I said “YES”

Let me start this off by saying, this is going to be a long one. To tell you a little bit more about my relationship, Mario and I met at McMaster University through orientation week. At this point in my life, my family had just moved to Caledon from Toronto, and no one … I mean NO ONE, knew where Caledon was. It became this annoying ice-breaker conversation from hell: 

“where are you from?”
“well originally I’m from Toronto, but my family just moved to Caledon!”
“where’s Caledon?”
“well do you know the city Brampton?”
“ya”
“it’s just north of there”
“oh… cool” (still has no idea where it is)

 After doing that about 3090499782 times, I was over it and left out where my family currently resided. So when I walked up to Mario and said hi, and he asked where I was from – I had zero intention of telling him, so instead I told him my family moved and he probably wouldn’t know where it is. Which apparently sparked his interest, because he pressed as to where. When I said Caledon, he replied so was he!!

This started a two-year friendship, which blossomed into a relationship one summer that we were both home. Mario graduated from McMaster with an Honours Bachelor of Chemical Engineer and Management, while I graduated with a Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, and went on to complete another 4 years to be a chiropractor. We had to do the long distance thing for a bit, until we both came home to Caledon. We’ve had our ups and downs, but have always gotten through it together. He’s my best friend, and I still get butterflies when I see him. After five years of dating here we are, December 2019, where our engagement story begins.

You should know, this was a super busy time, I was working 6 days a week at two clinics, I just launched my own in-home chiropractic care business, and had just won the Recent Graduate Award with the Ontario Chiropractic Association. Oh and on top of that, I decided to start a “Holiday Health Challenge” for the month with my Instagram followers, which meant that I was exercising 4-6x a week, and eating as healthy as I could.

Now you should also know that I love the summer and all of its tanned skin, warmth, and relaxed vibes, which means I also detest winter (with the exceptions of my birthday on December 22nd, Christmas, and New Years) because I dislike being cold. So when Mario suggested I don’t book anything on a random Tuesday before my birthday so we could celebrate it together, I didn’t think anything of it.

Except, I kept forgetting about it.

I need to plan out my schedule for every day, week, and the month to make sure I get everything done that needs to be. So, Mario and I have a shared google calendar… except he didn’t put my pre-birthday plan in it. I had schedule myself to work that day… which I had to switch, I had schedule breakfast with my aunt for that morning… which I had to reschedule. Each time, I would pester him like WHAT is the big DEAL. Can’t we just celebrate ON my birthday??? Apparently he had already “bought something” – which most people would think how loving and thoughtful it was. Well, I was so overworked and overtired I kept saying to him how all I wanted was to sit at home on the couch and eat pizza. Again, apparently could not be done.

 So on Monday December 16th was just like any other day, I wake up and go to one clinic, then at the lunch hour drive to my second, and usually take the day off from the gym because I am so exhausted. However, since I was doing my Holiday Health Challenge, and Mario had said we were eating at a restaurant the next day – I sucked it up and went to the gym. I got home that evening at 10:30 pm, exhausted from my 14 hour day. When I called him that night he said I should be ready by 9:45 am, 10 am the latest he next day, and to “dress for the cold but look cute”.

Now this time given was not exceptionally early, but given that I had just gotten home and in about 12 hours I had to be ready to leave again, I was so annoyed I took bratty to a whole new level. I huffed and puffed about how tired I was, how this was my day off and I wanted to sleep in not put on make-up, do my hair and look cute, on top of the fact I had no idea where we were going. I asked Mario to tell my sister what we were doing so she could help me pick out an outfit, but all I did is complain about how I would freeze in anything.

My suspicion was that we were going downtown Toronto to the Distillery District for the Christmas market, followed by a nice lunch close by. So I finally settled on wearing a skirt with panty house and a blouse, and brought leggings and a turtle neck to put over my outfit depending on the situation at hand. 

I woke up on Tuesday December 17th, exhausted and cranky, and at 9:45 am when the doorbell rang, my hair was curled, my makeup was done, and I was almost good to go… but not quite ready yet. I am naturally a late person. Always. Which has been a sore spot in our relationship because Mario prefers to be on time. When he got here and I wasn’t downstairs waiting for him, I was just waiting for a fight to start. So when I get downstairs and has a big smile plastered on his face, I thought it had condescending origins and I was going to have to hear about it in the car. Which is why when he kindly asked if I need any help, I sharply replied “'I’m fine, I can do it MYSELF.” 

Again, not my shining moment. After a debate about what coat, scarf, and shoes to put on (I brought two pairs just to be safe), we were in the car, breakfast in hand, on our way. Where we were going, I had no idea, but once I started eating the excitement kicked in (and the hanger was gone). At one point going on the highway, to go to Toronto we would keep left on the highway, but instead we went to the right in the complete opposite direction. 

“Can you guess where we’re going” he asked …it took a minute before it dawned on me that we were going to Hamilton, the city that’s home to McMaster University, aka our second home. We had been talking about going to Hamilton for a date day for quite some time so I was ecstatic. We spent the rest of the car ride reminiscing about all of the memories we have made here, so when he drove past the university I was a bit perplexed. What’s BEYOND the university?? As we kept driving I started to recognize the area,

“are we going to a waterfall??”
“yes! I thought you could take some nice pictures for your Instagram”
“we don’t need to do that today, I just want to spend time with you!”
“we’ll take a couple and then get going” 

Alright made sense to me, it was a winter wonderland since it has just snowed and there was a fresh white fluffs of snow falling from the trees and covering the floor.

“alright so this is the outdoor portion of the day?”
“ya”
“ok so pass me my turtleneck”
“you don’t need it”
“Mario, it’s freezing out that’s why I brought it”
“the pictures won’t look good with it, just leave it”
“MARIO, PASS ME THE SWEATER”
(this went on for about 5 minutes, some profanity may have been used) 

I ended up not putting on the sweater, but didn’t change out of my tall leather boots for my cute booties I brought. Instead when we got out of the car he said he had a surprise for me, and opened the trunk and said: “I brought us a picnic”

Now unlike most people who think this is a thoughtful, romantic gesture. My brain immediately recognized the fact that I did not have my turtleneck on, was wearing pantyhose, and therefore would freeze (potentially to death, unsure) and so my remark was: “are you stupid” (again, in hindsight, not the best reply I could have come up with)

He proceeded to explain how it was just some hot chocolate, and we were not going to be eating lunch outside in the cold. So on we went, all dressed up, walking into this magical snow covered forest, picnic basket in tow, me continuously complaining for dramatic effect, yet every so often pausing to take in how beautiful everything was… only to continue complaining. Totally normal Tuesday, still did not see it coming, because I definitely would have complained less.

Once we get to the waterfall, it is breathtaking. There are a couple of photographers there, snapping it’s national geographic-esque beauty. There is a wooden platform with stairs leading to it, where Mario suggests we set up the blanket. As he’s pouring me the hot chocolate into these cute little mugs he brought, and I’m looking around and notice that one of the photographers looks very similar to one of his cousin’s friends that had just taken pictures at her son’s baptism. When I pointed this out to him, he informed me she has a familiar face, made sense to me. I tell him to put our mugs together so we can take a picture of them by the falls, after which he tells me to have a seat on the blanket.

Once I make it down there, hot chocolate in hand (in my boots and skirt, midst a snowy filled day I might add), he proceeds to tell me to get up for a second so he can adjust the blanket. But there was plenty of room, so I was like ??????????????????????? 

He offers to hold my mug, as I grumble and get to my feet. When I turn around, he’s on one knee and asked me to marry him - the rest is an absolute blur of words, shock, tears, and absolute paralyzing excitement.

The photographer rushes in (I was right!!!), as Mario pulls out champagne from the picnic basket and I am absolutely stunned and bewildered that this is actually happening. We called both of our families, cue more tears, and we spend the rest of the day taking pictures at McMaster, going for a wonderful lunch, and reminiscing around the city.

I feel so incredibly lucky and blessed, to have found my soulmate, best friend, and life partner and to have had such an amazing surprise (despite my undeserving demeanour throughout it all). I cannot wait to spend the rest of our lives together, cheers to the start of a new chapter and to let the wedding planning begin!

Xoxo,

Coffee ( & fiancé) Loving Chiro