Most Anti-Climactic Engagement Ever

Matt and I have been talking about getting engaged for the past 6 months. Actually, that's not really true—we've been talking about marriage and the like for nearly as long as we've known each other. When we initially dated 4 years ago, I broke up with him after 2 months because I thought he'd be the kind of person I'd marry and the idea thoroughly freaked me out at the time. Not enough to cut him out of my life, however—we stayed friends and about a year and a half ago I was finally ready to date him again. From the very beginning of our (second go at a) relationship, we've talked about getting married.

Last year when we went to Belize, friends took bets on if we would come back engaged. When we went to Barbados in May for my birthday, the same bets were placed. I made it very clear, though, that I thought marriage was too serious a proposition for him to just propose when he thought he should--I think getting engaged should be a discussion, not one person's decision.

So, several months ago when our discussions became more focused and serious, we started looking for rings. When we went to KC for my sister's wedding, we answered the multitude of queries about when it would be "our turn" by saying we were ring shopping. This was my answer for months. So much so that my mom finally exclaimed, "you're going to have the most anti-climactic engagement ever!"

Perhaps, but when it did happen, it was really sweet.

I chose my ring a few weeks before Thanksgiving and gave Matt the go-ahead to buy it. Do I sound like a control freak? I don't think that I am. As a former jeweler and metalsmithing major, I had some pretty definite ideas about what I did and didn't want. Plus, I was going to be the one wearing the ring for the rest of my life. So Matt went to the store to pick out the diamond and order the setting.

I knew that The Day was going to be the Saturday before Thanksgiving. How? We were going to KC on that Tuesday morning, so I knew that he'd want me to have the ring to show off to all of my relatives. Plus, on Friday, he told me that he made dinner reservations at a fancy restaurant for Saturday night.

Instead of waiting to ask me at the restaurant, he was so nervous (and sweaty!) that he actually gave me the ring about an hour before we left. I was folding laundry on the bed, with the cat curled on our warm clothes when Matt walked in and sat down, fumbling with small box. Yay, engaged! Yay, ring! The setting is SO pretty and the stone is fabulous. Good job, Sweetie.

The staff at the restaurant all knew about the engagement and presented us with champagne when we sat down. The waitress and hostess oohed and aahed over my ring, and every passing server congratulated us. Super cuteness!

The evening was nice, but I was starting to wish that I hadn't known about everything in advance. Sure, the dinner was great and I loved the ring, but a little surprise would have been nice. And sure enough, Matt had planned for that.

After dinner, he suggested we get another drink at a wine bar about a block away from the restaurant. We walked into the narrow room and pulled back the curtain to the small seating area to reveal 2 couples we're very close with. YAY!! I started laughing and screaming (okay, I was a little drunk). I was elated to share our night with our friends. And, it was such a fun surprise.

Sweetie, it might have been a little anti-climactic, but it was fun and exciting and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.