Monday, December 19, 2005

The Happiest Night of My Life!

After what started off to be the worst and most difficult year of my life, I find myself wondering how it is at all possible that things have turned around to the point where I can honestly say I have never been happier. And the answer I get is the same that Michael gave me in his letter almost two months ago: God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you. Those words – the words of our song - were the backdrop to the happiest and most memorable night of my life: last night, December 18, 2005.

Michael and I ran off to the mall on foot to do some last minute Christmas shopping. We decided to split up for 45 minutes because I needed to buy him something (which, I, of course, showed him beforehand… because I am a child). After an hour, Michael and I met at our pre-determined location. I wasn’t nearly ready to go home, but was prepared to pretend given how sick he was. (Unfortunately, I still hadn’t got his cough medicine.) Fortunately for me, Michael said he needed 45 more minutes. I willingly agreed and we went our separate ways.

After nearly an hour, Michael returned and said he was ready to go home. We bought the cough medicine and headed back. I noticed that his bag wasn’t in his hand anymore but assured myself that he’d stuffed it into one of the pockets of his oversized coat. On the walk home, Michael joked about proposing (something we’d talked about many times in the past week) and kept teasing me by pretending to drop to one knee in front of the very poorly decorated spruce near the Ballston Mall. I was tired so I told him to knock it off so we could go home. Still, he stopped me once or twice to hug or kiss me or say something sweet. I started getting suspicious...

We got to the door of my apartment and Michael put down my bags to open the lock. He turned to me before opening the door and told me how much he loved me before kissing me again. My heart started racing. What could be waiting behind the door? He opened it. It was just my apartment and the little Charlie Brown Christmas tree we had decorated together over a month ago that was not even lit. I felt a little sad but was tired so I staggered over to the couch where Michael took off my boots and sat across from me. As we tried to figure out what to get for dinner, he seemed to glare at me. After he handed me a menu, he came over to my side of the couch and kissed me again and said, “I can’t wait to marry you.” I laughed and told him he was getting sentimental. I felt proud that I’d finally cracked him.

As I looked over the menu, I heard him turn our song on in my room. He restarted it 3 times and I assumed it was because I had left it on loop while jamming to my new Carrie Underwood songs earlier that day. He came into the living room and sat back down close to me. I asked him if he was ready to order, but he said he wanted to wait a little while. He continued glaring at me and looked straight into my eyes before telling me how happy I made him and my imagination started to run wild. He couldn’t possibly have done anything to my room while we were at the mall, right? We had been on foot and he surely didn’t have enough time to get back and forth. I told myself not to get carried away and risk disappointment again and just enjoyed the moment.

Finally - and after much coughing - Michael put his head down and asked if we could rest for a little while before we ordered dinner. He was sick – and asked so sweetly - so I agreed. We headed over to my room and when I got into the hallway, I could see that the door was almost closed (something I never do). From the crack in the door, behind which our song was playing loudly, I could see a yellow glow coming out of the room. I stopped dead in my tracks. My heart started racing again. I felt Michael nudge me gently, but didn’t turn around. I opened the door and….

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I stopped breathing. I turned to Michael, who started to get on one knee and take my hands and I started to cry. It was a good minute before he reached for the ring and I just hugged him so hard and listened to the music. (Given that he is 6’5" and nearly a foot and a half taller than me, he was at eye level the entire time.) He reached for the box that was wrapped up in the penguin’s scarf and slowly opened it. I don’t know if it was from the fact that the ring was so beautiful or that it was so blinding, but this only made me cry more. “I want to take care of you for the rest of my life,” he said, before popping the question. I said “yes” but it must have been muffled by my crying, so he asked again. When I’d said yes a second time and returned to hugging him and crying into his shoulder (this time looking at the ring), the song ended. It couldn’t have been staged better if it was a movie, and I couldn’t have been more blown away than I was.

We sat on the floor for a while and drank the wine that he had poured. I couldn’t believe how happy I was – nor could I imagine how he’d managed to get back and forth to the mall 3 times in 45 minutes to set all this up – or how he’d been able to get away with putting a 7 foot tall Christmas tree in the middle of my room without my knowing it. In every way, it was more than a dream come true – just like Michael – and one that I will never EVER forget.

The most comical part, which I feel too compelled to share, was this morning - when I woke up and realized that I was engaged and discovered that in Michael’s rearranging of my room the night before, he’d made it virtually impossible for me to get into my wardrobe. I looked down at the most beautiful ring I’d ever seen and realized that it was mine, that Michael was stuck with me, and that this was the beginning of the best time in our lives.

And - for the 55th time since I'd become Michael's fiance- I cried…

I could not have been happier... It's hard to imagine I could ever be.

46 comments:

clew said...

Oh sweetie! We haven't "known" each other very long but let me tell you this makes my day! Thanks so much for sharing your special night!

CONGRATULATIONS and HAPPINESS ALWAYS!

Anonymous said...

Oh my god, that made me want to cry. I'm so happy for you. And I don't even know you! I hope you two are very happy together. Email me if you get bored sometime, and tell me how things are going with you two! That was so cute!

Much love,
Erika Samejima

Anonymous said...

That's really cute. I'm happy for you Button :D !!
You deserve it. You've put up with a lot in your life
and I wish the two of you the best.

** I'm sorry if the blog hurt your feelings **

I didn't mean it.

Unknown said...

Nan! That's so great!! Congratulations, friend, and may God continue to be with you both.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Nancy! I hope you two continue to live in the happiness you’ve found with one another! He does seem like a very good guy.

Bill said...

That is so cool...congratulations.

Bill said...

Wow, that is awesome! Congrats!

Kc said...

Little one I couldn't be happier. God is so good. Congratulations Nan and may God greatly bless you and your new family.

Corry said...

Aawww, that is sooooo romantic. Nan I am so very happy for both of you! My congratulations to you and Michael. God's blessings on your marriage!

God's Grace.

Tim said...

That is so cool! Congrats! All the best to you and Michael. He sounds like a real sweet guy. I'm happy for you!!

mikster said...

Congratulations!!...I wish you both the best and a very merry christmas!

Kristi B. said...

Congratulations!!! What a great way to bring in the New Year! God Bless you both!

Martie said...

Thank you for sharing this wonderful and special time with us. I am so very happy for both of you. May God bless you both as you begin a new stage of your life. Congratulations!

Anonymous said...

I am so happy for you both. Taht is so awesome how he proposed. I pray for a life time of happiness for the both of you!! Tahnk you for sharing this with me!!!

ps.... you better invite me to the wedding!!!! I will be so pissed if you dont!

audrey` said...

marvellous! congratulations!

God bless both of you sweetly :)

blessed Christmas, Nan!

Cheryl said...

Congratulations! That is one of the sweetest engagement stories I have ever, ever heard.

Anonymous said...

Congrats honey :)

Anonymous said...

OMG! That's great congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYONE seems to be getting engaged..that's wild..

Anonymous said...

I want to tell you congratulations! I can tell that you're very happy, and I'm praying that you and Michael find great joy and peace in each other's love.
Elizabeth

Joyce said...

Wow! How neat is that!!!!! Congratulations! May God bless you both in your new life together!

Michelle said...

What a wonderful night you must have had! I hope that the two of you have found everlasting love in one another and you have a beautiful marriage. Congratulations!

Gayle said...

You will remember this wonderful event and revel in it for the remainder of your life. Congratulations and may your marriage be blessed and last throughout your life. Because I have been happily married for 46 years I feel qualified to give you one piece of advice, the most important thing I know as to how to keep you together always. As a combination engagement/wedding present I offer you this:

Do not ever go to sleep at night still mad at each other. There will be disagreements, but don't let them carry throughout the night. My husband and I have never gone to bed without telling each other "I Love You". Take it to heart because it works.

Many blessings and Merry Christmas!

Crazy Politico said...

Congratulations! That is awesome.

Kitty Cheng said...

awwww i'm so happy for you. You're so blessed Nan! Congratulations. When is the BIG day?

thanks for visiting my blog too. Merry Christmas.

Anonymous said...

Nan, That's is awesome, I'm so happy for you...
Drop me a line sometime...
--b

audrey` said...

Nan, thank you so much for visiting my blog and your very nice comments :)

blessed Christmas to you and your loved ones :D

Mark said...

My God, I'm in tears. Congratulations and all the blessings for the future.

Clearly you are going to have a great Christmas

Mark

Jeff H said...

Congratulations!!!

Now, be sure to make him the happiest man on earth, OK?

Kitty Cheng said...

Congratulations Nan! You're blessed =) God bless you.

Sycorax said...

See? This is what happens when you're swamped, and haven't been to somebodys blog in a few days.... You miss EVERYTHING!

CONGRATULATIONS!

oh and MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and M! :))

audrey` said...

Happy Birthday Jesus!

May God's love, joy and peace fill you heart right now.

Blessed Christmas to you and your loved ones :)

cybeRanger said...

Congrats! Have a blessed and glorious year 2006!

crossblade said...

Nuzia..this is awesome..I have tears in my eyes...really I'd mail you soon...

this is wonderful...I wish you all happiness ...Congratulations!!!!

I havent know you for long..but I'm soo happy for you...

God bless you dear...
my stupid exams kept me from checking ur blogs soriee

CONGRATULATIONS again!!!
love n prayers
thomas

crossblade said...

this is wonderful Nunzia!!!
I have tears in my eyes..I'm really soo happy for...

its soo romantic...
Congratulaions agains!!!

I pray for God's choicest blessings on you!!!

I havent know you for long..but I just cant stop myself being happy!!!

Congratulations again!!! wish you all happiness in marraige!!!

I'm sorie my stupid exams kept me from checking ur blog

love n prayers
thomas

crossblade said...

oops I dint know you enabled the comment moderation...I thot my first comment dint come so I typed again *stupid me* lol
blessings

Genna said...

This was such a beautiful story! Thank you for sharing it with us!

Michelle said...

This is a beautiful story. Congratulations! I hope the excitement has worn off yet.

Thanks for visiting my blog. I'm just now getting a chance to catch up a little bit. I'm glad I was able to make it here before the news got too old. :)

Best wishes to both of you. What a wonderful beginning!

clew said...

(checking in 10 days later ...)

Still celebrating??? ;)

Hope the rest of Christmas was as spectacular as this part!

Happy New Year!

Rick's Corner said...

Happy New Year. Hope to see you begin posting again.

audrey` said...

May your 2006 be filled with love, joy, peace, good health and rich blessings from our Lord!

Happy New Year!

Sycorax said...

happy New Year Nancy!

Unknown said...

Congratulations are in order, that's probably one of the most special ways of starting a new year. I got married last month and it's been great - I wish you both the most joy and happiness possible. And may God continue to keep you both safe and sound.

Martie said...

Wanted to stop in and wish you both a Happy New Year. May 2006 be as wonderful as the ending of 2005 for you guys.

Sycorax said...

Sorry Nan... I just tagged you... LOL!

audrey` said...

Have a blessed weekend Nan =D

Danielle Kanka said...

So special!!! I want to cry too!