I kept a very big secret. Let me explain... We celebrated our family Thanksgiving on November 12, 2011. As our family grows, we have to come up with creative ways to allow everyone to attend, therefore we had it early. The entire extended family was there.
As the night wore on, my husband came upstairs and told me he wanted to show me something on eBay on the computer downstairs. I was loading the dishwasher and told him he would have to wait. Suspiciously, he stood there and waited for me. I should have known something then. As we were headed downstairs, my husband turned and said "What you are about to see needs to be kept a secret. Don't you tell anybody." I indignantly thought "Pfft... Who are you talking to Mister?! I always keep secrets! AND, you cannot boss me around!" As I entered the room, waiting for me downstairs was my super wonderful, "future" son-in-law, Scott. He was standing in the room, rubbing his hands nervously together. He had tears in his eyes and he could barely speak. The first words out of my mouth, when I saw him was "Ut oh..." (Strange how we automatically react sometimes....) As he got closer he said "I was wondering if it was okay with you if I asked Jessica to marry me?"
As the night wore on, my husband came upstairs and told me he wanted to show me something on eBay on the computer downstairs. I was loading the dishwasher and told him he would have to wait. Suspiciously, he stood there and waited for me. I should have known something then. As we were headed downstairs, my husband turned and said "What you are about to see needs to be kept a secret. Don't you tell anybody." I indignantly thought "Pfft... Who are you talking to Mister?! I always keep secrets! AND, you cannot boss me around!" As I entered the room, waiting for me downstairs was my super wonderful, "future" son-in-law, Scott. He was standing in the room, rubbing his hands nervously together. He had tears in his eyes and he could barely speak. The first words out of my mouth, when I saw him was "Ut oh..." (Strange how we automatically react sometimes....) As he got closer he said "I was wondering if it was okay with you if I asked Jessica to marry me?"
As my breath caught in my throat and tears filled my own eyes, I reached out and hugged him tight and said "Awww, of course it is honey!!!"
Ironically, that very night, Jessica and I had been talking about how some women seem to notoriously pick the wrong type of man. She said to me "I'm so glad you taught me how to make wise decisions because I know that Scott is a good guy and will always be there for me. " (I am not writing this as a pat-on-my-back statement. I thought it was such perfect timing for her to say this on this night... She had no idea.)
Scott told us that he wanted to propose during our vacation at Disney World the following month. I had to wait a MONTH before I could tell anyone? Oy vey! During that month, he sent me pictures of rings that he was thinking of giving her... We deleted all of our text messages and even our phone logs in the event she looked at our phones. Scott's sister Amanda even started texting me pictures of rings. We wanted Jessica to be surprised. I called Disney to find out ways to propose and shared those with Scott. I kept Jessica off of the "scent" by confusing her with "Will he do it soon?" type of questions. I kept stressing that "he better ask for permission first!"....
On the way down to Florida, Scott complained about gas prices. Jessica whispered to her baby sister "If he's worried about gas prices, I won't be getting engaged any time soon!" He had already decided he wanted to do it in front of Cinderella's castle with the Christmas lights lit up. There are always photographers there, so the photographer would catch everything while it was happening. He would do it on our first day to the parks to get it over with. He was SO nervous! My part was to get Jessica to dress up if I could. I told everyone that I wanted family pictures in front of the castle and that I wanted everyone to look nice. So Jessica fixed her hair and wore the only "nice clothes" she brought with her. In general conversation while getting ready, she mentioned "No one can ever surprise me... " Little did she know. Scott was grumpy that whole day and did very little talking.
As we were walking through "Main Street", we noticed the massive amounts of people milling about. They were waiting for the parade. Scott was going to have an audience that he did not expect. Jessica was in an exceptional mood and linked her arm in Scott's and said "What's wrong?" He said "I have a belly ache." She said in her playful way "Do you have to poop?" We got into the line for the photographer, and I turned to the people behind us and said "There is about to be a proposal, so please give us some extra time..." The woman squealed and Jessica turned about to look, but didn't catch on. I implored the woman with my eyes not to say anything. She kept her silence, thank goodness. My hubby whispered to the photographer that there was going to be a proposal and to stick with us. I had my mother-in-law and hubby take the first picture together. We were throwing her off the scent. Then, I had everyone get together for a family photo. After that photo, I said "Now it's Scott and Jessica's turn". The whole time she was unsuspecting. As she began to move away, Scott grabbed her by the shirt and said "You know I love you, right?" She shook her head "Yes" with a "what are you doing?" stare. Then he said "You know I love you very much?". The pictures say everything....
She looked over at me in this photo and I just shook my head "Yes...."
There was clapping for them....
She kept saying "It's so pretty..." as she looked at her ring....
She said this was her new "thinking pose..." Then she asked "Are you guys sick of me yet?"
Scott is going to be an awesome addition to our family. I could not have asked for anyone better for Jessica.
I'm so excited for what 2012 holds as I will be helping Jessica plan her wedding and I also have my son's wedding to attend and help with... It's going to be a great year!
Happy New Year!
Scott told us that he wanted to propose during our vacation at Disney World the following month. I had to wait a MONTH before I could tell anyone? Oy vey! During that month, he sent me pictures of rings that he was thinking of giving her... We deleted all of our text messages and even our phone logs in the event she looked at our phones. Scott's sister Amanda even started texting me pictures of rings. We wanted Jessica to be surprised. I called Disney to find out ways to propose and shared those with Scott. I kept Jessica off of the "scent" by confusing her with "Will he do it soon?" type of questions. I kept stressing that "he better ask for permission first!"....
On the way down to Florida, Scott complained about gas prices. Jessica whispered to her baby sister "If he's worried about gas prices, I won't be getting engaged any time soon!" He had already decided he wanted to do it in front of Cinderella's castle with the Christmas lights lit up. There are always photographers there, so the photographer would catch everything while it was happening. He would do it on our first day to the parks to get it over with. He was SO nervous! My part was to get Jessica to dress up if I could. I told everyone that I wanted family pictures in front of the castle and that I wanted everyone to look nice. So Jessica fixed her hair and wore the only "nice clothes" she brought with her. In general conversation while getting ready, she mentioned "No one can ever surprise me... " Little did she know. Scott was grumpy that whole day and did very little talking.
As we were walking through "Main Street", we noticed the massive amounts of people milling about. They were waiting for the parade. Scott was going to have an audience that he did not expect. Jessica was in an exceptional mood and linked her arm in Scott's and said "What's wrong?" He said "I have a belly ache." She said in her playful way "Do you have to poop?" We got into the line for the photographer, and I turned to the people behind us and said "There is about to be a proposal, so please give us some extra time..." The woman squealed and Jessica turned about to look, but didn't catch on. I implored the woman with my eyes not to say anything. She kept her silence, thank goodness. My hubby whispered to the photographer that there was going to be a proposal and to stick with us. I had my mother-in-law and hubby take the first picture together. We were throwing her off the scent. Then, I had everyone get together for a family photo. After that photo, I said "Now it's Scott and Jessica's turn". The whole time she was unsuspecting. As she began to move away, Scott grabbed her by the shirt and said "You know I love you, right?" She shook her head "Yes" with a "what are you doing?" stare. Then he said "You know I love you very much?". The pictures say everything....
She looked over at me in this photo and I just shook my head "Yes...."
There was clapping for them....
She kept saying "It's so pretty..." as she looked at her ring....
She said this was her new "thinking pose..." Then she asked "Are you guys sick of me yet?"
Scott is going to be an awesome addition to our family. I could not have asked for anyone better for Jessica.
I'm so excited for what 2012 holds as I will be helping Jessica plan her wedding and I also have my son's wedding to attend and help with... It's going to be a great year!
Happy New Year!
