Ok- So I am sure some of you want to know the story of "how it finally happened!", so here it is!
John may be able to write a more "his side of the story" version- but for now- here is mine.
So to set the stage- it is February 14th, Valentines Day. John is not a huge fan of Valentines Day, but he is a good sport, and we usually do something "special". I had suggested that I make reservations and we could go out to dinner. He said sure, and so I went ahead and made plans to eat at "Mama's Meatball"- a cute and "romantic" little Italian place that we had been to once before and loved.
I didn't have any idea of what he was planning to ask- but looking back- I should have wondered when he suggested that we leave the house "early" and go for a walk downtown before our reservations (at 8pm) and maybe get a cocktail somewhere. Now- if you know John like I do, you will know that the "Pre-Dinner Cocktail at some little bar" is not really his style- but I said sure and we left the house early and headed downtown.
We Decided that since we "scored" a parking place in "The Creamery" (which is not known for having many parking spots available) we decided to hang out at "Spikes"- a local Beer Pub that is almost next door to our dinner location. We grab a table, hop on the stools and while dressed up in "fancy" garb- go ahead and order wine and then order a huge plate of (amazing) Potato skins to snack on. (Knowing that dinner will take almost a hour to get to the table after we order it. Mama's Meatball is not fast but worth the wait!) We sit around having our drinks and snack, and I can tell that he is..... different. But I am just assuming that it is the wine and pub food that has him so cheerful, and write it off. Little did I know that he was trying to find a good moment to ask.
We then head on over to our restaurant- and after hanging out waiting for our table, we then are seated at a table in the middle of the restaurant, and take in the scene. Roses and floating candles, wine glasses shimmering in the candlelight, and a live performance of a musician who is singing love songs (in Italian no less!) and the whole mood screams "Valentines day". We then have a great night talking and laughing, and once again I notice that he is acting a bit different, but nothing more than a excitable happy mood. (Come to find out it is nerves that is affecting him all night- but I didn't know that at the time!).
Finally we are enjoying our dessert- and I look over at him and see him laughing at me. Apparently, my heavily coated tiramisu is covered in dark cocoa powder and I have a bit of a cocoa mustache. We laugh and I wipe it off. A few minutes later, the waitress clears the table and I look over at him and see him grinning at me with a huge smile. I (assuming that I had something on my face again) ask him "What!?", and he smiles at me & (fanfare please!) asks me "Will you Marry Me?!"..... and what is my answer.... the first thing out my my mouth is "Are you Serious!?".
Yes, I really did say that!!!
After waiting six and a half years for him to ask me, the first thing out of my mouth was "are you serious!?". Granted- I had been assuming that he was going to tell me that I had cocoa on my nose or something crazy like that- but it was not the response that I had been expecting!
He then went on to say some really sweet things, and then when I could bring myself to respond (yes I was speechless- yes ME! & with tears in my eyes!) said "of course I will Marry You!"... and that was how it all happened.
Some people want to know if he got down on one knee- and I have to say- no he didn't.... but it was for the best. At that point there was only 1/2 of the tables with people still at them, and that would have caused a scene I am sure in such a small plavce (especially with the table next to us that had been having lots of wine and a good time all evening) and so it was a wonderful private moment that was just between the 2 of us. =)
We then spent the rest of the evening in our "engaged glow" and was able to start calling family as soon as we could the next day. It took a few days to get ahold of everyone- but now you all know, and we are super excited to be able to share the next stage of our lives together with you all!
So there you go... the story of how we finally got engaged. =)
