The engagement story

Growing up, I never ever thought about what my wedding was going to be like. Even when I was dating my ex of 6 years, we never really seriously thought about a wedding. It's interesting though because that became the turning point in this relationship with Joe. As soon as we started dating, maybe it's because I am of a different age where marriage is closer to the horizon, we started to seriously think about marriage right away. With the consideration leads to serious thoughts. So, eight months after our first date, he proposed.

Now, I've always been a private person, not one to particularly like public display of affection. Joe knows that. On March 14, 2008, Joe was down south in San Diego for about 1 month doing Marine Corps training. We never liked to be apart, so the distance after 2 weeks was killing us. We got into a fight that night and I hung up. When the anger subsided, I called him back around 10pm to say make peace and say good night. I thought it was particular odd the noise in the background, so I asked him where he is. Not one to be able to hide any secret, Joe confessed that he's driving, and that he's been driving for the past 2 hours, heading towards home to San Jose. I told him to turn back right away because it wasn't worth him coming back when he has to be back to San Diego by Monday morning to report to class, but he wouldn't have it. He urged me to go to bed and that I'll see him in a few more hours. So of to bed I went.

At 4:00am, I heard the lock opened, and there he was in the flesh. We hugged and held each other for a long time, and there in my bed under the crumpled sheets and I make-upless, he proposed to me. There was no ring, there was no formality, just me and him in the night, and I said yes.

It was the most perfect proposal, and despite me never having thought about it, it was exactly how I like it, at hindsight. No fuss. Just two people who want to be committed to each other.

We got up the next morning and were out the door by 10am. We headed to the mall and straight into Kay's Jeweler, where I continued my shopping and he went shopping for my ring. Prior to that, we had talked about getting engaged, and I made it known my ring preference: solitaire, no bigger than 1 carat, white gold/platinum, princess cut. However, he still wants the formality of picking out the ring on his own. So, he ended up getting me a white gold, princess cut, 3/4 carat solitaire. It was perfect.

But, there was a catch, I couldn't see it until he asked my parents. So off to my parents' we went. I went straight to my sister's room while he stayed outside in the living room with my parents to state his intentions. I didn't know what went down, but apparently he was extremely nervous and most importantly, my parents said yes. So the ring went on my finger after we got home from that trip, but not without a little scavenger hunt around our apartment.

I wore it to a birthday party that night for a friend, with it lose around my finger all night. But we were so happy and elated from the engagement that we didn't care, so long as I was careful not to lose it. It got shipped out the following day for resize (stock came in size 7 and I was a size 5.5). I got it back 2 weeks late and it had been on my finger since then.