Thursday, January 19, 2012

Bad at blogging, but I have big news!

So I officially fail at being a "good blogger" but I have some really big news I felt the need to share with my blog, even though no one probably reads it. Actually, I have two pieces of big news:
1. I'm engaged!! :D
2. I'm a college graduate!
I know, very exciting stuff right?!?!
Now for the obligatory ring picture:
It's pink!!! I absolutely love it :) I love the man who gave it to me even more. He picked it out all by himself and completely surprised me with this beautiful antique ring. I probably would have loved anything he picked out (I have a bit of an affinity for sparkly and/or shiny things) but he really found a ring that captured my personal style, and of course he planned a wonderfully sweet proposal.

What? You want to hear about the proposal my non-existent reader? Alright, if you insist:

We had a "Christmas-y" day planned; (this was December 4th) we were going to see Elf (probably my favorite Christmas movie) at a small, old movie theater in my hometown, go ice skating, and see Mannheim Steamroller at Shea's (fancy theater downtown). Mike met me at church and afterwards we grabbed some breakfast at one of my favorite coffee shops across the street from the Palace movie theater. We ran across the street and caught the movie just as it was beginning. After the movie, we walked to our cars (we had drove separately since he met me at church) and he told me to wait to get in my car, handing me a wrapped Christmas present from his car. It was a copy of Elf on DVD; on the inside of the wrapping paper he had written "Guess what? You're prettier to me than anyone ELF" (the first of many puns I would read that day). Then, we drove to my apartment to drop off my car and when I got into his car he asked me if I was sure I knew where we were going because he didn't have the GPS, he told me to check the glovebox to prove his point. (eventhough I believed him) I quickly opened the glove box and he was right, no GPS, and closed it up. He told me to open it again; I was a little confused, but I opened it, and saw that there was another wrapped Christmas present in it. It was a Frank Sinatra Christmas CD, and another cute pun written on the wrapping paper, "Let me be FRANK with you: You're beautiful!"
We listened to good old blue eyes on the drive downtown. By the time we found a parking spot, we realized there wasn't much time for Ice Skating (not to mention Buffalo has been having this bizarr-o winter and it was 40 degrees out) so we decided to skip the rink and just find our seats for the show. After the concert we walked down past the ice rink, even though it was closed at this point, to look at the Christmas lights. Then we enjoyed a nice dinner at a Greek Restaurant called Ambrosia. We were going to drive around and look at Christmas lights, but it was getting pretty late and I had papers to grade, so we headed back to my apartment. We got into the apartment and put on the Christmas lights and some Christmas music. I sat down on the couch to start grading papers.
Mike kept asking me if I'd be more comfortable grading papers in my room, if I always graded them on the couch, and other strange questions (this is the point where I should have started to suspect something.) Finally he just said in a rather determined sort of way "Let's go in your room." to which I replied "Okay" in that confused, drawn out manner and gathered my papers. Almost as soon as we got into my room he left, shutting the door and telling me not to peek (this is the point where I should have really started to suspect something.)
After a few minutes he told me I could come out. As I reentered the living room, he told me Santa had come, and there were seven presents under my tree with seven packets of Land-O-Lakes flavored hot chocolate on each. He told me what order to open them in and I began unwrapping the first present. It was season one of Gilmore Girls (one of my favorite shows) on DVD, this had a rather lengthy note on it, which I won't reproduce here, but it did say that since I am willing to watch anime with him, he is willing to watch my favorite shows too. I haven't decided if I'll make him watch Gilmore Girls with me or not, but it was definitely a sweet sentiment. The puns didn't stop there either this one had "I love you! And I'm not Lore-lying!" If you haven't guessed yet, the other six gifts were the other six seasons of Gilmore Girls, with more sweet sentimental notes, detailing his feelings on his "Year of Wooing Mandy", the first time we held hands, our first real date, all ending with a final note thanking me for all that I am to him and all that I mean to him. Instead of a Gilmore Girls character name pun (which I was quite impressed with by the way) this one ended with "Now, come see me under the mistletoe. I have one more present for you. ;)" This whole time I had been asking him what he was going to do for Christmas, and what all this was for, I was still completely clueless for some reason as I moved to meet him under the mistletoe, expecting nothing more than a kiss (yes, I realize how clearly clueless I was at this point.) I went to kiss him as he was stepping away and telling me to close my eyes, I was still confused and protested, explaining that mistletoe was for kissing. He told me he would kiss me and to close my eyes and pucker up and I acquiesced. He kissed me and told me he loved me and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. When I opened my eyes he was on one knee with this gorgeous ring in this gorgeous box, he asked me to marry him. (he even googled which knee to get down on!!)
The next few moments are sort of a blur of complete jubilation. I remember the first words out of my mouth were something really silly and not "yes!" and I hugged him so tightly. (He tells me that he thinks my silly words were something like "It's [the ring] so beautiful!") I remember feeling his heart pounding against my chest and feeling so warm. Then remembering to say "Yes!" and getting to put the ring on and smiles and tears and warmth and joy just exploding in that moment. I was giddy, I was ecstatic, I was possibly a little crazed, but I felt amazing, everything felt amazing, it felt so right.
I managed to call both sets of my parents and tell the news, and once my stepmom found out I had to tell Facebook since she already had, and grade about two papers. I didn't sleep much that night and I'm pretty sure my jaw hurt the next morning from finally falling asleep with a smile plastered on my face. The next day I probably didn't even need my morning coffee, and I'm sure my students were wondering why on earth anyone could possibly be so excited about Freytag's Pyramid and eight in the morning, I swear I could have been giddy about teaching sentence diagramming that day if I wanted to.

I am so excited I get to begin this wonderful journey with the love of my life. I couldn't possibly be more blessed. Hopefully it will inspire me to start blogging more, I'm sure I'll want to tell about all the wedding details and DIY that I'm doing. Then again, considering my track record, maybe not.

-Mandy

 

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