We.
ARE.
ENGAGED!!!!!
Wow. It's been a whirlwind 24 hours or so. I mentioned on another thread how I was really thinking it would happen last night. He's been dropping funny hints about our weekly date night, strange errands, telling me to get batteries in the camera, champagne in the fridge and lots of others I can't remember now. But I had a strong hunch.
So I get home from teaching yesterday and I'm told I'm totally free until 6, then I'll get further instruction. I hang out on the couch on PS, my heart pounding out of my chest, etc. Meanwhile, at 5pm he gets in the shower, shaves per my specifications (I'm told it's one of twice-in-a-lifetime that I get full control over his face....I go with close-cut beard. That or clean are my preference!)
SO he gets ready and puts on a button-down and tie, gets all cute looking...I confirm that I'm dressing up. I ask for guidelines about temperature, etc. and am told I should choose something that makes me feel beautiful and sexy...I narrow down options and he adds the other possible guidelines of elegant, sleek, modern. And that it won't be cold, I can wear whatever shoes (not a lot of walking) and we'll be "seen by a lot of people." So by this time, I'm like--CERTAIN this is it, he's proposing tonight. I make a point to choose Freke-worthy shoes.
Then he starts cooking--throws on the apron and gets to it. SO I'm thinking, hmmm, dinner here, THEN out somewhere? I get dressed, and am moving around the apartment--getting hot rollers, etc.--and see a big pile of presents on our ottomon--with BIRTHDAY wrapping paper. Now, my 35th birthday is June 21st. This is one of the things (supposedly) that he's been doing super-secret stuff about. I suddenly think I'm an idiot. This is a wonderful surprise early b-day dinner since I KNOW we have a booked schedule next week. Then I think, what is WRONG with me! I have the most wonderful man in the world for me, I know for a fact it's going to happen sometime soon, and all I can do is fixate about engagement? Duh! Why can't I just enjoy this for what it is!
We have this fabulous beet (my favorite) salad and a glass of pinot grigio. He tells me what this is all about, basically saying, "Welcome to your birthday dinner." B-days are a big deal for him, and with no real chance to do something on the day, this is it. HE also made a toast to his wonderful "GIRLFRIEND." I try to keep being zen and enjoy. I know in the back of my head it could still be it, but feel silly and go with it.
Second course is this INSANE braised pork loin with apple reduction, pasta with simple cream sauce, baked apples...so yummy. For dessert he made a souflee (vanilla, since I'm less of a chocolate freak than he is.) It totally didn't rise, so we called it "Lump of Egg". (lump d'oeuf!)
It's present time. I ask if we should pop the champagne or just keep drinking wine--he says, my choice, doesn't matter, the champagne doesn't have anything to specifically do with the gifts. (I am so dense.)
He has me open them in a particular order. (None of them was small and shaped like a ring box.) It is all kind of fuzzy and hazy and veryvery focused in my memory. Like, I *KNEW* this might be it, but I just didn't let myself believe it AT. ALL. First was a tube of those glow-sticks you wear as necklaces at Disneyland--just silly. Next were several little pairs of knickers from Frederick's. Que Fancy! Then a BIG, HEAVY package...which bless his heart, was a gift-wrapped TWELVE-PACK of diet coke! I love him. Finally came the last one: the one he'd been spending all this time on.
It was a scrapbook. An incredibly intricate, detailed, heartfelt crafty scrapbook with photos of us and sayings about love and ribbons and cool paper, etc. on every page. I didn't really notice but he got down on the floor to go through it with me. I'm crying--it's all overwhelming, whether it's a proposal, or just the incredible good fortune I have of finally, finally having this amazing man as my partner--I'm crying and sobbing...we get to the next-to-last page and it's a Romeo and Juliet quote I know well (across from a shot of us in our 3-D glasses seeing UP) and he says, "Well, I didn't mean to make you cry on your birthday celebration" *turns page* "But I might make you cry some more when I ask you to marry me." As he's said this and flipped the page, I see on the left side a shot of us with a quote: Now I know what love is.....and on the right side, there's the RING hanging off the paper petals of a ribbon-flower in the center of the page, with the words above it: Will you marry me. I see that he's on one knee and he says, "Will you marry me?" I sniffle out, "Yes....PLEASE!!" And he, apparently, put the ring on my finger, though I don't even remember that. I asked him to ask me again a few minutes later.
It was so wonderful. Peaceful. Easy. Thrilling. I AM SO HAPPY!!!
Even though we designed the ring together, even though I was pretty sure it was coming, he STILL shocked the hell out of me. Funny. I found out he HAD gone over to talk to my Dad on Wednesday. I knew he'd gone over there, but he played it off so well I believed that it wasn't "the" talk. He's had the ring for a week and shown EVERYONE! Friends, Dad, colleagues, landlord....and I was clueless. He even called my best friend in NY and told her on Thursday...the same best friend I called yesterday and said, "ok, I think it's happening!!" She played it very cool.
We spent the morning calling everyone, then had two separate bbqs to attend (my parents were at the second). I have some pics for LIW, but will probably not have time for a SMTR thread until Monday. I also need some good natural light for close-ups. These are mostly engagement night pics, not ring eye-candy.
He was very tricky--he got through this whole thing without a single lie. Lots of misdirection and obfuscating, but all true. Turned out we weren't going anywhere else--the dressing up was all for us at home. The "lots of people seeing us" was b/c he knew I'd be posting things online!!
OK. Made some picture collages, I REALLY hope they aren't too big.
So--Jcarlylew--can you please take number 95 OFF THE LIST!!!!
WOOHOO!!
We are talking to our priest tomorrow and setting a date ASAP. Our engagement seems to even be the start of serious fence-mending with his estranged brother, who's thrilled for us. My nephews liked the idea of a new uncle, though their sister said, "nnnOOO." Of course, she's 15 months old, so...we'll let it slide
THANK YOU to PS for so much support and good energy. And SERIOUS, SERIOUS DUSSSSSTTTT to all the ladies on the list. Dust Dust Dust!
(For the record, I'm not sure I endorse the "engagement d'oeuf." I'd stick with the chicken.
ARE.
ENGAGED!!!!!
Wow. It's been a whirlwind 24 hours or so. I mentioned on another thread how I was really thinking it would happen last night. He's been dropping funny hints about our weekly date night, strange errands, telling me to get batteries in the camera, champagne in the fridge and lots of others I can't remember now. But I had a strong hunch.
So I get home from teaching yesterday and I'm told I'm totally free until 6, then I'll get further instruction. I hang out on the couch on PS, my heart pounding out of my chest, etc. Meanwhile, at 5pm he gets in the shower, shaves per my specifications (I'm told it's one of twice-in-a-lifetime that I get full control over his face....I go with close-cut beard. That or clean are my preference!)
SO he gets ready and puts on a button-down and tie, gets all cute looking...I confirm that I'm dressing up. I ask for guidelines about temperature, etc. and am told I should choose something that makes me feel beautiful and sexy...I narrow down options and he adds the other possible guidelines of elegant, sleek, modern. And that it won't be cold, I can wear whatever shoes (not a lot of walking) and we'll be "seen by a lot of people." So by this time, I'm like--CERTAIN this is it, he's proposing tonight. I make a point to choose Freke-worthy shoes.
Then he starts cooking--throws on the apron and gets to it. SO I'm thinking, hmmm, dinner here, THEN out somewhere? I get dressed, and am moving around the apartment--getting hot rollers, etc.--and see a big pile of presents on our ottomon--with BIRTHDAY wrapping paper. Now, my 35th birthday is June 21st. This is one of the things (supposedly) that he's been doing super-secret stuff about. I suddenly think I'm an idiot. This is a wonderful surprise early b-day dinner since I KNOW we have a booked schedule next week. Then I think, what is WRONG with me! I have the most wonderful man in the world for me, I know for a fact it's going to happen sometime soon, and all I can do is fixate about engagement? Duh! Why can't I just enjoy this for what it is!
We have this fabulous beet (my favorite) salad and a glass of pinot grigio. He tells me what this is all about, basically saying, "Welcome to your birthday dinner." B-days are a big deal for him, and with no real chance to do something on the day, this is it. HE also made a toast to his wonderful "GIRLFRIEND." I try to keep being zen and enjoy. I know in the back of my head it could still be it, but feel silly and go with it.
Second course is this INSANE braised pork loin with apple reduction, pasta with simple cream sauce, baked apples...so yummy. For dessert he made a souflee (vanilla, since I'm less of a chocolate freak than he is.) It totally didn't rise, so we called it "Lump of Egg". (lump d'oeuf!)
It's present time. I ask if we should pop the champagne or just keep drinking wine--he says, my choice, doesn't matter, the champagne doesn't have anything to specifically do with the gifts. (I am so dense.)
He has me open them in a particular order. (None of them was small and shaped like a ring box.) It is all kind of fuzzy and hazy and veryvery focused in my memory. Like, I *KNEW* this might be it, but I just didn't let myself believe it AT. ALL. First was a tube of those glow-sticks you wear as necklaces at Disneyland--just silly. Next were several little pairs of knickers from Frederick's. Que Fancy! Then a BIG, HEAVY package...which bless his heart, was a gift-wrapped TWELVE-PACK of diet coke! I love him. Finally came the last one: the one he'd been spending all this time on.
It was a scrapbook. An incredibly intricate, detailed, heartfelt crafty scrapbook with photos of us and sayings about love and ribbons and cool paper, etc. on every page. I didn't really notice but he got down on the floor to go through it with me. I'm crying--it's all overwhelming, whether it's a proposal, or just the incredible good fortune I have of finally, finally having this amazing man as my partner--I'm crying and sobbing...we get to the next-to-last page and it's a Romeo and Juliet quote I know well (across from a shot of us in our 3-D glasses seeing UP) and he says, "Well, I didn't mean to make you cry on your birthday celebration" *turns page* "But I might make you cry some more when I ask you to marry me." As he's said this and flipped the page, I see on the left side a shot of us with a quote: Now I know what love is.....and on the right side, there's the RING hanging off the paper petals of a ribbon-flower in the center of the page, with the words above it: Will you marry me. I see that he's on one knee and he says, "Will you marry me?" I sniffle out, "Yes....PLEASE!!" And he, apparently, put the ring on my finger, though I don't even remember that. I asked him to ask me again a few minutes later.
It was so wonderful. Peaceful. Easy. Thrilling. I AM SO HAPPY!!!
Even though we designed the ring together, even though I was pretty sure it was coming, he STILL shocked the hell out of me. Funny. I found out he HAD gone over to talk to my Dad on Wednesday. I knew he'd gone over there, but he played it off so well I believed that it wasn't "the" talk. He's had the ring for a week and shown EVERYONE! Friends, Dad, colleagues, landlord....and I was clueless. He even called my best friend in NY and told her on Thursday...the same best friend I called yesterday and said, "ok, I think it's happening!!" She played it very cool.
We spent the morning calling everyone, then had two separate bbqs to attend (my parents were at the second). I have some pics for LIW, but will probably not have time for a SMTR thread until Monday. I also need some good natural light for close-ups. These are mostly engagement night pics, not ring eye-candy.
He was very tricky--he got through this whole thing without a single lie. Lots of misdirection and obfuscating, but all true. Turned out we weren't going anywhere else--the dressing up was all for us at home. The "lots of people seeing us" was b/c he knew I'd be posting things online!!
OK. Made some picture collages, I REALLY hope they aren't too big.
So--Jcarlylew--can you please take number 95 OFF THE LIST!!!!
WOOHOO!!
We are talking to our priest tomorrow and setting a date ASAP. Our engagement seems to even be the start of serious fence-mending with his estranged brother, who's thrilled for us. My nephews liked the idea of a new uncle, though their sister said, "nnnOOO." Of course, she's 15 months old, so...we'll let it slide
THANK YOU to PS for so much support and good energy. And SERIOUS, SERIOUS DUSSSSSTTTT to all the ladies on the list. Dust Dust Dust!
(For the record, I'm not sure I endorse the "engagement d'oeuf." I'd stick with the chicken.
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