The Engagement Story

(UPDATE: YOU CAN VIEW THE PICTURES THAT I HAVE POSTED ON MY MYSPACE BY WAY OF THIS LINK HERE)

Ok well there are about twenty things that I should be doing right now (18 of them being homework) but instead, I'll post my version of the story of how this whole proposal thing went down (Heather's version can be found here). . .

And o yeah, we're engaged!!! (That's for those of you who didn't know and had no idea what I was talking about. . .)

And away we go. . .

So the back story of this whole thing begins in July, when I bought the ring. That's right - July! I had to get it because the one that I wanted was the last one in the entire company of Kevin's Jewelers! The last one! So I did it - - I bought an engagement ring (and for those wondering, yes it is beautiful, big - but not gaudy - and bought and paid for in one fell swoop). . .

But I had to have major self control. In my head I had always planned on proposing on a special, planned night and not on a whim or just because I felt like it. I have always been a helpless romantic (poetry, flowers - you name it, I've probably done it) and I have always known that my wonderful Heather enjoyed all of the things that I did for her.

Plus, as Heather's sister Chelsea told me when I requested her assistance, Heather has always wanted a special event come time for her engagement. Apparently when they were little (Chels is three years older than Heather) and were playing "house," Heather had to be the one playing the bride or was in the process of getting married. She wanted (deep-down, no matter what she says) a memorable engagement. Now sure, just the process of getting engaged is a big deal, but I wanted her to have a story to tell people when they asked what had happened.

So I planned it - - it wasn't going to be extravagant, but it would be memorable. I had requested off November 11th (for the significance of the date 11/11, check out the beginning of this post back in 2005) from the FL and then made it a requirement if the MW wanted to hire me, which they absolutely agreed to. This would be better than Christmas or her birthday (12/27) because I wanted to make this a special, separate occasion. This was not just a birthday present. This was forever.

So I planned to head down to her apartment on the 11th. I had talked to Chels and she was going to take Heather out to lunch while I went into her apartment with flowers and my ring. I would wait in her room til she got back and then when she walked in, I would present her with flowers and she would probably ask why I was there. I would then say that it was because it was 11/11 and then I would kneel down and propose, having the date be the biggest deal of the whole thing.

But then, something happened. . .

With the Veterans Day holiday causing us both to have no school on Monday the 12th, Heather suggested she come home for the three day weekend (after she got off work on Saturday). Well this set me back quite a bit, as you can imagine. So I was left with a work and school-filled week to come up with a better proposal plan than the one I had originally intended.

And boy did I ever. . .

We went to Hollywood on Saturday night, the 10th (not before I supplied Heather with a beautiful collection of peach roses) to the AFI Festival at Arclight. We went to see CHRIS AND DON: A LOVE STORY, an independent feature directed by Guido Santi and Tina Mascara, two fantastic individuals whom I met back in April at an AVC function by way of my professor, Charles Hood. I also met Don Bachardy that night (I can't remember if I ever blogged about that night) - that night was one of my most memorable ever!

But anyway, their film was having its Hollywood premiere and since I had kept in touch with both the directors and the producer, James (Jim) White, I was invited to attend. I took Heather with me (we both got dressed up - me in a button-up underneath a nice sweater, nice blue jeans, and my new shoes; Heather in a beautiful blouse, black dressy pants, and some heels that pulled it all together) and we had a fantastic time. The movie was good and all, but I was more excited to be out and about with Heather on a Saturday night! After the film and the meet-and-greet (we met up with Prof. Hood to say hello and also Jim, and the star of the night, Mr. Bachardy) we headed outside.

Since I had wanted to get back to my house at midnight (thus making it the 11th) I needed to find a way to prolong our evening down below. As we walked out, we saw the newer restaurant Charcoal (at least we think it's newish), a club-like bar with some tables along the side. We went in, both being hungry and desiring a new experience. We enjoyed some $16 Baked Shrimp (for only four shrimp!) and a couple drinks (of course meaning a Sprite for Heather and an Arnold Palmer, like always, for me). We got out around 2215 and had nothing else to do but head home.

On the way home, Heather actually brought up the fact that we were going to be together on 11/11 and all I could do was nod and smile, knowing full well that Heather had absolutely no idea what was about to happen. . .

We got to my house around 2330 and Heather and I entered the house. Before I had left that morning, I had put a bunch of rose petals up my stairs and leading to my room. Heather saw this and was excited, and asked if she could go upstairs. I told her that of course she could and I waited downstairs. . .

When she got up the stairs, she found a note on my bed that read: "So here's what I need from you: - Sit on the edge of my bed.... - Press play on the remote... - And just listen...... I love you!" When she pushed play on the remote, "Come What May," a song from Moulin Rouge that has been one of our many songs along the road of our relationship, came on from my iTunes. As soon as I heard that the song had started, I began walking up the stairs with the box in my hand.

I got up to my room and there she was, sitting on the edge of my bed. Smiling. Oblivious to what was about to happen. I hugged her when she put her arms out for a hug, but with only one arm, the other being behind my back. She asked "What's behind your back?" and with that, I knelt down in front of her. I looked into the eyes of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and calmly asked the question that sounded o so surreal coming out: "Will you marry me?"

When I said it, her jaw dropped. She covered her mouth and gasped. I'm pretty sure there was no oxygen left in the room immediately following my proposal. But anyway, she kept asking "Are you sure?" and exclaiming "O my God!" and crying . . . but was not giving me an affirmative response! I kept staring and waiting. . .

Once she asked me "Are you sure?" for what was probably the fifth time, I took off my glasses and said once again "Will you marry me?" And finally, (it's not that I was worried, but I just really expected a different response) she said "Of course" and I put the ring on her finger, and the shock slowly began to wear off. We began to smile and laugh. I kissed her and told her I loved her and when she asked if I was sure for what was probably the tenth time, I looked at her and told her I wanted to marry her and spend forever beside her.

Then it got crazy exciting! Heather started screaming excitedly and saying "We're engaged!" Then she started calling everyone in her phone book that was possibly awake at what was now 0030 on the 11th. . .

And as Heather said, we were ecstatic. We stayed up for quite awhile, calling people and reliving the past hour over and over. We finally went to bed around 0200, woke up around 0830, and had an entire Sunday together since I surprised her with my day off :) The Sunday included a trip to the movies to see BEE MOVIE (a big let-down - grade: C+) and a journey down to San Clemente to celebrate with a dinner with her dad and his wife Claudia. It all went well and it seems that everything will fall into place in the coming months. . .

And that's how it all happened. . . I'm now a Fiancé and Heather is now a Fiancée (Yes, there is a difference in the spelling, according to the all-knowing Wikipedia). . .

It's very exciting - - - But really, that word does not say enough about what it is that we feel. We are both ready to make the next steps towards becoming a married couple and all that that entails. This is just the first of many. . . And I couldn't be more ready to get the ball rolling!

For those wanting dates for the wedding, well, we just aren't that sure yet. But our goal is to be married over the summer of 2009 and most likely either the end of June or the beginning of July. But we'll see. . . it's a long time til then, but it will most assuredly fly by!!!

Thanks to everyone who knew and didn't say anything to Heather. Thanks to everyone who didn't know and is now offering their congratulations. Thanks to all those who are just as excited as we are - you being excited for us just helps us know that we're doing things right.

But most of all, thanks to Heather for saying yes. . . I love you!