ellsworthlink.net

“Oh, Look at That” … or How it all Began

21. November 2007

Since I am getting so used to thinking in terms of weeks, I just thought it would be fun to re-visit a moment that occurred around 330-ish weeks ago (I’m sure my father can correct the actual number of weeks)…

Right click to save movie file to computer

Everything below is from an email I evidently had sent to some of our colleagues at the office. Deb recently re-forwarded it to me as she was cleaning out old emails and I got a good laugh. And a bunch of warm-fuzzies. Can I say that on ellsworthlink? Or does that make it too family-friendly?!?!

Okay, so I’ve obviously been thinking about this for a long time, but had finally decided that “it was time.” I had gone out and purchased an engagement ring for Deb in the middle of June and settled on the occasion of her twin nephews’ second birthday party this past weekend (June 30th, actually) as the right time–since her family would be there and I knew that would be special to her.

In preparation for the proposal, I wanted to talk to both her mother and her father to ask permission. I spoke with her mother but had to leave a message to CALL MY CELL PHONE NOT THE HOME PHONE for her father. Turns out he didn’t get the whole message and the first thing he did was call Deb and ask if she knew “why Matt would have been calling me?” (AHHHHHHHHHHH!) I found out through her sister that Deb knew I had asked permission and was worried that the surprise would be ruined so I began making up this story about a fabulous bed-and-breakfast getaway I was planning for the two us for the weekend *after* the weekend I was really going to do it. I even went so far as to go ring shopping with her even though I had already ordered the ring… Apparently I was overdoing it a bit because she mentioned to a mutual friend that I had been talking it up so much she was beginning to wonder if it was just a smokescreen and that I was probably going to do it at a different time! Knowing when I was planning on doing it, I assumed she was thinking that weekend and was resigning myself to having to rely on her word that she was surprised. It turns out she was thinking I was going to do it *later* not sooner. In fact, she later said she didn’t ever in a million years think I would do it this past weekend since she didn’t think I had it together (i.e. the ring) yet.

The birthday party was at a park and everyone was asked to bring a dish to pass so I thought we should bring Deb’s favorite dessert–angel food cake, strawberries and Cool Whip. I had purchased a die-cut strawberry-shaped card and placed it inside the container of Cool Whip so she would see it as we were preparing the dessert at the picnic. So after the twins blow out their candles we went to set out our dessert.

It was actually funny because when she did open the Cool Whip she initially thought the card was a COUPON! After some slight nudging from the crowd she looked at it and started shaking a bit when she realized what she thought might be happening. Inside the card I had drawn a picture of a ring with a question mark… When she turned around I was down on my knees with the little velvet box opened ready to say some things and propose. She was so surprised, however, that she involuntarily shouted out “NO WAY… (stammer stammer stammer)… HERE?” and was taking steps back. Imagine me, already on my knees shuffling after her. Well, she finally did come back to me and buried her head in my shoulder as I tried to tell her all the things I had wanted to say to her at that moment. She wasn’t hearing me at all through her shaking and crying and laughing (and mine), so I had to tell her what I had said later; I remember thinking the whole time I was trying to say them that “I spent a long time thinking of exactly the right words, you have to listen!!!” She did hear me ask her to marry me and she did say yes at the right time so something was getting through! Her brother-in-law later teased us that he wasn’t sure we were going to get the ring on the right finger because we were both shaking and laughing and hugging and carrying on.

Deb’s sister had asked one of her friends to videotape the twins’ blowing out their candles and “just don’t bother turning it off and real casually point it at my sister.” So, apparently a videotape exists of the exchange but we haven’t seen it yet; can’t wait!

It really was wonderful. After all the fun we both had playing cloak and dagger, her exclamations and hard-to-ad-lib trembling were awfully convincing that she really was surprised! A lot of her family was there: mom, sister, grandparents, aunts/uncles. They (and we!) were very happy to be able to share in the moment.

Add This to Your “To Do” List

21. November 2007

0 Comments

A wonderful thing happened on the way to… uh… work? Well, it was still wonderful. And it is definitely something I have added to my mental “to do” list.

Thanks to our friend Katie for sharing her story.