Engagement!!!

What an unbelieveable weekend. As you can tell by the ring on my finger & the look on Neil's face (& my eyes are puffy from crying), we're engaged! It happened on Friday, October 6. It was like any other Friday night--spent at the Kapolei football stadium, watching Neil coach. It seemed like the game went on and on & I was in an unpatient mood. The embarrassing truth was that I was feeling a little bummed out about the gift Neil had bought me for my birthday. Actually, I really liked it (it was a gift certificate for a body massage, a dr. phil book, and the office & little mermaid dvd). However, I still felt a little sad that it seemed a bit impersonal. Anyhow, I felt even worse that I felt that way & was getting down on myself for being such a brat. After the game(s) (yes, varsity too!) we went to Zippy's where I could no longer hide my feelings. On the ride home, I admitted to Neil how I felt & began crying. He understood and I felt even worse!!! We got back to his house where he decided to take a shower & I began watching a documentary about Hitler (of all things) while still feeling a little miserable. Suddenly, the door opened and in the doorway stood Neil, still dripping wet from his shower but wearing the same pants from the game (which confused me). Before I knew it, he was down on one knee, a pretty red box in his hand and he asked for my hand in marriage. I immediately said, "yes" while I started to sob but this time out of pure joy. I was still lying down when he slipped the ring on my finger. It was absolutely gorgeous. He then told me what really happened:

He had been thinking about proposing to me for a little while now but since it was football season, didn't have the opportunity to do the searching. After he heard that I would be working every day during our Fall Break, he seized that chance & set out for the stores everyday looking for the perfect ring. After no such luck, he decided to call his father's jeweler in Cinncinati. He was initially was going to purchase a loose diamond but after a few photos sent to him via email, he knew he had found a perfect ring. He ordered it & it was shipped overnight. On Friday, I asked him if he wanted some leftover manapua's from our lunch at work. I knew it was some of his favorites & I was disappointed when he told me he already ate & was going to go to work soon. He was actually waiting for the FedEx truck to deliver the ring to him. It finally got delivered, just before he was supposed to leave for the football game. After seeing me in such a pathetic mess that night, he couldn't wait a moment longer. Neil had originally planned to propose at Roy's Restuarant on Sunday when we would be celebrating our birthday's together. He had planned to surprise me during dessert.

This moment was what I had dreamed of for years. We've started the wedding planning already. Neil is the kind of person who makes me smile whether he's sitting next to me or miles away. I love him. He loves me. That's just right.