I think most people who frequent this blog (if not all) are aware of the change in my Facebook relationship change (because it wasn’t official until it was on Facebook…HULLO!), but for any blog-lurkers I may not know about: Paul and I are engaged!
I do know, however, that not everyone knows the full story, so here goes:
Several weeks ago, I made 3 requests of Paul regarding our engagement: 1) That I get a big sparkly ring (to which he said “Yes”), 2) That I look nice when he propose to me (to which he said “Sure, I can put you in a nice situation), and 3) That there be a camera present to record the moment (to which he said “Yeah, I can bring my sister’s camera down with me”).
Earlier last week, he asked if I’d like to go to The Bread Company with him over the weekend. I said sure and suggested we go with Nick and Amy on Saturday night for my birthday dinner. He said no, he’d rather go just the two of us.
On Thursday, when he came into town, he told me he had brought his sister’s camera down with him so that he could take pictures of campus for a screensaver on his new work computer.
So, between those two things (and the fact that Paul was checking the weather obsessively all day Friday), I was getting really suspicious. I even told Amy in lab on Friday morning that I was kind of expecting it that evening.
Friday evening rolled around and Paul and I got dressed up and went out to a very nice dinner at The Bread Company, wine included. Part of Paul’s dinner ended up on his shirt, so we left the restaurant and walked across campus to Walgreens to get some Tide-To-Go to attempt to salvage his shirt (mission: accomplished). Once his shirt was presentable, we walked to Moonstruck for dessert. We started talking a bit about engagement/wedding things, and he told me that my ring wouldn’t be in for another 6-8 weeks because they had to have it sized down to fit my tiny seven-year-old fingers. I told him I was upset…that I had kind of been expecting it that night, since all the pieces were fitting. And then I got more upset and reminded him that I had pushed him to get the ring earlier because I knew it would take a while for it to come in and if we waited for two more months, then that wouldn’t leave us much time to plan a wedding if we were planning it for Fall 2009, blah blah blah, insert pre-engagement bridezilla moment here.
So, we left Moonstruck. I was very unhappy and wanted to go home. Paul said he still wanted a couple of pictures of campus at night, in particular the amphitheater at Krannert. So, we walked over there, climbed the (almost) empty stairs (there were a couple of kids running around, but they cleared off shortly after our arrival), and I sat and sulked while he took pictures. He came and sat next to me and asked me to cheer up. I made some bratty remarks before finally saying “I just don’t understand why you’re dragging your feet on this. Are you ever going to propose to me?” He smiled and reached into his pocket and said “That’s a very good question.”
Me: “Are you being me to me?”
Paul: “Maybe….”
Me: “You’re being mean, aren’t you!”
Paul: “Maybe….”
Me: “You’re the meanest boyfriend ever!”
Paul: (while down on one knee) “Carly Sullivan, will you marry me?”
Me: (crying and hitting Paul wherever I could reach)
That touching moment was followed by hugs and kisses. And then…
Paul: “Oh by the way, I forgot to bring socks this weekend. We’ll have to go to Meijer.”
We called our familes. My dad’s exact response when I told him Paul had given me an engagement ring was “Oh. My. God.” Mom was crying and could barely form words. While I was talking to mom, dad shouted in the background “Did she say yes?” I said of course I did! I hung up with mom and then realized… OH CRAP! I hadn’t said yes! So, I quickly told Paul that yes, I would marry him. And then we resumed calling our respective families.
So, that’s the very long, very detailed story. Hope you enjoyed it. I know I did….
Oh, and the ring is gorgeous, and it really will take another 6-8 weeks for the ring that’s my size to come in. In the meantime, I have a “loaner” ring (it’s exactly the same, just a sample size) that I’m terrified I might lose.
