could become apart of. A proposal Turkey plunge for all to enjoy! From there Kevin’s family; Jay, Diana, Maizy, and mine; Kristy and my mom headed back with us to our house where we talked about the events and ate food. They each shared their stories of the day unraveling of arriving to island and staying away or trying not to blow it. It was so fun and before we knew it our family all who were quick to arrive were headed off island. We brought them to the ferry, Steamship Authority, and said our goodbyes. Then once everyone was gone, Kevin and I headed back to the brewery with Kevin’s mother, Kathy, to continue the celebration being engaged!

November 20, 2021 will forever be a memorable today for Kevin, Maverick and me ❤

xox Kara