We have been talking about getting married since October 2007 although at that point I kept saying that I wanted to wait until I graduated to get engaged. After graduation we started seriously discussing time lines and talking about rings (it was at that point just daydreaming though). Then we moved to South Carolina and recruit school and me searching for a job took over. Jim finished recruit school last January and I landed my dream job in February. We could actually start REALLY looking at rings. Yes, we looked at rings together. I am slightly opinionated when it comes to jewelry and this is a ring I'll be wearing for the rest of my life. Then there's my whole belief in a relationship being a partnership thing and all decisions being made together. I did still want the exact when/where/how & ring to be a surprise & up to Jim. We went to several jewelry stores together. At first I was stuck on this one EXACT look and was so frustrated that we just couldn't find what I had in mind, so we broadened the search. We found one ring that was a princess cut with a sapphires on either side. We both LOVED it, but had just started searching for the something other than the EXACT match so we looked a bit further. By the time we were finished I liked so many rings I just gave up and told Jim he knew the general idea of what I liked and he could go from there. When Jim went back he was seeking the ring with sapphires which happened to have been a one and only and just been sold. Jim decided to custom make my ring since he couldn't imagine anything else and used the opportunity to make a few changes from the first ring (I didn't know any of this at the time by the way).
Jim and I had also discussed wanting to get married in either spring 2010 or fall 2010 (summer is not ideal for an outdoor beach wedding with the heat and tourists). I had also let Jim know that I needed roughly a year to plan the wedding properly. So I was certain Jim would propose on our 2 year anniversary May 25th, especially since Jim wasn't working that day and was very vague about what we would do... but nope. Nothing. Then we went to Charleston one Saturday & Jim had to make a stop on the way home before we could leave (I was convinced he was picking up the ring). We went to the aquarium and Battery Park... all great places for a proposal. I can't tell you how disappointed I was on the ride home. It seriously got to the point where every day he was home & we left the house I thought it might happen. Then it was June and I was getting worried/frustrated. How was I supposed to plan a wedding in 9 months or less!?! I had been daydreaming but made no concrete plans until after I had the ring (I had this fear vendors would not take me seriously).
June 15th 2009 was a Monday and I had a not so great day at work. Jim offered to take me to dinner to try and cheer me up. Did I mention I was not happy... actually I think it would be better described as hurt (see also: glum/disheartened/sad)... I had really been trying to help this family and already lost sleep worrying about them & what to do to be shut down. I was just at a total loss and for the first time questioning if I could really become the amazing Early Interventionist who makes a difference in the world one child at a time. At first I told Jim no... I just wanted to put on sweats and pout. Jim had no reaction, he didn't appear to be flustered or upset about me declining dinner only worried about cheering me up (have I mentioned he's great?). Then Jim asked again and offered Olive Garden...well pasta is comfort food and their garlic bread sounded good. Jim drove down by the ocean and we went to the Olive Garden on 17. They had a wait time of 45 minutes and we were both STARVING... so we decided to keep driving and find somewhere else to eat. Jim didn't react to this change in plan either so no clues there. We saw Carrabas and decided that is what we wanted (twist my arm). We actually had a great dinner and the food came out quickly, no wait at all for anything. Then we decided to take a walk by the ocean at my favorite park Anderson Park (it is so pretty with its pillars and fountain). Again no signs yet for me that anything was going on. We walked down to the park and as I babbled about how great those pillars, swings, & fountain were Jim got quiet (rare). He was holding my hand and he half stopped, when I turned to look I noticed he was digging in his pocket and had this guilty look on his face...(here is where I ruin the proposal) before I even thought about it I asked "Are you trying to be sneaky?". He immediately swooped me up in a hug and told me that he loved me and wanted to marry me. It was one of those moments where you know what's happening but you can't believe it's happening I am fairly certain I eked out that I love him too and I also want to marry him. Then he was down on his knee holding out my amazingly perfect ring. We sat on the beach for a little bit together enjoying our excitement before we started calling parents. Since my sister was out of range (some sort of wilderness camp without cell or Internet service) we kept it quiet until I could tell her myself. Jim then took me for $.99 Waffle Cone Wednesday at TCBY.
My Pretty Ring :D Great job J!
Our park!
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