On May 30, we went to one the most under-appreciated of the National Parks in the Washington area - Theodore Roosevelt Island, one of our favorite places in the city.

Not knowing that a marriage proposal was coming, Susan actually made the picnic dinner and a cake. After dinnner, we went for a walk around the island. About halfway around the island, Susan turned to walk to the platform overlooking the swamp. Yes, the swamp.

We took a few of our signature self portraits and then Don took a ring out of his pocket and got down on one knee. Later Don said he was careful to get on only one knee, because to kneel on two knees is to beg.

When Susan saw the ring, she touched it just to make sure she wasn't imagining it.

Don said something like "It's been a long time since I could imagine my life without you, so I was hoping you would make it official."

And Susan said, "I do."

Yeah - she said, "I do." Then she corrected herself and said, "I mean, I will. I will make it official."

Don forgot to say, "Will you marry me?", but Susan didn't even notice. Then we took another self-portrait and discovered later that less than 60 seconds had passed since the last one. Don said it felt a lot longer because he was only 90 percent sure Susan would say yes.

The ring Don gave Susan originally belonged to his great-grandmother (his mother's mother's mother), Gladys Smith. It's a transition cut diamond, produced from 1918 through the mid to late 1920s and is the last style made before the brillant cut diamond was perfected. Susan loves it and still can't stop looking at it.

We finished our walk around the island and saw lots of deer and even a beaver swimming in the Potomac River. See more pictures of the day on Don's Flickr stream.