Her family was on vacation in Alaska. She had spent a few days with me and my family in the summer, missing the beginning of her family's vacation. We knew the engagement would happen over the next month or so, so we had picked out the ring she liked. She left after shabbos and then joined her family in Alaska after spending shabbos with us. I had the jeweler work feverishly to have the ring 3 days later on Wednesday, and flew up on Thurs to surprise her in Anchorage.
I had arranged with her parents beforehand that Thurs afternoon, on the return drive from Denali, they'd stop at the Anchorage Marriott (one of the tallest hotels in the city) to "go to the observation deck to look out at the city." I was able to get in touch with the General Manager of the hotel and was able to set everything up on the observation deck. I brought a bottle of wine, though the hotel had a bottle of kosher wine on-hand as well from a previous kosher event there! Surprised her once the whole family came out of the elevator and walked outside. Had the ring with me
. Spent shabbos with her family in Anchorage and then returned Motzei shabbos.
Good times!