A 'moo'ving proposal

Tim Walsh and Stef Gardiner-Walsh, Coaldale and Winston-Salem, N.C.

I met my husband in college. Our first summer apart, I made him a Build-a-Bear cow, dressed in a denim skirt, with a red shirt that said "I LOVE YOU" and sent it to him. We had a cow theme going based on the fact that AIM "moooo-ed" when we logged on.

Fast forward three and a half years later to a discussion that true love and sacrifice is going to Build-a-Bear as a single man with no children.

Fast forward two days later: We were out for dinner on a typical night. Nothing exciting, nothing special, nothing out of the normal except that Tim was actually having alcohol with his meal very out of the ordinary.

Dinner finished and we went to the car. He handed me a big box (from Build-a-Bear). Being a girl, I instantly did that "OMG THAT'S SO CUTE" reaction (remembering noted conversation) and pulled out a matching male cow to the one I had made him. I noticed something stuck to it's paw ... tape ... with ... a ... ring ... and the shirt! It said "WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

We have the matching set with our wedding memorabilia ... and he has the perfect reason to never be creative again, because all his creativity was used in that moment!