Finally Engaged
For those that have been paying attention or are closely involved in the planning and attendance of our wedding may have noticed something a little odd…planning sans something shiny on Angela’s left hand.
It’s true, we’ve been working on the where/how/when/who (well, maybe not the who) of our nuptuals some time before we were actually engaged. As we explain the details and the rabbit trails, hopefully everything becomes clear…but I make no promises.
The Thing
I purchased the thing from a local jeweler after many weeks of consternation and internal struggle. I made the final decision at 4:00 PM on Saturday, June 27. The store owner very kindly asked if the stone could possibly be set that day, to which the jewler kindly laughed very loud.
For several days, we had been planning to take engagement pictures (yes, sans the ring) on Saturday, June 28. This will, hopefully, become clear later. Once this time crunch was revealed, the jeweler’s heart strings were plucked and he said (ver batim) “Let’s give it a shot.”
Filled with hope, I waited for them to call while we planned a birthday dinner for our friend (and photographer) Tyler (who did his best to hide that fact that we were making him take pictures of us all day on his birthday!). We were supposed to eat at 6:00 PM (which Angela pushed back to 7:00 PM, the time the store closed), so I was sweating it a little bit. Fortunately, just before we left, I got the thumbs up from the jeweler. I dropped Angela off at the restaurant to grab a seat (6:45ish) while I ran to get a card for Tyler (which I ended up having to run all over Grand Prarie to find). As I rushed breathlessly into the darkening store front and laid down my life savings, the owner explained that the jeweler was only able to set the stone to sit in its setting, but he needed “another hour or two” to bring it up to his level of satisfaction. This was, in her opinion, OK, because the ring surely wouldn’t fit anyway and would needed to be size the following week anyway.
The Fit of the Jig
So, having no plan and having procrastinated beyond everyone’s expectations (or, as Angela so helpfully just noted, “for three years”), I was now in breathless anticipation for any moment to present itself for my heartfealt (and totally unexpected) proposal to actually follow through on the wedding plans we had already made.
Six hours later, we found ourselves walking Aston (her Christmas present) before I took off for home. We discussed our plans for the following day’s wardrobe and location demands, Aston’s unique desire to mark every tree he passed (and, being a 10 pound dog, his inability to meet such demands), and the odd color of the moon. For the morrow, her only concern seemed to be finding some more jewelery to match one of her outfits. Yes, even I could hit that slow pitch.
Casually, I drew her new hardware from the hole it had burned in my pocket and asked if “this will work”.
It’s like Shakespeare.
Anyway, that’s it, she’s done well displaying it for all interested (or nearby) parties.
