Like most 20 - somethings using societal medium , my Facebook newsfeed often have " Jane Doe is now engaged to John Smith " posts , with requisite thumbs - up , squeals of glee from champion , and exposure of the engagement rings . Last weekend brought a round of several new proposals , but one in particular caught my center — it was so unique and so wonderfully nerdy that I had to share it with you all .
On Sunday , September 23 , Mike Muller proposed to my protagonist Rebecca Berkowitz at the Library of Congress’sNational Book Festivalon the National Mall . With a ring veil in a Bible . A record that was then autographed — and illustrated!—by the author .
The accompanying caption on Facebook : " Oh you cognise just hanging out in the media collapsible shelter at the home book fete on the mall await to be interviewed about my battle ! ! ! ! "
But let ’s set off at the beginning …
Becca and Mike date for years . Last twelvemonth , though , they broke up ; at the time , they were live several states apart and still figuring out their post - college lives . While they were intermit up , Becca discovered
Craig Thompson
’s autobiographic pictorial novel
Blankets
( 2003 ) , which picture Thompson ’s coming - of - age and first love . ( The book won 3 Harvey Awards in 2004 , 2 Eisner Awards in 2004 , 2 Ignatz Awards in 2004 , and the Prix de la critique , a French award for just comic album / book , in 2005 . ) She encouraged Mike to read
as well , her message to Mike being for them " to have religion and to let each other raise and see if we come back together . "
They rekindled their relationship during a New Year ’s head trip to Costa Rica , where Mike buy a wooden lady hemipteran box — lady bugs have a special significance to them — and they agree that if he was ever to propose , the ringing would go inside that very lady bug box .
So when Mike headed to the DC area last weekend to visit Becca , he brought the madam hemipteran box , an engagement ring he design himself , and one of their two copies ofBlankets , in which he had carved a ringbox - sized hole . The initial marriage proposal program necessitate theCapybara exhibitat the Smithsonian , which would have been equally nerdy . That fell through , though , so Mike moved on to Plan B : the National Book Festival .
" We had a few grand moments to ourselves , " Mike says , before the residual of the fans realized what had happened . The happy match was soon being cheered and photographed by the Thompson lover around them , and word of the proposal quickly spread . The Festival worker " thought the idea was wondrous " and photographed the two to pinch the newsworthiness . " It occupy a full 20 minute of arc for us to realizetheyhad broken to word to our friend and family before we could , " Mike tell me ; they then rushed out " the distinctive Facebook update " to alarm their nearest and dearest .
Thetweetthat broke the story from the Junior League of Washington
And then their happy day arrive even better . Mike and Becca were belt along to the front of Thompson ’s signing occupation , where " Thompson seeemed as unrestrained as [ they ] were . " Mike reports that Thompson " was as friendly as could be " and was " flattered " that his rule book mean so much to them and was such an integral part of their story . Thompson not only bless and dedicated their marriage proposal copy ofBlankets , he also drew a personal icon in it .
Becca , an elementary teacher , considers it " a teacher ’s pipe dream to be ' engaged ' in a Bible . " Mike , an draw a bead on author , find out the whole affair " surreal , " to have a story " leave the pages and follow to life in such a genuine and profound way . " As he wrote to me , " We were able to touch the story that inspire us [ Craig Thompson ’s amazing work ] and build it into our own , reinventing the narrative of our life with every stone’s throw of the way . All - in - all , not a high-risk Plan B. "
I have to agree with his appraisal — not a spoiled Plan B at all !
Congratulations, Mike and Becca!
All picture good manners of Rebecca Berkowitz and Mike Muller .
