Saturday, February 24, 2007

My Sister Is Engaged

I arrive home from work last night to a bottle of champagne and a gift bag on the dinning room table. "What a nice gesture from my lovely wife! It looks like it's my lucky day!" With bottle in hand, I had already started the opening process when, in walks Kelly exclaiming "Ryan, that's not for you! It's for Katie and Tom, he's proposing tonight!" Wow is that something you don't hear everyday. She goes on to tell me that Tom is planning on heading over to his new apartment and plans to propose out front on the stairs. I immediately start running around our house getting my cameras all setup as the plan was for them to head over to our apartment after the proposal to celebrate.

While counting down the minutes to their arrival, Kelly and I have some discussions about possibly getting some photos of the actual proposal. Now this is a risky endeavor. I wanted nothing to do with it. The possible risk of getting seen with camera in hand wasn't worth the reward in my eyes. However, Kelly felt otherwise and we all know how this turns out.

So it's 7:00pm CT. I put on my coat, grab by camera and catch a cab to their new apartment. As we get close, I feel like an undercover agent. I have the driver drop me off a few doors down the street and I quietly slide out of the cab on the opposite side of the street. My heart is pounding by now. Across the street from Tom's new apartment is a big church with an open parking lot. I first think this would have been an ideal hiding spot but after walking around there was nowhere to hide. The row of bushes providing my cover felt like the game you play with a baby. The one where you put your hands in front of your face and exclaim to the baby, "You can't see me! Peek-a-boo!"

So it's now 7:20pm CT and I'm a sitting duck and Katie and Tom are going to be here any second now. I walk back where I got out of the cab and cross the street. I get to the sidewalk and glance towards his apartment and who do I see? You're damn right. Tom with Katie in hand. "@#$%. That's it. I've just ruined one of the biggest events of their life. Good work Ryan."

I dive in between two houses and try to figure out how to dig myself out of this one. By the time I even attempt to take another peek down the sidewalk, I hear Katie yell with excitement. I peek out and they are already walking away from me to presumably catch a cab to our apartment.

Since I already missed this big event, I didn't want to miss them at our apartment. So I take off running. I'm dressed in a nice black coat, dress shirt, pants and shoes but am sprinting as fast as my Kenneth Cole's will take me. After the 8 block sprint, I bust into our house and explain the dilemma to Kelly. I'm dripping sweat and we're both thinking we've just ruined the night.

About 2 minutes later, the front door buzzer rings and Kelly and I hold our breath. They walk in and Katie tells us everything. As I'm listening and wiping the sweat off my brow from the sprint, it becomes clear that they never saw me. So Tom's plan was executed without hitches, Katie said yes and now Tom's my new brother. Life is good.

Here are some pictures from a truly great evening. I'm working on a video from the night as well which I hope to post by EOD.

Here is a direct link: http://picasaweb.google.com/rstrauss/20070223TomAndKatieSEngagement.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

congrats to katie and t2s!!!! can someone please call me - i'm half-way across the globe w/ no cell phone. lt

Kelly said...

Lauren, we talked about getting a calling card all day yesterday! I sprang up when I heard the phone ring this morning. Sorry I missed it... I was in a deep sleep. What number did you call me from if you don't have your cell?
It is soooooooo exciting that Tom and Katie are engaged! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!
I was trying not to go in to labor the day of the engagement so I laid on my left side till about 7:00 and then got dressed about 10 minutes before they arrived. Phewwww! I could just forsee me ruining the whole evening by having the baby.