The History:

     I met Sea on July 21, 2000 during a camping trip organized by our church choir. As I recalled, it was not love at first sight. I do not believe in love at first sight, or true love is bestowed to the lucky few for that matter. Instead, I believe people grow into love and true love like all the beautiful things in life, is meant to be discovered by the gradual realization of  its inner beauty and its wonderful essence.  For the past 4+ years, I have found myself growing more and more in love with Sea. I have discovered in her, the beautiful simplicity, the nuturing nature, the endless patience, the wonderful kindness, simply put: the miracle of love.  I am truly blessed and excited to spend my life with Sea.

       The Proposal:

       Although, I and Sea have been together for 4+ years, we only saw each other 3 or 4 times a month since we lived far apart.  We spent many weekends together wandering on the beaches.  I love old lighthouses, Sea loves seashell hunting, and  we both love the ocean.  It was her love of seashells that I thought of the  idea for the proposal.  I wrote the proposal letter, wrapped it in nylon,  and tugged it inside a tiger seashell. I then staged for the seashell to wash up on the beach one afternoon.  Of course, we happened to stroll on the same beach on  that fateful afternoon :).   The seashell could not escape Sea's eyes.  Sea was so excited as she picked it up, and even more elated and surprised to find  the secret letter inside it.  Sea was very anxious to read the letter, but I wanted to build up the suspense, so I filled her mind with many theories about the letter.  I told her it may have been a suicide note from an ill-fated couple, a written vow between star-crossed lovers, or  a poem from a hopelessly romantic guy who wanted to profess his love to a destined stranger. Finally,  when we were back in our apartment after an 8 hour drive along the Oregon coast, Sea finally pulled the letter, now soaked with seawater slowly out of the seashell.  Of course, for one more suspense, not only I didn't sign the letter, I also faked my handwriting.  Sea can tell you how she realized the letter was from me.   Two months later, I bought Sea a Blue Topaz engagement ring for its color reminds us of the ocean that binds our hearts together. 

      The History:
      We met in July but did not date until a few months later. In the beginning, we were corresponding via emails. I remembered  patiently waiting for his email each night since every one of his emails was profusely romantic. I have been told that I am romantic, but he was definitely out of my league.  After a month of exchanging emails, I was hooked, and remained hooked ever since. Thinh continues to surprise me as time goes on with his wit and humor. He has wonderful qualities which I believe, are hard to find in men nowadays. I am the luckiest girl in the whole world, and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with him.

    
      The Proposal:
     After 4+ years together, Thinh moved to Oregon to become a professor. He asked me to come and visit him during the Labor day weekend. We drove along Oregon coast and stopped at almost every beach. It was at the Driftwood beach that I found the most beautiful seashell, radiating the most spectacular reflection. As I picked it up and turned over its side to listen to the ocean whisper, I was delighted to discover a scroll neatly tugged inside the shell. I told Thinh, “This is like the message in the bottle”. I looked around to see if it was meant for someone else, but no one was around.  I wanted to take the scroll out and read it at that very moment but Thinh convinced me not to because I might damage the scroll since it was soaking wet. Needless to say, I was anxious the whole afternoon.  That night,  I finally opened the scroll and stared at the unrecognized scribble.  Something about the words that I am almost certain only Thinh can write them. The letter ended with the famous question "would you be my darling wife?" I was astonished, overwhelmed.  I instinctly looked over at him and asked “really?” Thinh smiled.  How unromantic of me! Here, he asked me to marry him and all I could murmur was "really?".  I was elated and intoxicated.  It was like a beautiful dream  until I heard him said "you have not given me an answer." I realized I did not say anything for at least ten minutes. I was speechless, but of course my silence was simply the result of a million of "yes", spinning deliriously in my mind.