Originally published 5 February 2014. This is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me!

While I was sorry to leave Val, and I was so thankful for her and her Steve’s hospitality, I was looking forward to getting home to see my Steve when he picked me up at the airport in DC! I was a bit disappointed I hadn’t heard from him all afternoon, but I figured he was working hard and trying to get some things accomplished, taking advantage of not having me there to distract him. But that evening, I got a very suspicious series of texts…

Steve: Did you get upgraded tomorrow? Should be easy to check upgrade list on your phone. I’m curious.

Whit: Doesn’t look like it. Seat is 30A.

Steve: Interesting. Do you have the [United Airlines] app on your phone? You can check the upgrade list for your name and number.

Whit: Looks like I’m #2 in line for an upgrade. They’ve already upgraded 12 people, and there’s still one person ahead of me.

Steve: Anything else interesting about the list?

Whit: There’s an OHA, S under my name…?

Steve O’HAlek: Wow, what a coincidence!

Whit: Weird.

Steve: I’m at SFO [San Francisco airport]. I decided to meet you in BUR [Burbank airport] tomorrow at 6:00am instead of IAD [DC Airport] at 7:00pm.

And that’s when I called him! That is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me, and I get to marry that man! He’d been planning it for a week and a half, and he absolutely achieved the element of surprise! Val took me to the airport very early the next morning, and there he was! All the way in California, just to pick me up! That definitely made the trip home more fun and exciting. I love that man!

So there’s the exciting tale! I miss Val already, but I’ll be back out there soon! Thanks for the memories!