The boyfriend went with me to camp meeting in SC. This is a once a year event and I have family come to town from near and far for some good ole southern cookin. It was a fairly comical day because nothing seemed to be going as planned; but that’s what makes life fun and memories worth remembering.
We had gone to my aunt’s house on the family farm to take showers. He asked me if I was ready to go for a walk (as he had already told me ahead of time he’d like to go for a walk on the land to decide exactly where we’d like to get married). I said no because I was yucky and still in my pj’s and wanted to be clean. He said that’s fine, so we waited to go for a walk until after I was all spiffed up (in my jeans mind you).
So we walked to the aisle between two long rows of pecan trees, but didn’t quite get there because my cousin planted a garden right in the way. The boyfriend was very nervous, especially after I was talking to him about feeling ‘disconnected and irritable’ that morning. He decided to bite the bullet because you can’t plan a perfect moment, so he got down on one knee and stumbled through a proposal of marriage. I really don’t remember his exact words, but I do recall him saying he’s never been so sure of anything in his life.
After that, he of course showed me the ring which was my grandmother’s that he had to get from my mother ahead of time. He said he didn’t have it sized though. Poor guy, he almost came to tears when I said I didn’t want to tell anyone we’re engaged until I have a ring to show them. He felt so horribly bad and I tried to console him and tell him it’s okay, I wasn’t upset.
So we went back to the campground and had lunch with my family. After that, we spent the rest of the afternoon driving around Summerville and Charleston looking for a jeweler that would size the ring on the spot. Hours later, the ring was sized and we went back to the campground for supper. I made the announcement at the table and of course everyone applauded and offered congratulations. I thought it was funny that people were asking when the wedding is and we hadn’t even been engaged 24 hours yet. We need to sit down together and look at the calendar, but I’m thinking May.
It was so sweet that he proposed in the exact spot I want to get married. It’s also comforting to me that I know he’s my best friend in life and I can tell him anything. I told him later in the day that I thought I would feel something more or that it would be this magical moment, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. He said the same thing though. His explanation was that it was like we drained all the magic out of it by talking about getting married so much. . . like if you see the previews for a movie and really want to see it, then you see it and realize all the best parts were in the previews – even though it was a really good movie. You can’t really apply the word disappointment to it, but almost like not quite meeting an expectation that may or may not have been realistic. Such is life.
Anyway, I’m officially engaged – very happily so. And from hence forth, the boyfriend shall now be known as the fiance’.
and ps – he said if I’m jonesing that bad to get my hair cut, then by all means – go get it cut!
