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okay...for the mommie's groupI forgot to add this address to the announcement mailing but----I got engaged last night!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's the DL! WARNING---I'M LONG WINDED!
Tuesday night, Brian called and said "I've been thinking I want to have a date night Saturday. If you mom doesn't want to watch Jordan, Vicki(his sister) said she will. I thought we'd go to Oriental Wok(our favorite restaurant) so we'll get dressed up."
Mom agreed to watch Jordan. Brian got to my house at about 1:30 yesterday afternoon, flowers in hand. They aren't actually real flowers. He was going to run to the florist to get me roses but he was running late and as he was driving, he said a prayer "Lord, give me flowers!" and there ended up being a little roadside stand selling silk arrangements. They are lovely---pink roses in a clear vase and the roses say "I love You" on them. they are something I'll be able to keep forever as something to remember the day by. He also had a camera with him(which is highly unusual---I'm normally the shutterbug!) He took a pic of me here and then we left.
We went to Newport, KY, which, for those of you(most of you) who don't know, is on the Ohio River, just across from Cincinnati, OH. We went to Newport On The Levee which is a big open air entertainment-dining-shopping center. They have an aquarium, quite a few restaurants and shops and a 20 screen AMC movie theater. We were there to go to the movies. We saw Van Helsing---okay, not romantic in the slightest but it was good---FANTASTIC special effects. Brian was very jittery after the movie and said he'd had a panic attack during it(which I didn't think anything of because he has had them before while we are at movies---come to find out later it was because he was rearranging the ring in his pocket and got nervous!) Then we walked over by the river and we took some pictures of each other(I think we'll be getting them developed this evening so I'll make sure I send them to the lists as soon as they get scanned) and then we went to Barnes & Noble and got drinks from Starbuck's(I got a Mocha Frappucino and he got a black coffee). We walked around the store, looking at books and talking(one of our favorite things to do) and then we just sat in the cafe, watching the river and talking. Around 6pm, we left there and headed toward our favorite restaurant, Oriental Wok. It is of course, a Chinese place. The food is DELICIOUS---very authentic---and the ambience---very romantic. Brian had made 7:00 reservations and asked for a back booth(the booths in back are rounded and set into the walls so you aren't looking at the people in the next booth while you are eating but looking out onto a little waterfall and coi pond). We got there a little early so we stood outside talking and taking pictures by their pagoda gazebo(it was a beautiful day here, weather-wise). We went inside and our table wasn't cleared yet so we waited by the bar and looked at the decorations in there. Then we were seated---in the same booth we normally sit in with the same waiter!---and we ordered(sesame shrimp for me, grilled teriyaki salmon for him). I ate heartily because I hadn't had much to eat all day. Brian picked at his and finally said "I think I'm going to get a box to take it home because my stomach is just in knots. Probably from the panic attack earlier." So, he had a server box up his dinner and then he excused himself to the bathroom. When he came back, he started telling me about a song(So Far Away by Staind) and how the lyrics of it made him think of me. He told me that I always make him feel like he can do anything he puts his mind to but he didn't feel like he did enough to show me that he cares as much about me. I said "Yes you do, it's enough for me". Then he said "All I know is that I never want it to end"(but I could barely hear him because he trailed off as he got out out the booth and walked over to the other side and said "come here." and he pulled me around so I was facing him. Then he got down on one knee and I about lost it. He pulled a mahogany box out of his jacket and opened it and said "Christine(he NEVER calls me that---he always calls me Chrissy), will you marry me?" I managed to squeak out a yes and threw my arms around him to kiss him and hug him. No sooner than I hugged him than I heard "We've got a proposal!" It was the owner of the restaurant, Mike Wong. He was first to congratulate us and then it was a big hustle. Our waiter brought us a dish of ice cream with a candle and fortune cookies and told us to blow out the candle together and make a wish. Then, they brought us a bottle of champaigne(on the house!---and, omg---I'm getting teary eyed just telling the story!). Mr. Wong came and got Brian's camera and took some pictures of us but the flash didn't come on so he went to get his digital camera. He couldn't find it so he said "Let's go outside" because it was still light. So they took us out on the patio dining area, Mr. Wong saying "They just got engaged" to about every table along the way. and we got some pictures out there.
It was SO incredibly romantic and such a surprise. He told me he's been saving up, like his tax return and his gain share check at work. I honestly wasn't expecting it, though I kept dreaming/hoping it would happen. My ring is BEAUTIFUL! I coudln't even touch it when he opened the box---my hands were shaking. I looked down at it, expecting a pretty, but simple solitaire. When I looked back up, Brian laughed and said "It's real!" It's about a quarter carat marquis in the center, surrounded in two waves(one on top, one on bottome) of 10 baguettes(sp?) in each wave. Then, there are diamonds above and below each side of the wave that total 14 rounds. You ought to see it shine in the sunlight! It is BEAUTIFUL! He said the ring's actual name is "Breathtaking".
We haven't set a date yet---I imagine we'll talk about that later today(I am letting him sleep now---we didn't get to bed till 5 am---I'll call him after we pick up our dogs from the groomer's) but I'll let you all know. We have agreed that we both want a simple, but pretty wedding.
Anyway, thanks for listening to me ramble! You guys know I am just beyond myself with happiness!
Christine
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