I got Engaged!

***This is a repost from my MSN spaces account***

My life is such a juxtaposition of High and Low right now, High because I asked my girlfriend Jessica to be my wife on Friday, and low because my new Fiance had to leave this morning for 8 weeks.

So the story of the engagement... It all began just 4 months ago, I met this wonderful woman a few years my junior. We met in a roundabout way thanks to the wonders of the Internet, and began chatting on MSN a while before we met. We had so much in common, including discovering that our circle of friends and aquaintences over lapped at a fairly high rate. So we had our first date on January 27th, at the Casbah and then O'Reilly's Pub.

Barely a week later I knew I wanted to start a serious relationship with Jessica, and we began what became a whirlwind romance that took us to May 26th, seeing eachother nearly every day, and never for a moment getting sick of one another. That afternoon I came home for lunch and we were chatting and what not, the topic of marriage had come up before and we both really knew that we were perfect for eachother and would eventually want to become husband and wife. So that afternoon Jessica brought up the topic once more, and said she would like to get engaged before she went away. Not really being serious about it, so I said to her that I didn't see it happening this soon. I said I never had the ring, and said she should meet my parents first (they are living away on the mainland), etc. etc. So I said no, I didn't think it would really happen this soon.

Lies... I went back to "work" and instead went to the mall, purchased the ring I had had on lay away, and then made my way over to her parents house. After we chatted for a while, had a cup of tea, etc. I told them the reason for my visit. I was planning to ask their daughter for her hand in marriage, and wanted to ask their blessing for me to do this. They of course said yes, and after some hugs hand shakes, shed tears, and a shared drink we parted ways with plans in motion.

We had previously made plans to go out for supper with her parents that night, as she was leaving in a few days and wanted to spend time with both myself and them. So at 5:30 I pick up the ring from the jeweller, and make my way to pick her up, then pick up her parents. We are at the Bally Hailey golf club at around 7pm, have a fine meal and a nice glass of red wine. Afterwards, while we are enjoying our tea and coffee I say to her father, "Bruce could you take a photo of myself and Jessica before the evening moves on?". As he gets the camera out, and Jessica moves closer to me to pose for the photo, I take out the ring box and get down on one knee. Before I can even start what I was planning to say Jessica teared up and kept asking "Are you really?" "Are you really?" "Is he really?", you get the picture.

I start into what I wanted to say, pausing for Jessicas tears (of Joy). "Jessica, we've only known eachother a short 4 months, but in this time I've come to know you better than any other person in my life. You are my best friend, and my soulmate. Would you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?" There were lots of tears (by all four of us) and happy laughter from her parents. We were causing quite a scene in the restaurant and after she said yes and I was slipping the ring on her finger, we got a standing ovation and a round of everyone tapping their glasses. The Golf club gave us a complimentary bottle of chanpagne, and the rest of the evening was made up of celebrating and calling friends and relatives.

Afterwards we went down to O'Reillys, the site of the second half of our first date. We listened to some irish music, got a congratulations announcement from the performer (Dermot O'Reilly) and danced a couple dances. met up with friends, and had a great evening.

Thats the story of how I went from a lonely 26year old to an engaged 26 year old who's happier than he's ever been, in just 4 short months.

However Jessica had commited to work for the summer in Wisconsin at a camp for underpriviledged children. So even though she never really wanted to go and no one, especially not me, wanted to see her go she left this morning at around 5am for 8 weeks of summer in the sun and being a camp nurse. I'm sure she'll have a great summer and I will concentrate on my work and fill up my time wisely.

Thanks for reading, I know it was long winded, but I am sure some will appreciate the details.

Jonathan