I hope you had the most spectacular holiday with your friends with your friends and family!
I got a surprise of a lifetime over the holidays! My honey of 5 years, Gregory, proposed to me on Christmas Eve!
I am still in SHOCK!
Then the sweetest words of advice came flowing in:
“BTW a word of advice about your ring is never ever take it off your finger when you are out of your house. It is so beautiful and precious to you and I know you would never ever want to lose it. I had a few close calls myself with my ring. So ecstatically happy for you! XOXO” (thanks Mom)
“I have a few great things that people told me about getting engaged and this is one – ENJOY IT (you don’t have to enjoy it for 4 years like I did) but you’ll never be in this special place again. And only you and Greg are in it!”
“Call him “fiance” as much as possible because you will never be able to call someone that again! Lol I felt so giddy every time I said “my fiance.”
Wow! Does every newly engaged gal feel this way?! I’m very surprised because I talk, work with and style brides for a living . I, of all people, should know how it feels to be engaged!! Nope, apparently not!
Maybe I was so preoccupied with making sure they were happy with their hair and makeup services, that I never noticed how beautiful and emotional they felt.
I want to back this story up just a bit. Everyone has an engagement story and this is mine.
I have to get sappy for a quick second so you know where I’m coming from.
Here goes… (I’m nervous because this is very personal.)
My Dad passed away suddenly almost 8 years ago and at his funeral I remember thinking. “Even if I ever wanted to get married. I’ll never have the chance to see him give me away. I’ll never have the chance to hold his arm while he walks me down the aisle. I’ll never see him get choked up on my wedding day.”
I never really wanted to get married, it was just the idea that I don’t have that option that upset me.
Earlier this year. I was talking about marriage with a friend of mine and I realized that I’ve been so scared to take that next step with my boyfriend of almost 5 years because I don’t want that day to be sad for me. I just want to avoid it. I was just scared.
And that’s silly. I don’t want to live like that.
Well, unfortunately, that’s not fair to my better half. He’s said more that once to me, “babe, I don’t want to be your boyfriend when we’re in our 50’s!”
Crap, I better rethink this whole thing!!
It’s not like either of us are going anywhere. We want to be together forever. But maybe making it more official would make both of us feel better.
Then, in April, Greg’s Dad passed away suddenly. When he was in the hospital before he passed, there was an erasable board with his wife’s name and number on it in case of emergency. It read her name, relation to him “wife” and her phone number.
I got so freaked out! Once I saw that, I stared at the board for about 10 minutes. What if one day my honey’s in the hospital for surgery and it says “Gina, girlfriend”?? Omg, I can’t have that!
Fast forward to just recently at the beginning of October. We went to a winery in Michigan all day with our friends. We took a bus up there so we could drink all day long and it was so much fun! We shipped our doggies off to Grandma’s for the weekend. I say that because those two little stinkers are SO distracting (all 20 pounds of them) that we can’t have serious or long conversation when they’re at home with us! They’re barking or fighting with each other or begging for food or all of the above. So much so, that we’re distracted by them ALL the time! But we love Vinnie and Napoleon so much, so it’s ok!!
Anyway, I took a deep breath and got up the nerve to express how I feel (and write it in a card) to my honey and basically said, “babe I’m ready to be your mom’s daughter-in-law and your sister’s sister-in-law and your Nana’s.. well I don’t know what that’d be, but I’m ready!”
Six weeks later he was ring shopping. I know this because he told me ANDDD I almost passed out because I was shocked!
So I knew it was coming but was COMPLETELY caught off guard when it actually happened!!
Greg took me to the side on Christmas Eve at my Mom’s house and told me how grateful he was every day and every night to come home to and wake up with me.
Then, we stood in front of my parent’s fireplace mantel and talked about our Dads briefly because they are no longer with us on this Earth. He whispered in my ear (in front of everyone while my back was turned away) that he loves me so much and wants to live this life and the next with me.
He teared up, got on one knee and asked me to marry him in front of my whole family!!! I just cried and didn’t answer him for about 2 minutes and he had to ask again! I couldn’t even speakk!! I was looking at my mom and my brother but not Greg!!! I was in total SHOCK!!!!
This was all after a dramatic morning where my mom almost cancelled Christmas because a few family member were sick!
My honey frantically called my mom in our second bathroom and told her he wanted to talk to her in person and ask for her blessing! He asked my brother a week before, but my brother never told my Mom or my sister-in-law.
Then Christmas Eve was back on!!! Woo-hoo!
And that’s how it all happened in a nutshell. I’m SO grateful and SO happy!!!!
Do you have a good engagement story for me? What’s something you remember about being engaged or do you have any advice for me? Respond below my dear friend, and let me know!!
XXX~Gina
