Manuel's Version:

The day I proposed to Gina she wasn't in a very good mood. She had been hoping to go out of town, unfortunately we hadn't been able to make our schedules connect.  I had already planned on proposing that day and had gone earlier that morning to pick up her ring from the jewelers.

While I was out running around, she was at home pouting. I stopped by work to see if I could buy a couple of champagne glasses. To my surprise when I told the owner what I had planned and flashed him the ring he not only gave me 2 glasses, but he also gave me a bottle of their best champagne as well.

I put the bottle and the glasses in a duffle bag and stuffed  it with pillows.  When Gina asked what was in the bag I told her it was clothes from my house.  I told her I wanted to go to Boulder because I wanted her to see my grandmothers "Thinking Spot" which is the same place we spread her ashes after she passed away.  When we got to the bottom of the mountain right at dusk, we discovered that the road was closed.  We would have to hike up the mountain to the top in the dark, the snow and the fog.

When we got to the top I told her that I loved her and wanted to scream it from the mountain tops.  Then I got down on one knee in the snow and asked her to marry me.  She started crying and said yes.  Then I brought out the bottle of champagne and we toasted the rest of our lives together.

Gina's Version:

Was I ever cranky that day!  I had been pining for a trip to the mountains, just the two of us.  When we couldn't get everything organized I resorted to my usual way of coping; I pouted. Manuel was out running around all day while I sat at home.  When he came home later that afternoon he told me he wanted to drive to Boulder.  He had spoken of visiting his grandmother’s place several times before, so I was excited.  If we couldn't go somewhere over night at least we could go to the mountains for awhile!

Once we got there and the road was closed I knew something was going on.  Manuel hates the cold, but he wanted to walk up the mountain in the snow right at dark.  He was lugging a huge duffle bag around with him too.  I figured that there were blankets in it to keep us warm when we got to the top.  I thought "Wow!  I was being such a baby today and he he is still willing to sit outside in the cold with me. He even brought blankets!"

So, we hiked up the icy, snowy mountain.  Manuel even slipped a couple of times but he just kept on going.  Once we got to the top we stood there for a bit and looked out at what little wasn't covered by fog.  Manuel turned towards me and told me he loved me.  He then said that he wanted everyone and god as his witness when he asked me to marry him. He then dropped to one knee in the snow (Which I knew had to make him cringe) and pulled out the ring.  He looked up into my eyes and asked me if I would marry him. I could hardly contain myself. I hopped a little and said "yes!!".

Going with my theme for the day, I cried like a baby. I was so happy!  Not only had he hiked up the mountain in the cold to propose, but he knelt down in the snow. I knew then that he was definitely the perfect man for me.

The only thing that made the day better (not that it was really possible after that) was that Manuel not only had he found a way to honor his grandmother, but he proposed on my grandmother’s 70^th birthday.  It was beautiful!