on ice

I had to share this image and setting, sent from a reader who shared her proposal story, on ice.

The proposal:  This is the Ross Sea of Antarctica Ice Shelf -- 100 feet high -- and the only way to get to the flat top is by helicopter.  My husband-to-be and I met because we were adventurers and more than any place, we believe Antarctica was "heaven" on this earth.  Our ship, the Kapitan Klebnikov had two helicopters to get us to places otherwise no one ever had touched.  At this point, crew members flew in first, cut tables out of the flat ice on top before we arrived and had champagne and champagne glasses for us when we arrived in groups of 6.  By the time Paul and I (Joan) had flown in, out of nowhere a large group of Adelie penguins had appeared out of nowhere and were milling around in their black and white garb, looking like celebrants.  Already, it had been one of the most exciting moments of my life to do what -- as far as we knew -- no one else had ever achieved -- but then as we walked with our big red jackets and our bunny boots as far as we cared to walk, looking out at the icebergs like fanciful sculptures of an art museum floating past far below, Paul proposed.  I cried and then I must have smiled as I have never done.  We were in our favorite place in all the world on this glorious day, surrounded by penguins in their little tuxedos already, and we knew without any doubt that we WERE in heaven. 

Yes, we have gone back . . . for this is the magic that we thought was only dreamed about . . . but found it was real.  Heaven~!

Joan Larsen