Lisa and I got married eight days ago.

We have been engaged for like five years, but it wasn’t a true proposal. In fact, Lisa proposed to me on a bridge overlooking the Iowa River shortly before she moved back to Japan.

It was my turn last year when I moved to Philadelphia. It wasn’t so much of a proposal, as it was a proposition. I wanted to make sure we were indeed going to get married sometime in the future before I decided to quit my job, leave my family and move to freakin’ Philadelphia.

Anyway, I finally popped the official question over Labor Day weekend in Yellowstone Park. We hiked for three days and two nights along Sportsman Creek, up to High Lake and eventually Crescent Lake.

I didn’t get down on one knee or anything. In fact, I didn’t even have a ring. While watching the sunset on the secluded shore of Crescent Lake, I put my arm around Lisa and sincerely asked her to marry me.

She said yes.

Anyway, here is a picture of the exact spot the proposal took place. Juxtaposed over the image is a series of haiku poems I wrote commemorating the event.