The Proposal

I didn’t know how it would happen. I had ideas, but I wasn’t sure. I had told Aubrey that I really didn’t know, he wasn’t a planner at all so who knows what will happen, but I was sure I would see it coming.

Little did I know, I helped create my proposal. One day about a month ago, while chatting on Facetime, Eric mentioned his background on his computer was lame and that he didn’t have any picture of us. To send me what he had so he could pick his favorite and make his background.

So I like a sucker, sent him every picture I had ever taken of us.

Fast forward to Friday, December 13th, 2013. Eric had his work holiday party during the day, and mine was that night. He asked me the plan for my work party EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I seriously got mad and said why the hell are we talking about this if you aren’t going to remember it at all, ill just text you instructions Friday am.  

What I didn’t know was that Wednesday night he went to talk to my parents. Got their blessing and decided that since Friday the 13th was his lucky day he was making it happen that day.

He mentioned to mom he might do it at midnight. So Thursday he mentioned early in the day he might come stay with me. But then he got to his house from work after 9:30pm. I told him it didn’t make sense for him to come down, since I get up at 6 on Fridays, I would just be going to sleep when get got there. OOPS!!!

So Friday night we get dressed up and head to my work party. He finally got to meet all the people I talk about on a daily basis. After dinner, awards and secret Santa, they started dancing and he was ready to go. The party wasn’t over, but people were starting to leave. I don’t dance so I didn’t really have a problem leaving, but watching everyone dance is always entertaining, so I was slow to leave. Eric had a sense of urgency which I didn't understand. I think I even asked what his hurry was, what did he have to do tonight.

We get to my apartment, and he said he had to change his shoes. The plan was to drop him off at his car, and drive to Frederick because we were watching our friend’s baby Saturday. I had to pee, so I left him at the car, changing his shoes (what?! lol) and ran in to pee. I went upstairs to my bathroom, and when I came down he said come here, and handed me a package. He said it was random present day.

No, I didn’t pick up on it yet.

The package was a photo book, of all the pictures (you  know the ones I sent him) throughout the first two years of dating.

No, I still didn’t pick up on it yet.

I am reading the book, and making comments and laughing, and turned to the last page. The page that said will you marry me?

I fell backwards, covered my face with the book, and started crying. I yelled “I didn’t think this would happen today!!!”

I sat back up and he was on his knee and asked me to marry him. I of course said yes!

He put my ring on, and it was amazing. More than I could have dreamed, even after seeing it before.

( I was going to wait until next weekend to do my nails so they were nice for Christmas and new years – but I went Saturday am!)

AMAZING.

And because my 2nd mommy said “don’t just send me one picture from straight on, I want to see details” a few more pictures of it.

We had to go right away because he promised my mom we would come over after, and it was already late.

So we got in separate cars for the drive-up. I was too excited to be alone!!! I called both my grandparents and my aunt and uncle as well as Aubrey.

Then we went to mom and dad’s, my brother wasn’t home which bummed me out, but his girlfriend came over and we hung out and I told the story.

We saved our calls to friends until the morning (we did call Jess and Travis on the way to mom and dad’s once we were together.)

It was hilarious because the calls were so different. My calls had squeals of excitement on the other end, and his were cool and calm.

My favorite was watching him tell his good friend Josh. He was the last person we were waiting on to call us back. We had gone out to Home Depot to look at dishwashers, because that’s what old people ask for for Hanukkah and their birthday (YES, I am calling Eric old – but I will be thankful for that dishwasher!) and his friend called. He walked around the holiday section with a big grin on his face, talking about how exciting and cool it was. I loved seeing how excited he was.

He used to call me his future wife all the time, because I would always stomp my foot and yell at him, or stare at my invisible ring, either way he got a reaction out of me.

 

He called me his future wife today, and the butterflies went crazy in my tummy.

I am getting married!!!! I am so happy I found the man who will make me happy for the rest of my life.

Girlfriend: Retired

I have a new title now. Fiancée.

Lets go back.

I have said it before, that this relationship is different, and the feelings and happiness I feel are more than I have ever felt.

So when we started talking about the future it made sense.  But it was always hypothetical talk, or just day dreaming.

This summer though, things changed and the discussions became more than just hypothetical. It was clear that marriage was the plan.

As the summer went on, my type -A self started thinking about January. January 20th 2014 my lease is up. I knew that my roommate would be moving with her boyfriend alone. I also knew that I wasn’t going to be able to afford to live in Virginia by myself.

I mention this dilemma to Eric, and he said live here (his house). It wasn’t the first time I have heard that, but typically it was after I had just made a delicious meal. I laughed and said I won’t live there without a ring. I have been burned once. While I believed that he loved me, and saw his future with me as a part of it, I couldn’t handle the promise of forever, without a little more commitment. I let the conversation end with my I need a ring comment and it wasn’t talked about for a little while.

But then things got closer to January (read: end of summer) and my stress level was starting to get a little higher. Eric again told me to live with him. I again said I can’t without a ring. This occurred a couple times. I was adamant that I wasn’t moving to Maryland without the commitment of marriage.

One day, he asked, how firm was I about that statement, and I said solid as a rock. A few weeks later, we looked at rings randomly at the mall one day. I got hot and started sweating and my heart was racing. It was actually very difficult to concentrate on the sales person and what she was saying. I think he left with some ideas of things I hated, but not much else.

Later, couldn’t take it anymore, I needed to start working on a plan. I asked him if I needed to be apartment and roommate hunting. He said no. I reminded him of what that meant, and he said he knew, he's been talking to his parents about it.

We went to the beach for Labor Day, and after dinner one night, we walked the shops of Rehoboth, his mom took us in a jewelry store and we actually looked at a couple rings. Eric and I stopped in another shop alone, and really narrowed down what I liked. I was giddy. There is nothing like trying on rings!

I always said, I didn’t want to know anything about it, and I meant it. That changed though, and I am glad it did.

At Rosh Hashana dinner, Eric’s parents gave us a box, with the disclaimer that if I didn’t like it there were no hard feelings. Earlier, Eric’s dad had offered him his mother’s engagement ring setting. Eric wasn’t sure if I would like it or not.

I thought it was nice, and unique, but I wasn’t sure, it was dingy and dirty from sitting in the bank for years. Eric took it the next day to get cleaned and brought it to me and I loved it. It didn’t have a center stone (but this works out best because the original stone was round, and I prefer square), Eric’s mom had made it into a necklace many years before.

So I saw my ring, I put on my ring, but it wasn’t my ring. I saw my ring, and I knew that there was a timer on getting engaged. How on earth would I be surprised?!

October comes and goes, Thanksgiving comes and goes, and I am seriously starting to plan moving to Maryland. How on earth will I be surprised?! I was trying not to look for it, or expect it, but seriously, I knew it was coming soon, how could I not?

When it didn’t happen at the beach where we met Thanksgiving weekend, I was sure it would be New Years Eve since that was officially 2 years since we met.

But I was pleasantly surprised.

So here is the part you really want to hear about….but I think it needs a post to itself. It is that special.