Our Engagement
(Pattys Version)
After graduation on August 1, 2003, Kevin took me out to a nice lunch at Celebrity Café in Midtown. After lunch, he planned to take me to take me somewhere as a surprise. After driving for a long while (and a little nap for me), we pulled into Callaway Gardens where there is housed a beautiful butterfly exhibit—I love butterflies. Kevin and I walked around the exhibit pointing out all the different species of tropical butterflies. The greatest part about the exhibit is that the butterflies are just flying around freely. I could have stayed there for hours. There were also some ducks and parrots flying around. After about 1 hour or so, we left the exhibit and walked back to the car.
Kevin said he wanted to find a walking trail and take a little walk since he had heard they were pleasant. He told me to pick whichever one I wanted, so I looked at the map (which I could not read!) and picked one. Once Kevin figured out how to get there, we started driving. When he pulled out of the spot, he accidentally bumped into a small wooden post and knocked it over. After he had fixed it, we were on our way. The road to the original trail was closed, so we turned the car around and went to another trail. On the way to the next trail, we passed the Birds of Prey exhibit, so we decided to take a detour and check it out. The birds were interesting, but the presenter was horrible! We left the show and headed to the walking trail.
When we finally found it, no one else was there. What luck! We had the trail to ourselves. We parked the car and got out. Kevin went to the trunk to get my graduation gift and pulled out his laundry bag with a big box in it. He had not had time to wrap my gift since he had been on site in Mississippi all week and had picked up the package right before the graduation ceremony. We walked over to the gardens to a beautiful huge gazebo. He walked us over to a bench and told me to sit down so I could open my gift. Inside the bag I found a huge box with a gorgeous Lladró figurine. It is called “Loves Little Surprises” and it is of a guy holding a small box behind his back while the girl is trying to peek around to see what it is. I have told Kevin about a million times that I love that statue because it reminds me of the two of us since that is what always happens when he has something for me. It was the sweetest gift he could have given me…or so I thought. When I finally finished opening it and looking at it and thanking him for it, he looked down at me and said, “That’s not all…” It was then that I noticed that he still had his hands behind his back, so I stood up and tried to peek around his back, and I saw a small box. I was so surprised and so shocked that I put my hands to my mouth started crying almost immediately. He took the box from behind his back, opened it to show the ring, and got down on one knee. I couldn’t stay standing, so I sat back down on the bench. He looked at me and said, “These past 3 years have been the best 3 years of my life. I couldn’t imagine my life with out you. Will you marry me?” I couldn’t speak, so I just hugged him and nodded my head. He put the ring on my finger, and we stood there hugging until we heard voices and the gate opening. We quickly cleaned everything up and headed back to the car. |
The whole way home I just kept looking at the ring in amazement. I kept telling him how beautiful it is and how I can’t believe that we’re engaged and anything and everything along those lines. Every time I thought about how he was my fiancé or that we were going to get married, I’d start crying all over again, and he’d just look at me and smile. I also did a lot of those little excited faces which Kevin just laughed at.
I decided that on the car ride home, I wouldn’t call home so that I could surprise everyone with the news at once. I also wanted to enjoy the single moment in which only Kevin and I would know we were engaged—well, us and my father since Kevin had asked his permission and told him of his plan.
So we get home and Hallee and Megan are out in the yard. I was trying to wait until we got inside before telling everyone which proved to be a difficult task since every time that Kevin and I go out alone, when we get back Hallee immediately looks at my hand—just in case. I managed to get inside without anyone really noticing, though, so when my dad came up to hug me and say congratulations, Hallee saw the ring and started screaming which made Kevin’s mom come running and start screaming along with my sister-in-law Jeanni and Georgiana, a close family friend. [Did I mention this was a surprise graduation party for me?] Hallee ran upstairs to get mama because she was changing her clothes. She came downstairs and everyone just grabbed my hand to check out the ring and hug me and cry. Meanwhile, Abuelo and Abuela are in the family room wondering what the heck is making everyone scream so much, so I go in there to tell them and show them the ring. They cry and hug me, too.
Later on, Kevin’s father comes over, and we decide to just let him figure it out by himself. We talk for a few minutes about Callaway and stuff and then he notices the “thing weighing down my finger.” Kevin’s mom jumps up and screams and hugs him and they both seem really happy.
Later on, Kevin’s brother and sister-in-law finally make it to the party after a long and tiring week. They look exhausted, but we decide to let them figure it out, too. So we’re all talking for a little while and they see my pictures on the refrigerator so I start pointing at them and talking about them. Only instead of pointing with my left hand to show off the ring, I’m pointing with my right hand. Kevin’s mom comes over and whispers pointedly under her breath to “use the other hand!!” while accidentally dropping a magnet on the floor and having to put it back together. I try to use the other hand, but they’re so tired they aren’t really paying attention, so his mom grabs my left hand, slams it on the refrigerator and tells them to look at that. Jake sees the ring and his face lights up. We all look over to Diane who is still trying to figure out what she’s supposed to be looking at and she finally sees it. She jumps up and down screaming and hugging us both and Jake follows suit with the hugging.
It was such an exciting and unforgettable day, and I can’t wait for all the wonderful memories we have yet to make.
(Kevins Version)
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