At Last

Pigs have flown. Hell has frozen over. If you are not on Facebook and missed the memo, Mike and I are engaged!!! I am still getting used to this major change in our relationship but I am thrilled (and a little overwhelmed.) So, if I have not called, emailed or texted you back, please give me a little time and I promise that I will get in touch with you.

Do you want to know the story? I have always been very adamant that I would not write about my engagement when it happened because it is such a private moment. However, I think I can manipulate the story so that you get the gist. Sorry, no pictures of the ring will be posted. Ms. Manners would be appalled!

This all happened exactly 6 years and 10 days after our first date. Mike and I planned to get dinner and were trying to figure out where to go. We got ready and went down to the garage where Mike informed me he had forgotten his keys. I didn't think twice about this and suggested that we take my car. Instead, he asked me if I wanted to walk to dinner. Now this was a little out of the ordinary. Every time I go for a run/walk/any form of exercise I try to get Mike to go with me. He used to play tennis, and has since informed me that he is not a runner, and has never taken me up on any of my walking invitations. I was so excited that he wanted to walk with me and we headed outside.

The issue Mike had not considered is that we live at the bottom of an incredibly steep hill. We started the hike and I did note that the conversation was pretty awkward. I attributed this to the fact that Mike and I were both sweating and catching our breath as we continued to climb. About halfway up, Mike suggested we go get the car, but I made him keep going. He also informed me that we must have walked at least a mile at that point. I run that hill and sadly had to tell him that we had only walked about .1 miles.

We finally made it to the top directly underneath a lamp post. Mike stopped walking, which I assumed was because he was catching his breath. I later learned that there was was another couple coming towards us, which almost thwarted Mike's plan. I turned around and told Mike to hurry up because I was hungry. (Oops.) When I turned around again, he was on one knee asking me to marry him. I cannot tell you how excited I was. My aunt said when I called her, she was afraid I was going to hyperventilate and that I wasn't making much sense. I could not stop shaking and crying.

Of course, we had to walk back DOWN the hill to call our parents and let me digest the surprise. Apparently, he asked my father for permission in December 2008. (I know.) He had had the ring since May! I can't imagine how many times he wanted to get the ring and throw it at me when I was complaining about the fact that we were still not engaged.

And so the planning begins. The great thing is, I have been planning for quite awhile now, so I have a pretty good idea of what I want. We are still waiting on the date and the venue to make sure they are available. More than anything, I just keep staring at my ring to make sure that it is really there. Last night at work, I discovered that maybe the pizza industry isn't so bad. After I cleaned the windows, my ring was even more sparkly. Maybe 409 is another form of jewelry cleaner!