She said yes! (eventually.)

Cut to September 17th, 2015. Doug's birthday! We had plans that night to go to dinner and to see our friend Aaron play his regular Thursday night set at Celtic Crossings, one of our favorite haunts.

Megan planned to get home early from work, wrap up some gifts for Doug, and be ready for a fun evening, but she got a flat tire on the way home! A nice fellow (named Doug...so strange) stopped to help Megan change her tire in the pouring rain when the Illinois Tollway minutemen failed to come to her rescue. After an almost-five-hour long commute home (when all was said and done) that night, Megan was in no mood to go out, but knew she couldn't deny her honey a trip to Crossings on his birthday!

Little did Megan know, Doug was planning to propose that night. He carried the ring around in his pocket the entire day. Doug conspired for weeks with our friend Aaron, a wonderfully talented guitarist and singer, to play Megan's favorite song from the musical "Once" while he popped the question.

We skipped our dinner reservation in lieu of pizza delivery, had cake, and Doug opened a couple of gifts. Then we headed out to Celtic Crossings for a pint and a song. We sat down at the end of an almost-empty bar, and turned our attention to the stage in the back.

Megan was facing away from Doug to view the stage. She was shocked when Aaron opened his set with a song she had never heard him play before...let alone one so obscure! Moments before the start of the show, Doug and Aaron had a summit in the men's room to go over last-second details and for Doug to reveal the sparkling piece of jewelry he had kept secret for months. 

As Aaron strummed and sang out the last line of "Gold" by Interference, Doug chimed in and sang along. Megan turned around in her seat to find Doug holding the most beautiful diamond ring, asking her to marry him. 

Before saying "yes," Megan asked, "Is it insured?!" It has been said that Megan took MANY minutes to finally say "yes," and that she had to be asked once more if she would marry Doug, just to be sure. 

We celebrated all night long with Guinness, music, phone calls to loved ones, and tears. And Guinness. The bartender even scrounged up a bottle of champagne from the cellar! Best. Birthday. Ever.