Do it right the first time

Haha, typical me to post that I'm engaged, throw up a couple pictures of the absolutely gorgeous (and VERY sparkly) ring on my finger and then disappear.

I would rent the first apartment I ever looked at because it was absolutely perfect, and then not too long after start the first real and serious relationship I've ever had.

And then, 18 months later, would become engaged to the first guy I was ever in a real and serious relationship with and fell madly, head over heels in love with.

Because that's how I roll. I guess that when it comes to things that truly matter, I just know how to pick 'em right the first time.

All I can do is smile. I'm getting married! :)

Disclaimer - I promise some regular posts will come soon, but I'm still walking on a cloud and I'm finding it incredibly difficult to focus on anything but smiling.

The One Where She Says Yes

I am absolutely ecstatic to share something, especially following the more melancholy post yesterday. Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes, I really appreciate it. I am officially changing the bf's nickname. He is now the fiance!!! We got engaged last night!!!! =D

It was so perfect! Yesterday was our 18 month anniversary since we started dating. He took me to the Italian restaurant that he took me to for our one month and one year anniversaries. :) After dinner he came over to my side of the table with this wine carrier, which he'd said earlier had presents in it for me but there wasn't wine. When he opened it, there was wine...he gestured to it and I pulled out one of the bottles. It was inscribed with the verse: "There are three things that last faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love." Below that it has a Celtic cross with Celtic knots and whatnot. Below that it says "will you marry me and love me always and forever" and then has the date, October 8, 2009. And then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! =D =D =D

I am SO excited!!!!! It was even more significant since yesterday was exactly one year to the day that he took me to Julien for our 6 month anniversary, after which we stopped at the winery where we work sometimes. It's also the day that I first tasted the tawny port wine there that was and is still in the barrel. I've been waiting for them to bottle it for the past year. I now have the first and only two bottles currently in existence. He let the fiance bottle it and cork it and everything himself. :) We're friends with another winery couple up there that also does bottle etching. He etched the bottles for the fiance!!

I am so absolutely ecstatic. I am floating on a cloud and I can't stop smiling! =D

San Francisco Day Two (the bonus story)

I have the most romantic and wonderful boyfriend ever. I'm even more in love with him after our San Francisco trip, it's crazy and incredible and beautiful all wrapped into one. We are both part Irish and love the meaning and symbolism of the Claddagh ring. I know that he looked at Claddagh rings for me once quite a few months ago. What I didn't know is that he never stopped looking.
While we were waiting for our table at the Pier Market for dinner, we went into this great little shop on Pier 39, Treasure Ireland. (doesn't the name just send a delightful shiver down your spine?) There were all kinds of beautiful treasures to browse through. One of the first things that caught my eye was the collection of Claddagh rings. The bf asked the shopkeeper to help me try them on. He showed us the special collection of rings. It was a perfect fit. The bf bought me the most beautiful silver Claddagh ring. I wear in on my left hand facing in. We're not engaged, not yet anyways. It's a promise ring. And it is absolutely beautiful. I keep my Claddagh on even when I'm asleep, I only really take it off to shower. I am the luckiest girl in the world to be in love with such a wonderful guy. He's perfect :)

One Year

Can you believe it's been a whole year? I certainly can't. So much has happened in the past year, so many wonderful memories. There were definitely moments I didn't think we would make it this far, but we have and we're still going strong. I'm more in love with him than ever.
This day one year ago, the bf (before he was the bf) came over to hang out and watch a movie at my apartment after work. We put on Hairspray, I remember because we didn't get all the way through it. Now, we'd been doing our dance for quite a while. He'd been there to help me move in to my fabulous new studio apartment. That was
the first day I really ever wanted to call him my boyfriend...I nearly slipped up then, it just felt so natural to have him there. We started playing tennis with some friends, we were playing 3 times a week at one point. About a month before we'd gone to happy hour at Casa with friends from work, and my friend Bee joined us. He flirted more with her than me that night, and paid her a lot of attention. While I thought it would be neat if two of my greatest friends got together, I was slightly jealous. I was used to having his full attention and the whole thing was rather disconcerting. To coin my phrase then, I was an attention whore...for his attention.

I laughed about it with Bee and the Sultan's Daughter.
Things continued, we talked ALL the time via text and im. I missed him when I wasn't talking to him. Now, you've probably heard me tell that I had a tendency to be skittish...which he knew. But he played it well, it got to the point where I was getting annoyed that he WASN'T making a move...which leads us to the night we watched Hairspray. We were cuddled on my bed watching the movie. I don't remember how it happened, but all I know is that for the millionth time he went 90% and I suddenly had a blast of courage and went the last 10% (it was a total Hitch moment) It was about dang time we finally kissed. Though, if you ask him about the story he'll tell you I attacked him. I think he was just over excited that it finally happened, I don't really think I attacked him. :)
Tonight he's taking me to the same Italian restaurant that he took me to for our one month date. I can't wait to be there again...and my tastebuds are definitely craving some chocolate crème brulée.

Happy Anniversary baby. I love you.

**sorry about the formatting...Blogger was not cooperating with me today

L-O-V-E

Because Converse Mama asked SO sweetly (and because I promised)...

I'm in love. Haha, makes me giggly just to write it...that's the first time I've "said" that. I've known for a while now, but I hadn't said it. I had a talk with Jasa about it several weeks ago, because honestly, this is all new to me. We talked about timing and right-ness. He left me with the thought that the next time I felt like saying it, to just say it. (of course in person and not on im or in a text) The opportunity presented itself within an hour of that conversation, but it's like I lost my voice each time I tried to say those three little words, they just seemed to catch in my throat. And so time continued, those three words continued to lodge themselves in the back of my throat.

I was pretty sure I loved him relatively early on, but I wasn't sure how to be sure. I tend to love fairly easily, as a friend, and to think about it, I don't think I've ever really been in love before, only crushing...so this was all fairly new. And "I love you" is kind of a big deal, and you can't take it back. I just needed to be sure. I can't tell you exactly when I was 100% certain, I just knew.
Fast forward to last Friday. Our drive up to my aunt's on our way to my house started almost unpleasantly. The bf was frustrated because he wanted everything to be perfect for my family, and we were running later than I had said I wanted to (this was actually my fault) I'd been feeling like I was frustrating him a lot lately, and this just made it worse. I got very, very quiet. (which, if you know me, is a very rare occurrence, usually the result of getting distracted and lost within my overfull, racing mind) See, I don't have the greatest track record when it comes to relationships. And I was so (still sort of am) so scared of screwing this up. It was really bothering me, because I really, truly cared if I messed it up. I love him and it scared me that I thought I was going to screw it up. The bf reads me really well, and knew something was up, but I was in one of those places where I just couldn't find my voice. I lifted the center console in the truck and slid over to be right next to him and just laid my head on his shoulder and held onto him for a while. After a bit I found my voice and told him how I'd been feeling, and he reassured me that everything was fine, and he was not and had never been upset with me or frustrated by me. And he assured me that there was nothing I could do to make him go away. I could have kissed him right then...actually, I'm fairly certain I did. I knew that I had to tell him. I mean, I was sure he knew, but I HAD to say it.

And again the words caught in my throat. Stupid words must have barbs on them or something, seriously. A short while later my good mood returned (I'm telling you, I am one of the happiest people you will ever meet, my rare bad moods never last long) We were singing and listening to one of the playlists I'd made earlier that afternoon on his ipod. came on. It's one of my favorite songs, and it was the song we had been listening to, and the first thing the bf heard after he left after we kissed the first time and admitted our feelings for each other. And yes, I am now officially the princess of cheesy-ness. I knew that I needed to be the one to say those words first, because he was worried about scaring me or making me skittish (me and my track record, seriously) I also knew that I couldn't just blurt the words out, they literally would not come out of my mouth. So, following the first line of the chorus (you know the one, "I love you baby...") I quietly said "I do, you know". He asked "do what?" And of course, I replied with "love you". He of course told me he loved me.

To add to the humor, shortly after, I said something about knowing I had to say it first, and he said "you still haven't said it". I was SO confused. He'd gotten so flustered at hearing it, he didn't hear the first part of what I'd said, and had changed it in his mind to me asking if he loved me. D'oh! It definitely made the moment memorable, we both couldn't stop laughing. I was grinning like an idiot the rest of the night...in fact, I still sort of am. My cousin and I nearly burst when I told her at my aunt's. My family really likes him and have really accepted him into our circle, and his parents and friends really like me too. It just works. The whole things just feels right, like it's meant to be. We fit.

I'm his princess, always and forever. That's what he says. And he said I could keep him, always and forever. And that makes me subliminally happy. I have the bestest boyfriend in the world. And I love him. And I love that I can say that. And now that I am grinning like a lunatic, I'm going to head to bed. Sorry that post went SO long...I need to learn the beauty of brevity...but perhaps I'll try that out on a post NOT about being in love. Hehe, in love. Me. :)
It's an older picture, taken on our poppy excursion only a few days after we started dating. We took a picture because of the massive size difference between his truck and that little Prius. I thought it was appropriate that since the cab of his truck was where we first said I love you, that the photo for this post be of his truck. (this is the only one I currently have) I love my bf, and his truck. Haha. I hope everyone has a wonderful evening, and I wish you all a beautiful Friday!