Apologies. I feel like life has been crazy with Thanksgiving and some new work developments. So crazy, in fact, I just haven't had the time to finish up this last entry. I know you all were waiting with breathless anticipation.
Ok, maybe not. Whatever.
Anyway. Flash forward five years. Scoop and I have settled into our routine as a couple and are, decidedly, perfect for each other. Still, I was fairly certain Scoop was waiting for hell to freeze over before asking me that very important question. I mean, we were both close to graduating and taking jobs and moving to Tanzania. Okay, maybe not Tanzania. But, it might as well be that far away - there was no telling where each of us might end up if we didn't make a decision to go somewhere together.
Needless to say, I was pretty anxious (and honestly, if you haven't figured that out by now, you should go to a different Web site).
What I didn't know is that Scoop was busy scheming. He had been talking to my friends about rings and had even asked my sister and mom if he could marry me. But, Annie Oakely, the ever observant, didn't know about any of this.
Then, one night he upped my anxiousness by doing his best to throw me off the trail. We sat on the couch in his basement and argued for an hour about what we were going do. I made the case for getting married - there was no reason to be apart, right?
But Scoop, trying to be sensible, thought it would be a much better idea to wait five or six years - at least until the two of us had good jobs and had made enough money to live comfortably.
But what if we settled into jobs 3000 miles apart, I asked?
Of course, he had an answer for that. We could just live together. That way we wouldn't have twice the expenses.
Didn't he remember I was an old-fashioned girl that came from an old-fashioned family? There was no way that Grandma Shirley was going to go for that idea. Forget Grandma Shirley - there was no way The General (my mom) was going to go for that idea.
Scoop said we just shouldn't worry about it. He wanted to make sure we had the best start to our lives together as possible and was just positive that waiting a few years before getting engaged was a better idea.
I was just sure he was wrong, but there was nothing more I could do. Well, nothing more I could do short of dumping the guy - and that would just be stupid. I decided I would just have to get used to the fact that Scoop was moving at his own pace and his pace was a snail's pace. There was nothing I could do.
What I didn't know was there was a beautiful, princess-cut diamond engagement ring sitting in his dad's sock drawer one floor up. Told you he was sneaky.
The following weekend, Scoop's mother had scheduled family pictures. Of course, Scoop wanted me to be a part of said pictures, but again, I protested. Being an old-fashioned girl, I reminded Scoop I couldn't be in any family pictures until I was actually a part of the family (or at least had a ring on my finger and would soon be a member of the family).
After a lot of whining and pleading wtih me to join the family pictures, Scoop finally accepted my answer of "No," but asked that I come home for the weekend anyway. All of his sisters would be home and it would be nice for everyone to be together.
I couldn't argue with that, so, that Friday, I pointed my car West and hit the road.
Friday night, I arrived in our hometown and met Scoop at his mom's office. Scoop had made plans for the two of us, my cousin and my sister to meet at the local Mexican restaurant for supper. Even though it was surprising (because Scoop didn't like Mexican food), I didn't think much of it.
Finally, at the appointed hour, Scoop dialed my cousin to make sure he was ready to go and on his way to the restaurant. Despite Scoop's careful planning (at least that's what I thought), Boots had just gotten out of the shower and wasn't quite ready to go.
"No problem," Scoop said. Instead, he offered to drive over to my family's car dealership while we waited. We often "cruised the lot" to look at new cars, so - again - I didn't think anything of it. Besides, there was a silver Monte Carlo I really wanted to check out.
We got to the dealership and started down the first aisle. Scoop stopped at the silver Monte Carlo because he said he wanted to get out and look at it (of course, this was fine by me). I hopped out of the car with him, checked out the interior of the Monte and turned to go back to Scoop's car. Hey - it was October and I was cold.
And that's when it happened.
"Hey - wait a minute. I have a question of you."
I wheeled around to find out Scoop wanted to know. By the time I got myself turned around, there was Scoop, facing me, with that beautiful, princess-cut diamond ring in his outstretched hand.
The only thing I could get to escape my lips was exceedingly eloquent: "Ohhh my GOD. OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD! Wait, are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Of course. OF COURSE I'M GOING TO MARRY YOU!"
He didn't even get the question out. He handed the ring to me and, in my excitement, I dropped it on the ground. After quickly bending down and grabbing the ring, we were back in the car and headed back to Scoop's house.
Of course, dinner at the Mexican restaurant had been one big story to get me out to the dealership. Instead, we were headed back to his house to attend the engagment party that his family had planned for us.
And, the next day, I made my first appearance in Scoop's family pictures.
And, I was happy. Well, that is until the wedding planning started.
