Popping the Question


Asking the one you want to spend the rest of your life with to marry you is not always the easiest task especially if you are shy. I have to admit I didn't make Phillip's proposal simple in some ways but then in other ways he did pop the question in a less traditional way than most men prepared to ask his girl to marry him.

April 6,1974 Phillip and I were on our way to Lapeer or Waterford Michigan to attend my cousin Don DeVaugh's wedding. We were just a couple miles from Phillip's parents home in Milan, driving along, discussing my cousin's upcoming wedding. This was our conversation:


Phil: You know some day we will be doing this.

Cathy: Oh, really.....when?

Phil: When do you want to?

Cathy: I don't know. I haven't been asked, yet.

Phil: Will You?

Cathy: Will I what?

Phil: Will you marry me?

Cathy: Yes!

(kiss,kiss,kiss)

As you see there was no flowers, bended knee, candlelight dinner or romantic music. Although Phillip was not hesitant to bring me flowers during our courtship nor since our marriage. In fact after writing & saving this for Phillip to proof read I have come back to add that just today my Darling Husband brought me B E A U T I F U L hot pink roses. I just got back from a week spent in Kansas with our son and daughter-in-law while our grandson was having open heart surgery. It was a welcome home surprise!

Now unless you think that my proposal was too easy wait till you hear how the story went as Phillip asked my Dad for permission to marry me. For some reason it sounds like (looking back) that we did things alittle backwards. I do believe Phillip asked me before he asked Dad for permission! LOL Of course there was no sense asking Dad if I was going to say NO! (not a chance!)

One weekend following my cousin's wedding Phillip came to my house. It was Sunday night and the next morning I would be returning to Pt. Pleasant School and Phillip would go to Michigan to work. After Church we had an evening snack. Dad & Mom went to their room but their door was open so Phillip & I went to their doorway. I don't remember what all was discussed but it had NOTHING to do with why we were there. My Dad pulled his shoes off. Every once in a while just to shake Phillip up I would begin a sentence with " Well we are going to ....." or " We would like to....." or just a long drawn out "Wellllllllllllll......" Dad pulled his socks off. We continued talking. Dad pulled his shirt from his pants. Now I'm running out of things to say to stall my Dad from going to bed. Mom is fussing around the room, picking up this & that THEN Dad does take off his shirt. He REALLY wants to go to bed after that lovely evening snack. He yawns.... Still we stall for more time. This stalling goes on for several minutes.Then just as I am ready to give up on Phillip's courage he asks "May I have permission to marry your daughter?" Dad is VERY pleased that he will soon be granted the privacy to retire for the evening and readily says "if you feel this is God's Will for your lives then you have our Blessing." Hugs and congratulations were offered all around and the officially engaged couple, with a sigh of relief, leave my amused parents room.
Thus began the planning stage of an August 31st,1974 wedding.