Our son and his love are engaged

I love them both so much and couldn't be happier for them. My son proposed on Friday in the brand new wedding and events hall beside the lake at camp, where his friend, who is a wedding photographer, captured these photos. The ruse was, she had just brought new lenses and asked my son and his girlfriend to come up and model for her in the woods at camp, so she could try them out. While she was doing that, her husband, my son's friend of more than a decade, who is now director of the camp and conference center, was getting the candles lit and the champagne set out. When they came back from taking pictures at dusk, he asked them if they wanted a tour of the new events hall, which hasn't yet been officially opened. My son's fiancée (love saying that!) didn't know what to make of the aisle made of candles. She said the whole thing felt surreal and otherworldly in the most breathtaking way, as if they were the only two people in the world.

Then on Saturday, my son and his love gathered with their two families for a day-long celebration filled with joy, laughter and so much wonder. My lovely daughter in law to be has been in our lives for going on five years now, and she seems to "get" our quirky boy, their love has only grown, and she has very much felt like a daughter to me from the start. My daughter once told her brother that if he didn't marry her, she would, so much sister love there is between them. As we all sat and shared a meal last evening, two families brought together by the love these two young people share, I looked around the table and reflected that these are the people with whom my husband and I will share our grandchildren. They are a generous, warmhearted and rich humored family. I raised my glass for all the toasts, smiling at my thoughts.

My niece/other daughter in Dallas commented on the pictures my son posted this morning: "Such a NY couple with the matching Tims. So happy for you guys."

I had to admit, the matching Timberland boots made the whole proposal uniquely them. When my son was a baby, I used to look at him and wonder what kind of man he would grow up to be, what work he would choose, who he would love. Now we know all those answers. May these two beloved young people be happy always. May they continue to be complete each other's sentences. May they always remain the best of friends.