little did i know

#89 explained, or part 2 of the engagement story.

so yes. little did i know all the things that were happening behind the scenes so that on friday, july 27, 2001 The Mr. would propose to me. (just 10 days off, Tom!)

little did i know that back in june, probably even before i started the thinking and the mulling and the harping and the obsessing The Mr. started putting everything in motion with an email to my sister.

her husband was a diamond dealer at the time. (nice!). The Mr, my sister, and her husband have even sat together before looking at the stones he brought home one day while they had us over for dinner. all of us knew exactly what i wanted: traditional. gold. round. less than a carat.

little did i know that The Mr. met with my BIL & already picked out a ring for me before our trip to michigan.

little did i know that when i went to a kickboxing class, i would break the one fingernail that was important to me.... after a summer of finally growing my nails out.

little did i know that my flippant comment made thursday night of "look which nail i broke. oh well, don't need it" would be resolved the next day.

little did i know that i about gave The Mr. a caniption b/c i kept asking why the window curtain was off to the side. (it would help you to know how very unobservant i normally am. for me to notice this was kinda "off")

little did i know that it was off to the (wrong) side b/c while i was at kickboxing class breaking my nail, he was talking to my parents asking their blessing. and he was antsily waiting for me out the window because i was due home any moment.
i came home right after he hung up from my mom.

we had planned to go to eat at our favorite indian restaurant in ATL on saturday. and i don't remember exactly why, but The Mr. thought it would be fun to go after work instead. so we planned to do that. a real-live date on a friday night? no way!

little did i know that friday morning he was done with me whining, and while he watched me sleep, he went into the closet, looked at the ring and almost just gave it to me right there. (thank you, honey for NOT doing that!).
i'm pretty sure my discussing possibly moving in with my friend who wanted to move out of her parents place had something to do with that one.

so friday comes. and i should let you know that when i was teaching i tended to get some major cabin fever by the end of the summer. couple that with the obsessing i was doing, and i guess i wasn't like the funnest to be around.
although i was really excited for date night. take me out of the house and into the big city, pa! WOW.

we had a nice dinner. very normal. nothing out of the ordinary. day-to-day conversation. then The Mr. suggested we check out a park he's heard of. we love going to parks, and took weekly walks at a local park near our apt. so this --- didn't clue me in. it was early yet. we're in ATL. let's go to piedmont park of course.
and that's where i stupidly talked about stupid stuff. i can't even remember. but i swear i think i was recapping a little of Days of Our Lives. (seriously???)

we walked all around the lake. little did i know he was scoping out the "perfect spot".

oh. did i mention it was late july? we're in pants. and his car's air was busted at the time. so we drove the half hour to ATL with the windows rolled down. (my car was having tire issues, so we didn't wanna drive on those either).

see--- so NOT what you'd think in a proposal. i coulda been way cuter. and less stupid w/ the conversation.

until we sat down at the lake. taking in the scenery.
and then The Mr. starts talking. and god how i wish i could remember everything he said. i didn't even remember it back then. i do remember he opened with how glad he was that we started talking about this stuff lately.
(really? b/c i know i'm harping on it a lot). it's been good. and he talked about our past. and what i mean to him. and it was all a really good conversation.
(still no freakin clue.... i just figured he was FINALLY opening up b/c he knew he really should by now). and i just blindly said my "thank yous, me toos, uh-huhs" enjoying this new side of him.

little did i know he had a diamond ring box in his sock so i wouldn't see/feel it in his pocket. [with the exact ring i wanted. that still garners me lots of compliments]

we were already sitting, so there was no awkward getting on his knee or anything.
i didn't even see him get it.
& because i SO wasn't expecting anything, i wasn't even looking at him during this part of the heart-to-heart. i turned my head to see the view & then alluvasudden, he had different types of words coming out of his mouth.

he continued to tell me that he loves me. and he has liked growing with me. and he said something to the effect of how he wants to continue to grow with me. and then he asked "would you do me the honor of becoming my wife......will you marry me?"

i'm not even sure how much of that i really heard. b/c right when it started to sound all propos-y, tears and shaking and emotions just flooded me.
hugs and kisses and yesses abound. shrieking. and watching him smile oh so big. and more hugs and kisses. (in public, y'all!!!)

i truly never thought he could surprise me. i always thought i'd know. even down to hearing him opening up, it really didn't occur to me. and i always thought i'd have a clue.

afterwards, sharing our bliss i see a white van with no windows drive nearby. twice. so not 5 minutes after he proposed to me did i ask him if it was a joke... and were we on Spy TV?

he went on to explain that he had thought of proposing on our way to g'ville to see his parents, and stopping by clemson to do so. but then he thought he'd like to do it here in ATL. because this is where we're making our life together, and he wanted to make new memories for us.

little did i know....