My Engagement Story
It's the week of my anniversary, and it's hard to believe how fast 6 years has gone and all we've accomplished together (home, careers, two kids, travel, renovations, etc) ! I feel like we're always moving a million miles a minute (especially lately), and time is just fly by. In an effort to slow it down, I wanted to think back and share my engagement story - because it's one of my favorites!
It was July of 2008... and I took a few days of vacation from work to head up to Chicago for an extended weekend to visit my sister (leaving my boyfriend back in KC). I had a couple other friends there, too, and wanted to spend time with everyone and enjoy Chicago summer and their beaches... My roommate met me up there a couple days later for the weekend and all of us together had a fun dinner and night out planned the Friday night of the trip.
We had eaten dinner at Bistro 110 and I was drinking wine, having fun. We were planning to head up 96 floors to the Signature Lounge in the Handcock tower (is it still called that?!) for drinks and to see the views. It is high up... and I remember my friend, Cassie, telling me not to get too drunk at dinner since we were going to be going so high up. I laughed... why, I'm on vacation?!
We made it up there, got a sweet moon-shaped booth and were having so much fun. I had to go to the bathroom, and my sister came with me because there was a really awesome window and therefore view from the women's room she wanted to see. She was chatting my ear off as we were walking there, but we were just having fun (so I thought).
After the bathroom and just soon after we received our first drink, I was sitting (conveniently?) on the end of the booth, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to look to see my boyfriend, Greg. Wait - what?! He was in Kansas City! He jumped right in, gathering me out of my seat, kneeling and proposing. The whole sha-bang. It was like slow motion. My sister was in on it the whole time, and apparently when we were going to the bathroom we walked right by him in line to get in to the lounge. Hah!
He had previously checked in at a hotel downtown and gathered some of my things from my sister's place and we spent the rest of the weekend together, with my sister and our friends having so much fun. I've NEVER been surprised before, like that - in a good way. I usually catch on to something and this totally got me. It was an amazing weekend, and I still love that story.
Of course after all this time, I still love my ring. (However, I wouldn't mind a few right hand rings over the next years, wink wink.) The last few months I haven't been able to wear it, as I jammed my finger. It fits again now, and that time away from it has me appreciating it even more! Recently, I was introduced to Vashi and partnered with them to share some of my favorite engagement rings, in case any of you are looking to get engaged or upgrade your rock:
3-Stone Ring (most similar to my style, which was purchased locally, and still love it) | Round Cut, Halo Ring (so antique and unique looking and stands out from the crowd) | Square Cut, Halo Ring (a few of my friends have rings like this one and I love this modern look) | Simple Round Cut Solitaire (a classic, but to make it a bit more unique, I'd suggest a round diamond)!
Whichever ring you get, it's only a small symbol of what marriage is really about. Happy Anniversary, Greg!
