Saturday, September 11, 2004

 

special announcement from the big cheese...

I know many of my readers (whoever's left, anyway!) - or my sister's, cousin's, etc's readers - have been waiting to hear this story. For those not in the know just yet, I am very very very happy to announce the following:

Dan and I are engaged!!!

[insert your own image of me jumping up and down and squealing like a little girl]
and now, making it's online debut,

THE STORY...

it's a long one, so settle in with a bag of popcorn and a drink, and make yourself comfy.

Since last winter, Dan has been wanting to take me on a summer vacation, since summer 2004 would be my last real summer break. Being the roller coaster fiend that he is, he wanted to take me to Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, OH (near Cleveland), so I could ride Millenium Force, Top Thrill Dragster, and all the other coasters. But ya know, I just don't have the same love for coasters as he does. But I was still going, because we were going to have fun, doggone it. He'd also planned an outing to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame so I could spend some of my vacation on the ground.

So this past spring and summer, he's been pumping me up to go to Cleveland. So he told me that on August 30th, we'd be leaving my house at 4:45 AM because he didn't want to hit traffic going through Indiana, which I knew was sucky. And so I was packed and ready at 4:45 AM, and we left. He said I could sleep in the car, so I did. Then I realized that he'd stopped the car, and I thought, "you don't stop a car on the highway..." and opened my eyes. And realized that we were in the parking lot at Midway Airport. It was about 5:15 AM, so I was already confused enough. So I just assumed we were flying to Cleveland.

We get to check-in, and they check our bags. That's when I noticed the baggage tag's airport code read "LAS" - and I know that's McCarran airport in Las Vegas... But Dan insisted that was the code for Cleveland's airport. It was ungodly early in the morning, I was tired and confused, so I just played along. Then we get to the gate, it says "Las Vegas" and Dan's jig is up, but of course he won't admit it.

So we get to Las Vegas, where he has hired a Lincoln Town Car driver to take us to the Las Vegas welcome sign and to Bally's, where we were staying (in a room with a jacuzzi, no less! I'm soooo getting one of those someday). We bummed around the Strip for a few hours, and then Dan tells me we're going out to dinner at 9:00, and I should dress nice. So I did, and he took me to Olives at the Bellagio. We had gone there last time we were in Vegas, so it's kind of like "our" restaurant in Vegas. It's got a view of the lake in front of the Bellagio, so you can see the water show while you're eating. Anyhoo, so all of a sudden it dawns on me, "Oh my God, is he gonna propose here???" Mind you, I was thoroughly convinced that it would be a loooooong time before he was going to propose to me. We're talking years here.

Then the check came, no proposal. Ok then. Life goes on.

So then he took me to the Conservatory in the Bellagio, which was all set up with its summer flower display. And then I thought, "Would he propose here???"

Then we left. No proposal. Ok then.

By the time we got back to Bally's, it was past 10:00 Vegas time. Which means it was midnight Chicago time, and I was tired. And for those of you who know what I'm like when I'm tired, yes, I was slightly cranky. We get to our hotel room, and Dan asks me to open the door. Now I know he has the key in his pocket, but I dig through my purse, open the door while grumbling to myself about him having the key easily accessible in his pocket, and walk in. Dan stops in the middle of the room, and just stands there, looking out our wall of windows onto the Strip. I ask him what he's looking at, he says nothing, so I continue on my way and take off my shoes. Now I notice he's still standing there, so I go over and hug him, and finally he says "Would you just look already????" I turn around, and there's a tray with a bucket of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries on the ottoman in front of the windows. Romantic, eh? So he tells me to go have one, and I turn around and walk away from him to go do that.

Then I realize that he was moving behind me.

I spin around, and he's down on one knee with a box open, revealing a GORGEOUS
diamond solitaire ring...



Being the classy young woman that I am, my first reaction was to scream "Holy f**k!". Then my knees went, and I was just kneeling on the floor in front of him. I said "Yes!" and just held him for a long time. After a while, he goes "Uh, you know, I didn't really even get to ask you..." So I just told him to ask me - heck, I hadn't put the ring on yet, as far as I remember. Besides, if a guy is down on one knee with an open box containing a ring, the question asks itself. So he asked, and I obviously said yes again.

So yup, that's the story. He got me good. Complete surprise. No clue I was going to Vegas, no clue I was going to get proposed to. It was a fabulous time. I so happy.

And now I have a wedding to plan. No date set yet, trying to figure that out with me in school and all. But for now, I'm just trying to enjoy being someone's fiancee. It's like my vacation from being a med student.

Thank you to all of you who have already sent us good wishes!

Claud 8:06 AM