her side of the story
For months before we got engaged, I knew that Darren
was the man I wanted to be with, and he said that I was the woman for him, but
when I would ask him if he thought we would get engaged soon, Darren would
always say not right now, but soon. Darren really tricked me in mid-December,
2001 when I asked him how long until we could get engaged; he said something
like, "I promise it will be in the next six months." So of course I figured he
was buying another six months, and I wouldn't get asked until summer of the next
year.
On Christmas morning, we finished opening all the presents, and
then he told me that he had one more present, but that he didn't wrap it because
it was too hard to wrap. He left to get it, and I was wondering what it could
be. I was lying down on the couch, and when he came back he told me I had to sit
up so he could put it in my lap. I was really trying to figure out what it could
be. I thought it could be something really big, or maybe a puppy (I am always
asking for one). He told me to open my eyes, and he was on one knee with the
ring box open. Obviously, I was surprised since it was just a week or two before
that he had told me he would propose in the next six months!
I had told him before that I always hoped that we would get engaged in a special place
and in an intimate way, so that we could be cute together and not have people milling
about. It was the perfect time and place!
his side of the story
It's true that I knew Christina was the girl for me for a long time,
but as those who know me will tell you, I am the worst decision maker! So
it took a little while for the little light bulb to turn on over my head.
I can tell you that it happened on December 12, 2001, I think in
the morning. I was sitting at work, and "bong!" I knew that I wanted to ask
Christina to marry me... and soon. So I called my best man, Ken, and asked
if he would go with me that weekend to buy a ring.
I was lucky enough (or smart enough) to have "casually" looked at rings with
Christina. Later, I found out that only I was looking at the rings casually! Anyway,
finding a ring was not too difficult. On December 22, I asked Christina's dad for her
hand in marriage. The next day, I asked her step-father and her mother for her hand
in marriage. The day after that, Christmas Eve, I told my parents that I was going to
ask her the next morning. I had it all planned; in the morning we would open all the
presents, and then I give her the ring.
Morning came, and after breakfast, I pulled up two chairs near
the tree so that I could easily get down on one knee before her
to ask her to be my wife. I sat down and asked her to sit in the
other chair. To my horror, she says she will be more comfortable sitting
on the floor. A little flustered, I just moved on and opened presents. I
figured I would think of something before the last present. And I did. Once the
last present was opened, I asked her to move over to the couch to cuddle (she
never passes up that). Then after a minute of cuddling, I said with surprise
that I had forgotten her last gift because it was in the other room, and I
didn't wrap it. So I went to the other room, got the ring, took the phone off
the hook, told her to close her eyes, and I came in.
Once again, she had foiled my plan. She had laid down on the couch. I thought, "How am I
to get down on one knee before her?" I told her she needed to sit up so I
could put the present on her lap. She did so, and the rest is history. |
