Melissa finally agreed to marry me, a little more than a year and a half after we started dating. The proposal was made on Manhattan Beach, California following a week in the Palm Desert and a day at Disney Land. (Too many of my friends have proposed at Disney, so I held off for a more unique setting.) The honest truth is that the proposal was not really a surprise -- Melissa was a very active participant in picking the ring. She wasn't, however, expecting the exact time and place. We had just finished breakfast at a little cafe before walking the waterfront with Tapas. I'm happy to report that she answered in the affirmative. The proposal date? June 1, 2008.